The left's false promise that a bigger welfare state is the answer to Americans' every woe has failed to produce a better quality of life for ordinary families. But the lie of socialism has resonated with some voters.
A new survey this month finds a record 38% of Americans believe it would be a good thing for the United States to abandon capitalism -- the system of personal choice, freedom and opportunity that our country was founded on -- and adopt socialism. That is a 20-point increase from 2010.
The left has painted a rosy picture of a socialist state that lifts individuals up and provides a comfortable life free from the shackles of pesky personal responsibility. It's demagoguery at its worst.
While progressives cheer the "warmth of collectivism," millions of people around the world are fleeing the oppression of socialism in search of the American dream -- where hard work and meritocracy still offer the promise of a better life.
It's not a theoretical comparison of countries in our hemisphere. This juxtaposition is playing out here at home, and Americans have a front-row seat to see how these divergent ideologies really fare. Spoiler: It does not bode well for our progressive comrades.
States like California, New York and Washington have been drinking the Kool-Aid, but their steady march toward the brave new world of socialism has proven too much for rational minds. Individuals and businesses are racing for saner pastures -- taking jobs and investment with them.
In New York City -- where Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants to raise taxes on companies, implement a "wealth tax," and increase the minimum wage to $30 an hour -- nearly 5,000 businesses left or closed their doors for good last year.
That's the city's weakest period of business formation since the height of COVID-19.
In California -- which boasts the highest marginal income tax rate in the country and where petitioners are now trying to pass a "billionaire tax" -- companies leaving the state read like a ticker tape: Tesla, Oracle, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, In-N-Out Burger.
The list goes on and on. Last year the state saw a $10 billion reduction in tech industry investment.
Since 2020, California has experienced a net loss of 1.2 million residents to other states. The mass exodus cost the state $102 billion in lost revenue between 2020 and 2022, exacerbating its financial troubles.
The Golden State is facing as much as a $38 billion deficit in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Sadly, Seattle doesn't fare any better. More than a third of downtown commercial offices are vacant, up more than 50% from 2022.
In a recent survey, over two-thirds of small and independent businesses said they are under greater financial strain now than at the height of the pandemic.
Where are all these families, businesses and investment going? Not surprisingly, to states and cities that welcome free enterprise rather than tax and redistribute it into the ground.
More than 100 major corporations relocated to Dallas-Fort Worth between 2018 and 2024, making it the top destination for businesses relocating their headquarters. Over half of the companies that moved to Texas from 2020 to 2021 left California, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
"Dallas doesn't demonize successful businesses," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said recently. "(Businesses) are looking to Dallas because they can clearly see that this is America's sanctuary city from socialism."
Likewise, over 30 major companies recently relocated to South Florida, which has become another business destination. Miami-Dade now leads the country in small business growth.
In 2022, Citadel -- one of the United States' premier investment funds -- relocated its global headquarters from Chicago to Miami.
CEO Ken Griffin cited the former city's high taxes and rampant crime as the primary motivation for leaving. In sharp contrast, he said, Miami "embodies the American dream."
The left would like to convince the public that the American dream has been replaced by a socialist fervor. It hasn't.
But progressives continue to try to foist their radical agenda on everyday families. We must stop their assault on free market enterprise and personal freedom before it ruins and bankrupts our country -- just as it has the cities and states that fell for the lie of this failed experiment.
Ken Buck received his law degree from the University of Wyoming and served in the United States House of Representatives from 2015-2024 representing Colorado's 4th congressional district.
