Life in California stinks: Our readers weigh in

Come on ... are things really that bad in the Golden State?

According to a new U.S. News & World Report survey, California looks downright pathetic when you see where we sit on the quality-of-life measuring stick.

Compared with the other 49 states, California fares better in the survey when you consider specific metrics such as education, crime or health care. But when we’re judged by just good ol’ dayto-day existence, we’d all do better moving to Arkansas. The Natural State — whose motto is Regnat Populus, which is Latin for “the peo- ple rule” — is ranked No. 7, though that certainly looks like a typo, doesn’t it?

In any case, our story certainly touched a few nerves among our readers. And, being the intensely opinionated bunch that they are, many of these folks felt moved to let their real feelings rip. Here’s a few, edited for clarity, length and, in some cases, because we’re a family newspaper:

• “The worst thing about California is the affordability. Articles like this will hopefully encourage more deplorables to leave so itwill become more affordable for the rest of us.’’ - from “Fake News Trumped Real News’’ • “Problems we in Cal- ifornia see everyday: Liberals that spend taxpayer money on socialist giveaway programs instead of maintaining our infrastructure. Liberals that prefer to cripple our roadways to force people onto the bus instead of improving our roads.’’ - “Larry J”

• “Please, y’all: move to Oklahoma or South Carolina. I swear you are going to be somuch happier!’’ - “easong’’

• “Not likely. Packing heat while shopping for groceries at Kroger has little appeal for me.’’ - “milpitasguy’’

• “I implore all of you w ho don’t like living in California to please move to Iowa! We need more room on the roads here.’’ - “Lenny Nivea”

• “Most people I know came here for the jobs and are staying because they are working andmaking decent money. Every time the conversation comes up how expensive it is or traffic or blah, blah, blah, the question comes up, ‘Ok, where would you want to go?’ and everyone argues about this place or that for the next hour and in the end everyone then agrees that this is actually one of the nicest places in the US. It certainly has it’s problems, but you leave and trade them in for a different set of problems somewhere else.’’ - “Reed More’’

• “Last time I visited California, I thought it was a beautiful place, except for the residents, who allwere pushy and rude.’’ - “Southerner01’’

• “Other changes such as the traffic, increasing number of spare the air days, ugly high- density housing developments and tax increases... well I don’t know of many people who like any of those things. That said, having lived in other places, there are far worse things like the gang wars in Chicago, the drunk hicks driving around with guns in TX or people who can light their faucet water on fire and are enduring earthquakes from fracking in N. Dakota.’’ - more from ‘’ Reed More’’

• “What occurs to me is I’ve been employed here since 1984 and I’m paying taxes like so many others. I moved here from the midwest in the 1970s and I’ve been happy as h3ll to call this majestic state home.’’ - “Lenny Nivea’’ • “Exactly. One trip to Muir Woods immediately renders 46 states moot for me, leaving Alaska, Hawaii and Utah as the only others in terms of majesty. Iowa? Looks like their Chamber of Commerce forked over the biggest wine basket to the editor-in-chief at US News & Report. Must have had some quality Napa reds in there.’’ - “Coley Dude’’