Commentary
In recent months, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have been crisscrossing the country. They are offering dueling narratives regarding the upsides of their own states while lambasting the downsides of their opponent’s states.
Why are these two governors sniping at one another? Are they raising their national profiles and jockeying for position in the event they might meet in future campaigns for higher office? Mr. Newsom coyly deflects questions regarding higher political ambitions, but his actions suggest he is running for something. On the other hand, Mr. DeSantis has already thrown his hat in the ring as a presidential contender in 2024.
The problem with Mr. Newsom’s virtue signaling is that he mischaracterizes both California and Florida. He plays up California as if it’s a paradise on earth, but in reality, it is facing staggering problems that force large numbers of folks to flee the state for robust freedom friendly states. Mr. Newsom might believe that by repeating an upbeat message, the state somehow will magically turn a corner.
However, public education has maintained its downward spiral, crime and homelessness have escalated in the large cities, critical infrastructure is eroding, and the cost of living is through the roof, while regulations and taxes are excessive. Sacramento is unresponsive to these persistent problems due to a Democratic monopoly that throws money at problems hoping they will disappear. Yet Mr. Newsom attempts to paint a picture of a modern-day Shangri-La that is superior to Florida.
In reality, Florida has a much more manageable crime and homeless situation and is pro-business when contrasted with California. During the pandemic, lockdowns were short-term, allowing businesses and schools to resume operations rather quickly. Fewer businesses went belly up and student learning loss was minimal. That is why so many residents in the blue states are pulling up stakes and moving to states such as Florida.
One can partially understand Mr. Newsom’s reasoning for hyping California and trashing Florida. He doesn’t want California to suffer an irreparable brain drain that leaves the state less culturally and materially prosperous. He might want to sell the high points of the state to encourage folks from other states to give California a shot.
Unfortunately, the bullet points in Mr. Newsom’s marketing plan aren’t working well because the best and brightest aren’t running toward California. Highly permissive social policies are attracting folks who feel entitled to handouts instead of embracing a drive to study, work hard, and contribute to the “Golden State.” Pandering to a welfare mentality is a huge burden on the taxpayers and contributes to deviant behavior, and it won’t solve the root causes of crime and homelessness.
Meanwhile, Mr. Newsom is paying scant attention to what law-abiding residents want from Sacramento. They want their rights to be protected instead of ineffective policies that coddle criminals, the homeless, and illegal migrants. There is something highly troubling about a state that has at least 30 percent of the nation’s homeless but only about 12 percent of the country’s population. Mr. Newsom’s recent cynical pivot toward bolstering law enforcement to clean up San Francisco is meant to burnish his profile but comes years too late.
Californians want law and order, not lawlessness, so they can raise their families in a safer environment. They want a public education system that teaches core subjects instead of indoctrinating young minds to ignore the blessings of liberty, merit, and opportunity.
Moreover, Californians would like their tax dollars to be appropriated toward building and repairing physical infrastructure rather than having it misdirected on light rail and high-speed rail networks that a small minority of riders would utilize. The vast majority of residents travel by bus or motor vehicles in their daily lives.
Cutting to the chase, Mr. Newsom talks a good game but fails to deliver due to a commonsense deficit and a short attention span. He has sold out to a globalist ideology which tends to chip away at the freedom and prosperity of Californians. He is also obsessed with identitarian policies in academia and the workforce, has supported trans-tourism minus parental permission, and seeks to alter the 2nd Amendment with a dystopian 28th Amendment. Ironically, Mr. Newsom’s “progressive” policies are more like a U-turn toward regressive socialism.
By contrast, Mr. DeSantis doesn’t have to work very hard to advertise Florida’s qualities, because folks rely on other people to inform them about realities on the ground in particular states. They don’t pay as much attention to the media or politicians weighing in on what constitutes fantasy and reality. Mr. DeSantis isn’t flashy, but he gets things done and had real occupations prior to his tenure as governor. He has also mustered the courage to battle the woke industrial complex.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
