Last night at work I spoke to a woman who lives in the "central valley area" of California, I know the town, but since outsiders read here, I'm not going to mention it. She's on SS, on a "small farm of 60 acres" and she did tell me it's gated. It has to be worth a small fortune from all that she told me about it.

She was buying stuff to make jewelry, and we got to talking. (40 minutes worth of talking!!) She was telling me about her place, and how lucky she was it was all paid for and what her property taxes were ($3000) and also how lucky she was that Prop 14 (?) only allows for property taxes to go up 1% per year, or she would have to sell her place. I told her how shocked I was at her property tax amount, because ours are low here but not like that.
Then she went on to say how difficult it was to live on her SS and if "our DEAR president and incompetent congress have their way, I may lose that too!" Shocked the heck out of me, that a woman from CA - who was born and raised there she told me - would be so anti-Obama. She said she thanked God she lived where she did in CA away from "the crazies".

She was a delightful lady to speak with, and I had to be careful about making political comments. Basically about all I can say is that hopefully things will improve after all the campaigning and the election is over. (you want to know how hard it is to not say more?!?!?!

)
I guess I'm quite guilty of expecting most Californians to be liberal.
It amazes me how often women are starting to speak of the economy and the government, when they call in to my work. It seems to be primarily older women too. They are not happy campers!! Their discretionary income is not going as far, and these are women who spend a ridiculous amount of money on jewelry!! (gives me job security but I personally don't understand maxing out credit card after credit card on jewelry....how much does a woman need?

) Hopefully, these women will actually get out and vote and vote GOP.