I don’t think there is anyone in the world that hasn’t aspired to someday pay a visit to sunny California. The Golden State is rich with sunshine, warm climate and natural splendor as far as the eye can see. Millions of people across the globe make the trek just for a chance to soak up some of what California has to offer. From national parks to amusement parks, California is blessed with some of America’s best. It’s reputation as a premier vacation destination brings in billions of dollars to state coffers every year.
I began writing about California’s mass exodus in late-2020 when Governor Gavin Newsome implemented his despotic COVID mandates on California’s citizenry. For many, this was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back. Initially, many of California’s residents were somewhat content having to pay the highest individual taxes in the country; so long as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness was unincumbered.
Unfortunately, the Golden state and its progressive legislators have taken this once thriving paradise and turned it into an open-air flop house, where crime, drugs and homelessness permeate the landscape. Fleecing the once thriving middle class and committing itself to furthering its extinction. Recent data from the Public Policy Institute shows over 10 million Californians at or near poverty levels, which equates to over a quarter of its population.
Good paying jobs are becoming all but scarce as companies continue to pack-up and leave the sunny paradise due to over taxation and woke policies. Tesla, Oracle, Palantir and Hewlett Packard are just the latest mega size companies to pack up its forty thousand jobs and leave; and head for republican led states. It seems wokeness doesn’t bode well for a company’s bottom line, or shareholders expectations. To make matters worse, California’s lawmakers are now seeking to raise taxes on what they call “California’s wealthy”; at unprecedented levels to offset the continued losses of tax revenue due to the departures.
Of all 50 states, California has the highest individual income tax rates, but this will be a drop in the bucket for what’s about to come.
The thought of enjoying historical landmarks such as Rodeo Drive, Malibu’s beaches or San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park are also becoming distant memories. Crime plays a large role in dismaying anyone from attempting to enjoy the scenery. Roving retail theft gangs and train robberies are the latest fads to hit the Golden State. California’s permissiveness on crime coupled with woke prosecutors who refuse to prosecute criminals for violent and non-violent crimes have created a hostage situation for those citizens unable to flee wokeness. All these factors, along with the ever-increasing poverty and illegal immigration, will decimate these once desired destinations.
California’s progressive criminal policies have resulted in some of the nation’s worst recidivism rates by far. In the last 10 years, California has averaged a 50% recidivism rate on all crime. Open air drug markets and the decriminalization of drugs has resulted in the doubling of overdose deaths in just one year. This will only get worse without swift intervention.
In just two years, California has lost so many residents, the state has lost one of its Congressional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to census data. Tampa Fla, Miami Fla and Phoenix Arizona are the top three escape cities for the former Californians as they seek refuge in republican states. It seems lower taxes and family values does have a place in American culture, just not in blue states.
Sadly, progressive states like Washington and Oregon have begun to mimic these detrimental policies and have essentially started the fast-track down the same path as the Golden State. Residents are starting to flee in record numbers as woke policies envelop these communities.
Will the last person to leave Seattle please turn out the lights?
Vincent
