Americans, particularly the younger generations, are skilled shoppers. They know how to compare products online, weighing factors like quality, pricing, shipping fees, and return policies. So, it’s puzzling why they don’t apply those same skills when evaluating political candidates and policies. After all, choosing a leader seems a tad more important than selecting the right pair of sneakers, doesn’t it?
It’s not as complicated as it might seem. We’re living through ongoing experiments in governance across the nation every day. Take, for instance, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decisions, which have led to the evacuation of numerous residents. In contrast, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been successfully attracting more people to his state.
The framework set by our founders allows states and cities to compete for residents and businesses based on how they handle issues like taxes, environment, energy, and law enforcement. The differences in governance are evident, and the outcomes reflect that.
Here’s the gist: red states appear to be thriving, while blue states are struggling. It’s straightforward but seems lost on a lot of voters.
This isn’t about capability. For example, in New York, the most educated voters supported Zoran Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist who promised a range of free services to make life in the city cheaper. His socialist agenda hasn’t proven successful historically, yet many educated individuals still seem to believe this time will be different.
Interestingly, about 57% of college graduates voted for Mamdani, compared to only 42% of those without a college degree. There’s a trend here where even 57% of individuals with advanced degrees backed candidates who advocate for policies that have a history of failing. It’s enough to make one wonder about our educational system.
If more research was done, voters could see that states like Florida, under Republican leadership like Ron DeSantis, are enjoying significant growth, higher incomes, and improved education. This has led to a surge of people moving there. On the other hand, some states governed by Democrats, like Illinois, struggle and continuously lose residents.
Why aren’t Democrats examining why their states are losing residents while red states are seeing gains? More people mean more electoral votes and federal funding. Shouldn’t states want to attract larger populations instead of losing them?
It appears that Democratic leaders are so committed to their ideologies that they often prefer to avoid change, even in the face of failure. As California and New York face potential losses, their response is not to reform but rather to attract illegal immigrants, knowing these individuals will count in the census.
Running a town or state isn’t rocket science. Years ago, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo suggested that people were leaving for Florida due to the weather. Sure, the warm climate is a perk, but his comment ignored the more pressing issues—high taxes and a skyrocketing cost of living in New York.
For instance, Florida has no personal income tax and only a 5.5% tax on businesses. This keeps overall costs down. In contrast, New York City imposes nearly a 9% tax on corporate profits, which ultimately raises prices for consumers. Even small businesses often face taxes over 6%.
Mamdani aims to make New York City more affordable, yet his plan includes increasing the tax burden on businesses. This could lead to two outcomes: rising consumer prices and businesses relocating outside the city—both of which could further escalate costs.
New York is the fourth most expensive state in the U.S., following Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts—all of which are Democratic-run and have high tax rates. It’s not rocket science.
Blue states generally have higher taxes because their governments spend more, often leading to significant deficits. Conversely, Florida has reduced its budget per capita, achieved a budget surplus, and significantly paid down its debt. It now has a larger population than New York, and its overall budget is less than half of New York’s.
But does this mean Florida lacks essential services like education? Not at all. Despite being one of the bottom ten states in per-student education spending, Florida is ranked second nationally in education quality, while New York, spending much more per student, ranks lower.
There’s an apparent pattern here: New York spends far more on public services but offers less in return. Even a college graduate should be able to see that something isn’t quite right.
