The California dream ends in empty reservoirs and homeless tents
Many years ago, sometime after Ronald Reagan replaced Pat Brown as governor of California, I was driving up the coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco and visited San Simeon, William Randolph Hearst’s epic mansion. It was state property then, donated by the Hearst family, and the uniformed guide struck me as knowledgeable, competent, and proud of her work.
TL;DR
- California's public sector, once a provider of competent services, has devolved into producing a dystopia with a high poverty rate, illiteracy, and housing unaffordability.
- Major public projects, such as the high-speed rail, have incurred massive cost overruns with little progress, while essential services like 911 systems have failed.
- The state subsidizes questionable expenditures, and public-sector unions are perceived as focused on extracting benefits rather than delivering effective services.
- Despite these issues, California-based politicians like Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom are considered frontrunners for national office.
- The article contrasts California's current state with its past successes in infrastructure and public works, and points to potential political shifts indicated by local elections.