'California Schemer' by Vincent

Imagine if you will, families huddling in makeshift shelters due to catastrophic disasters while your governor smiles for selfies.  Such is the case in California, as Gavin Newsom tours around the state giving grand speeches about lifting the minimum wage for a better tomorrow, against a backdrop of a community literally burnt to the ground.
 
It's an impressive feat of mismanagement and narcissism and should be studied in political science classes for years to come.  Businesses are fleeing the state in droves, residents are packing up their lives for greener pastures, and natural disasters rage unabated, due to misguided policies and deliberate neglect.  Yet, with audacious hubris, Governor Newsom seems undeterred, convinced he is the only Democrat that can scale the national political mountain, all the way up to the White House.
 
In states like California, accountability often takes a back seat to ambition.  Imagine the audacity required to proclaim oneself a leader after presiding over the biggest fiscal catastrophe in state history.  California’s state and local debt is estimated to be around $1.6 trillion.  This includes both outstanding debt and unfunded liabilities. Under Gavin Newsom’s leadership the state’s debt has ballooned to a number exceeding the annual GDP of all but 13 countries; making it the most indebted state in the union.
  
And what has he done to remedy this?  Instead of substantial belt tightening measures and prudent financial management, he’s chosen to introduce a slew of policies that stifle business and drive entrepreneurs away.  He’s championed initiatives that prioritize virtue signaling over fiscal responsibility, all the while the state’s economy lay in tatters.
 
Amidst a mass exodus of businesses fleeing to friendlier climates, the state has decided to raise its minimum wage to a staggering $20 per hour.  This disastrous move aimed at helping workers, has illuminated the catastrophic disconnect between Gavin Newsom and the economic realities on the ground.  The logic here is simply mind boggling; you raise the wage floor, so what on earth do you think happens when businesses are forced to pay more, while grappling with skyrocketing rents and utilities? 
   
Businesses from tech giants to small mom and pop shops are packing their bags and relocating to states that offer a more hospitable environment.  California’s business climate is smothered with relentless regulations, exorbitant taxes, and an ever-increasing cost of living.  It’s akin to trying to save a sinking ship by adding more water.  In the end, two things will inevitably happen; they with either lay off workers or, just close their doors altogether.  Regrettably, both things are happening simultaneously on a massive scale. 
 
Newsom and his administration must be used to relentless criticism by now.  It’s clear, they’ve turned a blind eye to any consequences from the decisions they’ve made.  With each individual that departs, with each business that folds up its tent, a new story of anger and frustration emerges; and yet here Gavin Newsom stands convinced that the lessons learned from his years as governor will somehow translate into national appeal.
 
It’s no wonder that Newsom displays such brazen optimism about his presidential aspirations; he, like most Democrats have mastered the art of denial.  His willingness to ignore the realities facing millions of Californians reeks of detachment.  He’s turned California into a laboratory for progressive policies; all of which have failed spectacularly.  From immigration to homelessness, California’s problems are exacerbated by the very policies he promotes, and subsequently implements.
 
The amount of criticism he has taken would have derailed any sane politician, but in some sick and twisted way, Newsom appears to thrive on it.  Perhaps its arrogance, perhaps sheer hubris, but his unwavering belief in his own abilities to lead on any scale defies logic.  Even someone this narcissistic can’t seriously believe that his California credentials are sufficient enough to win over voters in any of the swing states.                                         
 
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.