Do you want to live in a socialist neighborhood or a capitalist neighborhood? Our motto is E Pluribus Unum, out of many one. We’re supposed to be the United States of America. But these days not so much. We’re divided into two very different nations. There are conservative areas and there are leftist areas.
The conservative areas support small government and free-market policies. They tend to have low taxes, light regulation. People there support police, are tough on crime, and support worker freedom. Think Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, and Utah.
Leftist areas favor big government, high taxes, heavy regulations, and high minimum wages. They have mandatory union membership. Think New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois, Oregon, and California.
Leftists argue their big government and high tax policies are economically superior. They believe their approach to government is better for the poor, minorities, and working-class Americans. Leftists assert conservative policies are culturally backward; tilted to benefit the rich. But is that actually true?
Let’s compare three of the most populous conservative states: Florida, Texas, and Tennessee with three of the largest blue states: California, New York, and Illinois. If Leftist policies work, then Americans should be moving into the Leftist states. For better or worse the opposite is happening.
Americans are packing up and heading to the conservative states. The New York Times reports in August 2020 many people wanted to leave New York City. So much so, moving companies were turning away business. They just could not handle the demand.
Why are people moving?
The exodus may be accelerating, but it’s not new. Over the last decade, the three big Leftist states each lost an average of one million people. During the same period, the three big conservative states’ populations rose a million. Why is that? Well, Americans like freedom. Small government means more freedom. It turns out freedom means opportunity.
If you are looking for a job; over the last decade, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee have added twice as many jobs as the Leftist states. To make matters worse your money goes further in conservative states. According to a 2019 Tax Foundation study, your $100 stretches to $111 in purchasing power in Tennessee, while in New Jersey it shrinks to $89. That’s a difference of 22% in purchasing power. Do you want to live in a socialist neighborhood or a capitalist neighborhood?
If you’re an employer looking for a business-friendly environment, affordable housing or a better quality of life, where are you going to go? The tough decision is not choosing a conservative area or a Leftist area. The tough decision is which conservative area to move to.
Leftists like to say that this isn’t about economics, it’s about the weather. The conservative areas tend to be in the South and Southwest where the weather is warmer. But if you buy that explanation then: Why are so many people are leaving California? It has arguably the best weather in the country.
Okay, so what does explain the migration from Leftist states? Let’s start with taxes. The two most populous Leftist states are California and New York. They have the highest tax rates in America. The two most populous conservative states are Texas and Florida. They have no income tax at all.
High taxes, high crime, homelessness
When taxes get too high, people move to where taxes are lower. The problem for the high-tax states is: When people move they take their money, their ambition, and their employees with them. Okay so taxes are a point for conservative areas. Do you want to live in a socialist neighborhood or a capitalist neighborhood?
Then, let’s talk about crime. Do Leftist cities do better than conservative cities? The answer is no. Of the twenty cities with the highest murder rates, 18 are run by leftists masquerading as Democrats. For the most part this has been the case for decades. Perhaps more important immediately is the fact that these cities aren’t getting safer; they’re getting more dangerous.
Need an example? A good chunk of Minneapolis was burned to the ground as a result of riots. Do you really buy the George Floyd explanation? So how about Portland? Portland had over 90 consecutive nights of rioting. No not peaceful protests, rioting. Want to try again? Seattle allowed an entire section of the city to declare itself an autonomous zone. This is a first in American history. It was a lawless mess.
Leftist governors, mayors, and police chiefs run all these cities. Ask any resident of Los Angeles or San Francisco about homelessness. You’ll get an ear full of horror stories. Both cities have a long history of Leftist mayors.
But maybe the leftists keep us healthy and safe? The Leftist states with their strict lockdowns: Did they do a better job saving lives during the coronavirus? Well, No, no they did not. In fact, adjusted for population, New York, New Jersey or Illinois residents were three, four or even five times more likely to die of the virus than if you lived in a conservative state like Florida, Texas, Georgia, Utah or Arizona.
Put a bow on it
So here’s the deal, Leftists, Socialists masquerading as Democrats may mean well. They certainly talk about how much they care. They say they care about the poor, minorities and the average working guy. Yet somehow, it’s always the poor, minorities, the average working guy who pays the bill for their bad policies.
That’s why those who can move do move. Those who can’t move get stuck with the short end of the stick. Conservative America is prospering. Leftist areas of America are in meltdown. So, where do you want to live? Do you want to live in a socialist neighborhood or a capitalist neighborhood?
Featured Image: a socialist neighborhood