Problem: You need a full-time job at a company to get benefits such as healthcare.
Californian solution: Reclassify as many as possible as full-time workers.
Problem: USA immigration laws are horribly inflexible.
Californian solution: Make it illegal to go after illegal immigrants.
I don't think that these passive-aggressive fixes are good for USA's democracy. Either we need to split up the country into more manageable chunks and make moving between states as hard as moving between EU countries or we need to accept the intent of federal laws. Otherwise we will just end up in an ever escalating war of dumb bills to counteract the other sides dumb bills.
It depends on the country of origin, but for many, moving between EU countries is about as moving between states is now. There's some bureaucracy to deal with, but it's not like moving between states in the US is hassle free. Most US states require immigrants from other states get a local drivers license and local car registration, which requires multiple proofs of residence. Don't forget the nightmare of having to deal with two states' taxes (where applicable).
Europeans generally refer to "being on benefits" as unemployment allowance, and no, you cannot move from a poor European country to a rich one to get a higher standard of living unless you can work, or can be supported by someone who works. Certain kinds of social programs in the US have this property as well.
Americans often refer to medical care/insurance as a "benefit", which might be confusing here, but yes you absolutely can (as a European) move to another country without a job and still get medical care in the area you have just moved to.
As for immigration, the main issue that is that many California families are a mix of American citizens and illegal aliens that have lived here for decades
Contractors don't pay into unemployment, but they're also not eligible to receive unemployment benefits.
You just hit the nail on the head. The real problem is that California is grossly under-represented in government, thanks to the founding fathers and gerrymandering. We have to slap together these hacks because otherwise we would wait centuries to get any real change out of the Fed.
As for "USA's democracy", screw the USA and its' democracy. As a Californian, I care about California's democracy, not the GOP's federalist plutocracy.
Republikans look at California as a rich man to mug who won't fight back. These laws are how we fight back. The USA needs us, we don't need them.
The fact is a state with 38 million people and a GDP equivalent to 20% of the nation should have more representation than moscow mitch's welfare state of kentucky.
The unfairly low representation of large states in the Senate is a huge issue, but it's not what "gerrymandering" means.
If we actually followed the spirit and intentions of the founding fathers, then California would already be grossly under-represented. Add to that the way the GOP rigs the elections via gerry-mandering and . voter suppression, and Californians are treated like slaves, not citizens.
They have all forgotten the battle cry of the republic, "NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION".
#calexit
When the GOP owns the senate, as they do, they attack California's sovereignty at every opportunity. We are net-givers to the federal budget, whereas moscow mitch is a welfare queen whose state is the biggest net-begger.
Our wealth, our culture, our environment are all under attack by a nation of right-wing christian terrorists who resent that us Californian libtards have created the wealthiest, most successful and productive society the world has ever known .. while all they do is shoot guns.
#calexit