If anyone wants to see the results socialism has on a society it’s easy. Just look at countries who have tried it — China (since 1949), Cambodia (1975-1991), Cuba (since 1959), North Korea, Laos (since 1955), Poland (1945-1989), Romania (1947-1989), U.S.S.R. (1917-1991) and most recently Venezuela (since 1998).
I don’t believe I would want to immigrate to any of the countries currently espousing socialism to raise a family. Would you?
Using this same logic we can look at the great state of California — one of the most beautiful states in the union where Democrats have been in control of both houses of congress since 2006 — and see what a state controlled by those leaning to the far left looks like.
Let’s start by examining what is called the California exodus. In 2018 more people left California than moved in, for the seventh straight year — this according to new census data.
The numbers show that California was number one in 2018 with approximately 691,000 people leaving to move to another state. When you consider those who moved to the state the net population loss was 190,000.
That was for one year. To put this number in perspective that is more that the population of Missouri’s third largest city, Springfield — 167,319. That’s more than the population of Franklin, Gasconade, Maries and Osage counties combined — 140,160.
People are not the only one’s leaving the Golden State, businesses are also moving out.
There are five reasons cited for this exodus.
1. Increased housing prices. San Jose tops the list with a median home price of $1 million.
2. Worst state for business for the last 11 years —Texas is the best.
3. General high cost of living
4. Highest state income tax rate of 13.3%
5. Safety due to high crime rates, illegal immigration and homelessness.
In 2018 Mercatus Center at George Mason University listed all 50 states according to their financial condition. California was ranked 42 out of 50. Illinois, another state controlled by Democrats was the worst for financial health. In fact four of the bottom five states consistently vote Democrat.
In case you are interested Missouri’s ranking is 15th.
Now let’s look at the elephant in the room — homelessness. Homelessness in California is in the news almost as much as Donald Trump’s impeachment.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson called out California last month for its failure to reduce homelessness despite a nationwide decrease in homelessness.
Rising homelessness in California and Oregon threw off other states’ improved numbers, leading to an overall increase in homelessness of 2.7 percent in 2019, according to HUD. Homelessness in California increased by 16.4 percent in 2019 — more than the total national increase of every other state combined.
Homelessness in cities like San Francisco — rated the most liberal city in America by Forbes magazine — and Los Angeles - have become so bad doctors are concerned that it could lead to outbreaks of hepatitis A, typhus, typhoid fever, rotten bacterial infections and even the plague.
The reason for this concern is the homeless relieve themselves where ever they are. In December shoppers at a San Francisco Safeway grocery store took video and photos of a man opening toilet paper and defecating in the aisle.
According to KRON 4, San Francisco’s “poop patrol” received 25,000 complaints in 2019. That is over 68 times a day.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) reports that approximately 26 percent of homeless Americans have some form of mental illness, and nearly 35 percent were affected by substance abuse.
Guess what, California made it easy for their residents to get hooked on drugs in 2018 by allowing recreational use of marijuana.
There are many reasons for this problem besides drugs. But the fact is the liberal approach in California is not solving it.
In 2011 we visited California for the National Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships. We stayed and toured in San Jose, San Francisco and Yosemite national park. California was a great place to visit. Don’t think I would ever want to move there.
I’ll just keep dreamin’ of California instead.
