Even if leaders from the 13 counties got serious about secession, the U.S. Constitution says no new state can be formed without the consent of Congress and the state legislature. Gil Duran, a spokesman for California Gov. Jerry Brown, said Stone's proposal is "a supremely ridiculous waste of everybody's time. ... If you want to live in a Republican state with very conservative right-wing laws, then there's a place called Arizona," Duran told the newspaper. (Republican Supervisor Jeff Stone's) version of South California would not include Los Angeles County. Instead, it would encompass coastal Orange and San Diego counties, and more sparsely populated, inland areas such as Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Riverside, San Bernardino and Tulare counties/Associated Press. More here.

Question: Do you consider Arizona to be more conservative than Idaho? And/or: Do you think many emigrants from "South California" have made their way to North Idaho?