Three Californias? Nope Immigration? Get tough NK treaty? Probably not

First in a series looking at responses to AD survey asking locals their opinions on national issues

Ask locals how they feel on current issues and it’s guaranteed you’ll get a wide variety of responses. The for-andagainst might not be as black-and-white as partisan pundits might claim, but there are some definite trends.

The Appeal conducted an informal online survey, asking respondents to weigh in on a number of issues and to leave comments – 223 respondents participated over about a week and a half. This is the first in a series of columns presenting the results.

The demographics: Participants were almost evenly split by gender. Almost 67 percent are in their 40s-60s; 23 percent are in their 20s or 30s; only 4 were under 21; and only 8 percent were over 70. About 23 percent have household income of less than $50,000; 33 percent have income of from $50,000 to $100,00; 35 percent have household income of $100,000 to $200,000; and 8 percent have income of more than $200,000.

There were generally no big differences in responses when filtered by gender, age or household income level.

Nearly 40 percent said they live in urban Sutter County; 21 percent are from rural Yuba County; 17 percent are from urban Yuba County; 12 percent are from rural Sutter County; just a few respondents were from Colusa County and 15 were from “other.”

– Leave California whole: We asked how people felt about the proposal to divide California into three separate states, and only 14 percent were very much in favor of it; 20 percent were somewhat interested; 5 percent were neutral; 24 percent were against it and 36 percent were very much opposed to it. Comments included:

... Two would be a good option and to be honest everything south of Sacramento needs to be in one and everything north in the other . ...

Too many of us in CA have no voice in what goes on in Sacramento. Constant taxation and a nanny state that won’t quit meddling in our lives are just two of my complaints. Dumb idea, nothing to be gained by it! It’s a scam to add 4 more Democrat seats in the Senate.

– Take care of immigration problems: We asked, “How do you think immigration issues are being/should be handled?” And 56 percent of respondents said either a little more or much more aggressively; 37 percent said we should be a little or much more accommodating. Comments:

People should apply to come to the USA, not just walk over the boarder uninvited ...

Immigrants are being scapegoated for all of the problems in this country. Immigrants are not taking jobs from American citizens; Immigrants are not the cause of drug addiction; immigrants are not the cause of the homeless crisis in our country . ...

Detained and Deported. No hiring of illegals, no welfare, no drivers licenses, etc. We need a wall on the southern border.

The inhumane and cruel internment of desperate people must stop.

Billions of dollars of California agriculture business rely on migrant workers . ...

– Treaty pessimism. We asked what people think the prospects are in talks with North Korea.

Just over 55 percent said they were somewhat or very skeptical there will be an actual agreement; 7 percent were neutral on the question; about 37 percent said they are fairly or very confident there will be an agreement. Comments:

Kim Jong Un and his ego need acceptance on the world stage. I think he’d do anything to turn things around for his people not to revolt.

In negotiations, you have to draw your enemy close to you. You have to have some relationship in order to talk. The way President Trump is handling this issue is foreign to most people and looks awkward . ...

I’m very skeptical, but Trump deserves a lot of credit for getting North Korea to take the necessary first step with him

Kim Jong Un is not interested in doing what’s right for his people. If he were, he wouldn’t be enslaving, starving, and killing them . ...