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It strikes me that the dysfunction stretches across state and country borders. The issues you see in San Diego and San Francisco are the exact same ones you see

It strikes me that the dysfunction stretches across state and country borders. The issues you see in San Diego and San Francisco are the exact same ones you see in Vancouver. I'm in Massachusetts now, and as a west-east transplant I'm amazed at the stuff that just works. Cycle paths get built, housing gets built, state social and health services are extant and useful. I'm sort of at a loss to explain the difference.

jmole 5y ago
new money vs. old money i guess. perhaps the same reason that it's really hard for me to view SF as a "real city" after living in NY for a few years. Even with all the money moving around in the bay area, so little of it actually makes its way back to the built environment.
- 0_____0 5y ago
  NYC in many ways is "America's Only Real City." Seems like every other major city went for the 'burbs in the postwar period and ended up kneecapping their growth.
Aloha 5y ago
The lack (or reduced teeth) of CEQA equivalents help, NEPA like laws make it hard to build things. https://ceq.doe.gov/laws-regulations/states.html https://ceq.doe.gov/laws-regulations/states.html The fact that CEQA applies to all levels of government in California makes it easier to throw sand in the gears. Similarly there is too much good government sometimes, too much accountability makes it hard to accomplish anything. Too little means corruption is hard to root out. There is less accountability in the east overall in bureaucracy - any state not hit hard by the progressive revolution of the early 20th century seems to be better at doing thing. I see more community focused expectations of behavior on the east coast (There is more of an expectation that everyone ought to behave a certain way, and do certain things in certain places). There are other cultural differences too, east coast residents in my first hand experience tend to be more apt look the other way at penny ante corruption (the stereotypical "I know a guy.." culture), which somewhat perversely makes government more flexible work better. Generally the less moral imperative government has, the better it works. I realize these are probably not popular opinions.

jmole 5y ago

new money vs. old money i guess. perhaps the same reason that it's really hard for me to view SF as a "real city" after living in NY for a few years. Even with all the money moving around in the bay area, so little of it actually makes its way back to the built environment.

0_____0 5y ago
NYC in many ways is "America's Only Real City." Seems like every other major city went for the 'burbs in the postwar period and ended up kneecapping their growth.

Aloha 5y ago

The lack (or reduced teeth) of CEQA equivalents help, NEPA like laws make it hard to build things. https://ceq.doe.gov/laws-regulations/states.html https://ceq.doe.gov/laws-regulations/states.html The fact that CEQA applies to all levels of government in California makes it easier to throw sand in the gears. Similarly there is too much good government sometimes, too much accountability makes it hard to accomplish anything. Too little means corruption is hard to root out. There is less accountability in the east overall in bureaucracy - any state not hit hard by the progressive revolution of the early 20th century seems to be better at doing thing. I see more community focused expectations of behavior on the east coast (There is more of an expectation that everyone ought to behave a certain way, and do certain things in certain places). There are other cultural differences too, east coast residents in my first hand experience tend to be more apt look the other way at penny ante corruption (the stereotypical "I know a guy.." culture), which somewhat perversely makes government more flexible work better. Generally the less moral imperative government has, the better it works. I realize these are probably not popular opinions.