Editors at Issues and Insights assess two different approaches toward governing an American state.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom can’t help himself when it comes to bragging about the performance of the state while he’s been in charge. Often it means saying things that are wildly untrue.
Take his latest attempt at self-congratulation.
In a post on X, Newsom claimed, “Since 2019, California has grown about 40% in its economy — no other jurisdiction in the United States has come close. We have no peers.”
That might be accurate if what Newsom meant was that California has no peers when it comes to how badly the state’s economy has been performing since 2019.
Newsom’s 40% growth rate is in nominal terms. In real terms, the state’s GDP has gone up by 17.6%, which is less than the national average of 17.7%.
And the Pacific Research Institute points out in a recent study, California’s share of the national economy had been climbing steadily, peaking at 14.5% in 2020. But it’s been declining ever since Gavin Newsom took office. And now, California accounts for only 13.8% of the nation’s economy. …
… Here’s another way to look at it. Compare California to Florida. Democrat Newsom and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are both finishing up their second terms in office, and both are term-limited out next year.
So we can test the results of their different approaches to governance. One conservative, the other leftist. One focused on growth, the other on appeasing left-wing constituencies. One has kept taxes and regulations in check, the other has been raising both with abandon. …
… By every important measure, Florida is vastly outperforming California. Florida’s economy has grown faster, it’s created more jobs, seen its population increase, and avoided massive spending increases. It’s more affordable. It’s safer (the violent crime rate in Florida is nearly half of California’s).
And while Newsom might be blind to this, the people aren’t, which is why Californians are leaving for friendlier climes like Florida.
