This past month, California Governor Gavin Newsom was launching another set of television ads focused on Tennessee. His message was “Trump Republicans” on abortion. He also went on the national show, NBC’s “Meet the Press” to showcase his new ad.
But why is he campaigning in other states, trying to convince their resident how to vote? Especially when we have so many growing problems at home. Each state has its own government and state legislature, and the people of that state and any other state can decide for themselves, especially when the message comes from the Governor of a state with such dire problems.
This past week, the Legislative Analyst Office updated its revenue estimate, and California is now facing a $73 billion deficit, up from $58 billion in January. Just two years ago (2022), California had a $100 billion surplus. Where did all that money go? And why isn’t Newsom in California fixing the problem?
As of January 2024, California has the highest number of homeless at 181,399. Of those 123, 000 live outside in tents or other makeshift shelters. These numbers came after Newsom authorized and spent more than $20 billion on his various homeless efforts – the situation only worsened. Where did all that money go? This all comes after Newsom proclaimed: “You want to know who’s the homeless czar?” Newsom said. “I’m the homeless czar.”
In 2023, 75,423 people left California. 2022, that number was 820,000; in 2021, it was 340,000, and 410,000 in 2020. And according to a 2023 poll, nearly 40 percent of Californians would like to leave.
Some main reasons people are fleeing the state are the cost of living, high taxes, political problems, housing crisis, crime, and wildfires.
Most problems are solvable or can be significantly mitigated with leadership from the Governor’s office and State Legislature. Still, it won’t happen when California’s Governor is more interested in spending his time and resources campaigning in other states, trying to tell them how to live, while hundreds of thousands leave this state.
It is about priority, and when you hear a politician tell you that they can do two or three things simultaneously and be successful if things are as bad as they are in California, it is time to call B.S. and demand that they fix the problems.
But that blame also falls on the residents and voters of California. We can’t complain or whine when we are not turning out to vote. Positive change will only occur if we start paying attention and demand accountability.
We must do our part because when we stay home on Election Day, we get politicians who just paper over the problems and leave them for someone else.
