After having lived in California the past four years, I can attest to the near-insanity of progressive politics in this state, yet California's very progressive governor, Gavin Newsom, is considered a front-runner for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 2028. Given how the Trump administration has helped to tank the economy through its tariffs, inflation, and outright regime uncertainty, there is a real possibility that Newsom can make California governance a reality for the entire country.

In other words, politically speaking, there seems to be no ceiling for the damage that progressive politicians in California can do with no objections from their constituents. Thanks to the state's governance, the cost of living here is well above the national average, even though there is no reason as to why that should be the case. The highly-abstract worldview from which progressives draw their governing ethos continues to claim victims, but Democrats — who make up the overwhelming voter bloc in this state—do not care about the damage being done, since they can always blame Republicans and capitalism just like Big Brother blamed Goldstein.

The latest legislative caper is a wealth tax on the state's 200 or so billionaires that is so onerous that, should voters approve it in November of this year, will drive businesses and their owners out of the state altogether. However, California's mostly-Democratic voters have signaled they are more than willing to approve the tax even though they know it will cause economic harm.