California Is Losing the U-Haul Election

During the last century, Carlson writes, “California supported the biggest middle class in the country. It had an education system that was the envy of the world. It had gleaming infrastructure. California was the state that made the American dream a reality.” That sounds pretty golden alright.

Now, according to Carlson, the situation is markedly different, “Now the State of California is known for a very different set of images: Needles and feces in the street, a dying middle class, the country's highest poverty rate, policies that prioritize illegal aliens over ailing American citizens. California is still a symbol. But today it's a symbol of everything that's going wrong with this country.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom strongly disagrees. He contends California in the last century was a fearful, angry place, “America in 2019 is California in the 1990s. The xenophobia, the nativism, the fear of the other, scapegoating, talking down or past people. The hysteria. And so we're not going to put up with that.”

Sure, you might get some poop on your shoe if you don’t step lively, but Gavin contends, “What we're doing is working. I think Democrats are winning right now."

That is a stark difference of opinion at the top, but what do everyday residents of California think? Is the state a paradise of Democrat benevolence or a cesspool of well, cess?

CBSLA reports that some California residents are voting with their feet: “A breakdown of last year’s census numbers shows Orange County had 20,104 more people leave than move in, marking the 10th worst net out-migration among big counties in the U.S. L.A. County had 98,608 people leave, marking the biggest net loss in the U.S.”

That’s one factual confirmation of Carlson’s contention and from the federal government, no less. But there is also support for Carlson from the dismal science of economics. Specifically, the law of supply and demand. When a commodity is in great demand sellers can charge higher prices knowing if one customer won’t buy at that price, demand is so great there is always another who will.

Conversely, when demand is low sellers have to cut the price on a commodity to encourage consumers to take advantage of the lower price.

This is where we come to the U-Haul election. If you live in Orange County and the grass looks much greener in Phoenix, Arizona, demand for the available truck fleet is so high it’s going to cost you about $1,465 to rent a truck and flee the state.

If you want to move from Phoenix to Orange County the situation — to say nothing of the direction — is completely reversed. Demand is so low for trucks going to California that the rental will only cost about $101 and we think a savvy consumer might persuade the rental firm to pay him to drive the truck to the Tarnished State.

We would say the verdict is in. The market has spoken. And Carlson wins by $1,364.00.

Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker’s bureau. Read more reports from Michael Reagan — Go Here Now.

Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian’s Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!)." Read more of Michael Shannon's reports — Go Here Now.