California has shifted from a place known for its opportunities to one marked by what some see as a bankrupt leftist ideology.
My first encounter with California was back in 1966. I drove down from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where I was spending my summer on a grant from the National Science Foundation. I had the chance to meet Laura Huxley, widow of the brilliant Aldous Huxley, to discuss a potential film based on his unpublished screenplay.
After I read “After Many a Summer Dies the Swan,” which unfolds around a pool in a mansion on Mulholland Drive, I felt drawn to Los Angeles. The city’s iconic streets, almost magical landscapes, and extravagant views were mesmerizing.
Over time, Los Angeles became like a second home to me. But I can’t help but notice its obsession with fads, spiritual trends, and an unsettling pursuit of immortality.
This brings me to Gavin Newsom. California’s environment has birthed a presidential candidate who embodies both the allure of Hollywood and America’s puzzling fixation on youth and glamour.
Newsom’s celebrity-like persona, coupled with the shrewdness reminiscent of an old-school San Francisco judge, makes him a tough candidate to dismiss, regardless of his considerable political and personal blunders.
I first met him during an appearance on my radio show, “Savage Nation,” in the early 1990s, which stirred quite a stir across the state.
His father, Judge William Alfred Newsom III, had a prominent background, serving as the administrator of the Getty Family Trust and holding a position as a court judge.
The Newsom family has roots in San Francisco that stretch back four generations. Judge Newsom often visited a well-known North Beach restaurant that served as a meeting ground for local politicians.
While serving as mayor, Gavin championed same-sex marriage. I even nicknamed him “Any Twosome Newsom” on my show, a title that caught on quite well.
One time, I approached Judge Newsom at a restaurant and remarked, “Your son just committed political hara-kiri for supporting same-sex marriage.” To my surprise, he smiled and agreed.
Turns out, we were both mistaken. By allying himself with the powerful gay rights movement and influential groups like La Raza and SEIU, Newsom rose to governorship and became a key player in the Democratic establishment.
It seems his leadership hasn’t shielded California from severe issues—highest taxes, soaring gas prices, crumbling infrastructure, unaffordable housing, rampant homelessness, and devastating wildfires.
He fended off a recall attempt in 2021 and pushed through redistricting measures that effectively stifled any semblance of a viable two-party system.
Republicans often express disdain for him but respond with contempt rather than action.
So, can California turn its fortunes around? Many business leaders have already fled.
Groups like SEIU are advocating for a wealth tax akin to a communist model to sustain free healthcare for immigrants.
I recently asked a successful acquaintance who moved out of state for his take. He remarked, “They’ll keep voting blue and cheat, while all the savvy Republicans have already left.”
The state has become entrenched in a single-party system, and things may only worsen from here.
With Newsom stepping down soon, his successor is likely to adopt even more extreme measures, aiming to raise state income taxes and impose new taxes on the affluent—not just the wealthy.
My friend suggested that saving California might mean looking to Florida for ideas. But California’s trajectory seems to point in the opposite direction.
If California were to lower taxes and address crime more seriously, perhaps the tide could turn. But the left appears uninterested in such fixes. They seem to rely on the hope that a Democratic president will come to their rescue and believe that demographics will work in their favor, regardless of potential repercussions.
When Abigail Spanberger became governor recently, a friend of mine pointed out, “Look what just happened in Virginia.”
Spanberger enacted a far-left agenda that included sanctuary policies, gender identity issues, attacks on free speech, gun control measures, higher taxes, and expanded mail-in voting.
The priority seems to be ensuring that the Democratic Party remains dominant forever.
This is the model California is pushing, and Newsom is eager to replicate it nationwide.
