Gavin Newsom goes global: why US voters should beware. -
Stephen GreenWhile the governor’s 2026 budget proposal attempts to frame the challenge as a “manageable” $2.9 billion shortfall, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has painted a far bleaker picture, projecting an
$18 billion deficit...The state has a cost-of-living crisis that drives the middle class away, thanks to factors including:
- •Energy costs: Californians pay the highest electricity rates in the continental United States — nearly double the national average.
- •Gas prices: Aggressive environmental taxes and regulatory premiums keep California’s gas prices much higher than in the rest of the country.
- •The poverty paradox: Despite its vast wealth, California has the highest poverty rate in the nation when accounting for the cost of living. More than 7 million residents lack the resources to meet basic needs.
When Newsom boasts of “California values,” he speaks of a system that
punishes middle class residents through high taxes and regulatory burdens,
forcing them to flee to other states...
