The Mess In California

Thoughts from Joel Kotkin:

…to thrive and evolve, these firms need a more positive business climate, Sadeghi says. Attempts to impose a wealth tax would not fit into the plans of aspiring entrepreneurs, some of whom have already exited the state.

The Legislature is also mulling over a proposal to reduce the workweek to four days or 32 hours, and has already passed a host of bills meant to regulate small businesses, such as fast-food outlets. This will not help encourage entrepreneurs to start businesses here.

Essentially, California can go one of two ways. It can continue on its current path, toxic for its middle and working classes, driving away even long-established businesses, and hope that another tech bubble will come around to pay the price for immiseration. Or it can focus, as it has before, on improving basic infrastructure such as roads and water, and on creating opportunities for entrepreneurial ventures that will benefit the state’s citizens and communities.

Unfortunately, my money’s on continuing on the current path.

6 thoughts on “The Mess In California”

  1. But…. But… It’s the “5th largest economy on Earth!™”

    It’s been 33 over years since Loma Prieta and tomorrow it’s 29 since Northridge. Gonna be interesting to see the recovery from the next one.

    1. I’ve been reading a lot about the seismic potential of the Pacific Northwest. “The Big One” may not even be in CA, but it could easily take out a goodly portion of Seattle or Portland. It has happened there before, the Cascadia, a 9 on the Richter but in 1700 when few if any Europeans were settled there. So there’s no record. But it can be quite violent and destructive, sending tsumani’s into Japan. On the West Coast we’re talking about shifts of the coastline.

  2. Train. Wreck.

    It would be a high-speed train wreck but they spent the billions on tracks and stations from nowhere you’ve ever been to nowhere you’d ever want to go.

    Man, I’m glad we escaped in ’21. Not looking back.

  3. Guessing that some folks are looking forward to California becoming the next Cuba. Lots of fine beaches and hotels for those with hard currency, the rest of the population living in a decrepit time warp.

    …It’s as good an explanation as any for their policies.
    (Oh, and they will try to export doctors too..)

    1. If, by “export,” you mean “drive out,” I’m inclined to agree. And if said exodus reaches criticality while I’m still alive, I’ll be forced to follow them. I’m not as hale and hearty as I used to be and require a higher standard of health care than is available in most of Cuba – or a future Cubafornia.

  4. Woke is downstream from mass immigration. California used to be in play for the Republicans, now it’s a one-party state thanks to open borders. Coming to a nation near you, for the same reason.

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