In California, two of the country's most closely watched political races are unfolding in front of voters -- the Los Angeles mayoral contest and the Democrat dogpile to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Both races are crowded with progressive candidates, each trying to one-up the others in a bid to court the radical left. This showcase in socialism salesmanship offers a glimpse into the doctrine Democrats hope to impose on Americans -- not only in California but across the country.
In last week's gubernatorial debate, the candidates espoused visions of more government, more taxes and more spending -- from "rehousing" the homeless at taxpayers' expense to universal health care for illegal immigrants.
Tom Steyer, the billionaire candidate whose opponents have happily pointed out how he amassed his wealth investing in domestic fossil fuels, contorted himself into knots to defend raising taxes -- including a proposed "Billionaire Tax."
For Steyer, it seems the proposed one-time tax on (SET ITAL)all(END ITAL) the assets, not just the income, of high-net-worth individuals is just the price he must pay to appease the eat-the-rich crowd.
Other top earners apparently are not so inclined. They are fleeing the state in droves, taking their resources -- and the public revenue they support -- with them.
The departures of high-profile figures like Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg have drawn headlines, but others are exiting more quietly. A recent Hoover Institute report estimates that nearly a third of the Billionaire Tax's eligible base has already left the state.
The same study notes that the permanent loss of high-wealth individuals would decrease public revenue long term. Worse still, the amendment to the state's constitution needed to make the tax legally possible opens the door to unlimited tax hikes, not only on the rich but also on the working class.
Some candidates have the sense to realize that running the wealthy out of town isn't good for public coffers. But at least for former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, the answer is to simply open our borders to illegal immigrants.
"They are one of the only ways that our state has been growing in recent years," she stated during a recent interview. The "sanctuary state," she added, should marshal its resources to obstruct federal immigration authorities.
Some 400,000 illegal immigrants entered California between 2021 and 2023, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The state's population grew by less than 20,000 during the same period, indicating legal residents are getting out of there nearly as fast as illegals are taking up residence.
In the Los Angeles mayoral race, incumbent Karen Bass -- a sympathizer of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, or "Comandante en Jefe," as she called him -- faces an even more crowded field. And while it might seem difficult to out-socialize someone with Bass' record, she is being challenged by opponents from her left.
Not surprisingly, the candidates are running on more of the same -- raising taxes so they can pay for more government initiatives they can't afford. Somehow, Bass' program that spent $300 million on hotel rooms for the homeless, only to have 40% return to the streets, seems reasonable compared to some of what the candidates have floated.
Noticeably absent in these debates is any mention of California's $2.9 billion deficit. In the sprint to the left, the default answer is, raise taxes. It's a cycle that feeds the welfare state. Tax hardworking families and redistribute it to social handout programs. The only problem is, soon there won't be anyone left to tax. The budget hole is only growing.
It would be easy for conservatives to dismiss these races as another example of the Golden State's sharp left turn into liberal orthodoxy. But California isn't a state to mock; it's one to study.
The left is committed to forcing this same radical agenda on Americans across the nation. California is a testing ground, but middle America is the target.
The question now isn't whether California will learn from its mistakes and correct course. The question is whether voters will wake up and realize this socialist tax-and-spend agenda is knocking on our door -- and whether we will fight to stop it.
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.
