6 suggestions for the people behind the idea of ‘Six Californias’

Imagine the American flag with 55 stars, the Senate with 110 seats, and the west coast with state lines every 100 miles. A proposal for the state of California to be broken up into six individual states would make that a reality.

Tim Draper, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, is the man behind the project. He announced Tuesday that 1.3 million people have signed his petition putting the “Six Californias” proposition on the ballot in 2016.

The six new states would be broken up by existing county lines and would each have their own government and elected officials. The proposed names for the states are South California, West California, Central California, Silicon Valley, North California, and Jefferson.

The idea seems far-fetched and most likely won’t be approved any time soon. In the meantime, I — a California native, myself — have some suggestions for each new state that its proponents may want to consider.

South California

 

I know that the NorCal vs. SoCal rivalry is heated, but a less literal approach should be taken in regards to this state’s name. The area would be mainly composed of San Diego County and three others that make up the Inland Empire. I neglect to name them individually because once you’re out of San Diego, “America’s Finest City,” things are bound to go downhill. America’s Finest State would be an appropriate option. It could even be governed by Mitt Romney, who owns beachfront property in San Diego.

 

West California

 

This is the home of Hollywood and Disneyland but they couldn’t come up with something more creative than West California? I suggest Supercalifragilisticexpialidocia. It’s catchy, relatable, and could be called Supercali for short. Arnold Schwarzenegger might even make a return to politics if he could be Supercali’s governator.

 

Central California

 

This agriculture hub is the home to wide open spaces and the lovely smell of cow manure. It should be aptly named Pitstop, because unless you live here, you’re not stopping until you need a break driving up Interstate 5. Since people usually respond to someone who says they are from this area with “I’m sorry,” finding people to run the government might be a challenge.

 

Silicon Valley

 

Mark Zuckerberg would undoubtedly be the governor of this great state, but recycling the name already used to describe the region doesn’t seem very fair. A state known for technology deserves a title that encourages constant innovation. A name that its inhabitants will appreciate and be inspired by. For example, Galaxy Far, Far Away.

 

North California

 

Naming the state that will encompass the west coast’s wine country should be a no-brainer — Merlotville. Nancy Pelosi owns vineyards in this area and might want to become part of its government. However, Little Jonathan Vineyards, owned by rapper Lil Jon, is also within state lines. Given these two choices I might have to go with the latter.

 

Jefferson

 

It sounds like the people behind this proposition ran out of cardinal directions so they randomly chose a Founding Father. However, Thomas Jefferson was known to farm hemp, so I’ll let this one slide on account of their mutual appreciation for it. James Franco and Seth Rogen should co-govern this state, as long as North Korea doesn’t get to them first.

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