The truth behind the California exodus is shocking: 140 people leave the Golden State every day. They’re fleeing the rising crime, out-of-control homelessness, crushing regulations, and a clueless ruling class that can’t hide its incompetence during tragedies like last year’s wildfires.
Ben Shapiro left during the 2020 Covid lockdowns. For Elon Musk, the “final straw” was when Governor Gavin Newsom signed a trans youth bill banning parental notification. PJ Media’s own Stephen Green and Stephen Kruiser saw the writing on the wall much earlier. The only question is why any conservative would choose to stay.
Dr. Drew Pinsky provided an answer while discussing a gorgeous view of Los Angeles he enjoyed from his friend’s home:
I was looking out over that landscape and going “Oh yeah, that’s right. That’s why I stay here.” This s**hole is such a mess. They’ve destroyed this place. But when you stand back and look how beautiful it is, and the weather is amazing, and you see the ocean off in the distance—it’s like, that’s why you stay, even though they are doing everything they can to chase us out.
Natural beauty definitely keeps many in the most populous state, even as they struggle to survive its sky-high cost of living. I’d argue that another reason some conservatives remain is a hope—perhaps a naïve one—that the majority will finally see the bankruptcy of progressive policies and hold the state’s leaders accountable.
Many thought that moment had come when voters forced a recall election against Gavin Newsom in 2021, but the media succeeded in portraying his competitor, Larry Elder, as “the Black face of white supremacy,” and Newsom cruised to victory. I thought Angelinos fed up with rising crime would elect businessman Rick Caruso—who believes the priority of the city is to keep people safe—as their next mayor in 2022. Instead, they went with the woke Karen Bass, who, as Fox News’ Gianno Caldwell said, prefers to “let people run wild and destroy their own neighborhoods.”
Now, another potential savior has emerged—and this one comes with a British accent. Many are wondering if former advertising executive and David Cameron adviser Steve Hilton could be the man to rescue California. Hilton launched his run for governor in April, and according to an Emerson College Polling survey conducted in early August, he is polling second in the primary field with 12% support—trailing former congresswoman Katie Porter, who leads at 18%.
Hugh Hewitt—who left California in 2015 because the state was “falling apart and too doggone expensive”—interviewed Hilton recently, asking him about his vision for the state.
Can Steve Hilton Make California Safe Again?
Hewitt pointed out that fear is palpable in California, and people are thinking twice about visiting places where they formerly felt safe. Hilton said Newsom’s disastrous prison closure program is a big reason for the rising crime rate:
They’ve systematically been shutting down state prisons because of this ideological obsession with what they call decarceration. It’s still a remnant from the “defund the police” progressive, as they call it, extremism on crime. ... They’ve already closed four state prisons. There’s a fifth [Newsom] has just announced. The consequence of that is that you’ve had tens of thousands of dangerous criminals literally released onto the streets.
Hilton would not only end this prison closure program but also increase prison capacity to free up county jails, which are now overcrowded due to prisoner transfers, to get local offenders off the streets.
Of course, we know that for too long, offenders who stole less than $950 worth of merchandise in a day were never taken off the streets in the first place, thanks to the notorious Proposition 47, which, in effect, legalized some robbery. By an overwhelming 70% margin, voters passed Proposition 36, which reversed Prop 47. The fact that Prop 36’s architect, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, endorsed Hilton says it all about who has the best chance to make California safe again.
Can Steve Hilton Make California Affordable Again?
Who is being hurt most by the sky-high gas prices in California? Hilton explained:
Gas prices are really crushing working people in California—working families, the most. They’re the ones who have really been hurt the most by this far-left extremism. Not the rich Marin County liberals tapping away at their laptops in their mansions. ... It’s the people who are working for a living—who drive their cars and trucks hours a day to get to and from work. It’s all the direct result of Democrat policy.
Hilton cited a USC study predicting that gas prices in California could reach as high as $8 a gallon next year if current policies don’t change. He wants to roll back climate extremism, or, as he calls it, “climate elitism.” By eliminating the rules and restrictions that have driven gas prices so high—including the nation’s highest gas tax, low-carbon fuel standards, the cap-and-trade system, and refinery regulations—Hilton says gas prices could fall to $3 a gallon.
On taxes, Hilton says the starting point is to cut spending:
This spending is out of control. They’ve doubled the budget of the state of California in the last ten years. It’s gone from $160 billion to $320 billion. Doubled the budget, while everything else is worse! The school results are worse, homelessness worse. Crime is worse.
Hilton's pro-growth plan is focused on helping working people. He wants the first $100,000 of income to be free of state income tax, and anything earned above $100,000 to have a flat tax of 7.5%. Hilton suggests that one way to encourage businesses to return to the state is by restoring the budget to its pre-pandemic level. He calls this practical common sense. With job creators, wealth creators, and entrepreneurs moving to places like Nashville, Miami, and Texas, Hilton says, “We need to make California the best place to start and run a business.”
Can Steve Hilton Make California's Education System Great Again?
Hewitt said that when he raised his kids, California was the gold standard for education. Now, K–12 scores are plummeting, and community colleges are too crowded.
Hilton, who just recently announced his education plan in Sacramento, explained:
They’ve smashed the rung on the ladder of opportunity—and the first rung is education. In fact, the most important part of that story… according to all the data… there is no disagreement. If you want to ensure opportunity, the most important thing is reading at grade 3 — achievement level at grade 3. ...We're the worst in the country right now. ... What you control [as governor] is the curriculum. The state board of education — the governor appoints all the members — and right now, what’s their focus? They’re pushing through what they call an ethnic studies curriculum. It's mandatory for high school. You can't graduate without it now in California, even as the kids can’t read or write properly.
Here's what Hilton proposes:
Teach phonics in every classroom.
Reward good teachers and remove bad ones. Hilton pointed out the astounding fact that K–12 teachers can earn tenure—lifetime job security—after only 16 months, regardless of performance, because teachers’ unions have captured the politicians. Schools need to be accountable, but performance data has been hidden. Under Hilton’s plan, every school and every teacher will have a grade.
Give parents the power to act. He wants to bring back the "parent trigger" law: If a school is failing, parents have the option of converting the school into a charter school, replacing staff, or closing the school. In sum, he aims to change the system to give parents real power.
Hewitt and Hilton touch on many other topics, including the homeless crisis, about which Hilton says the solution is to enforce the law—it’s illegal to sleep on the streets—and to get people into treatment.
It's hard for a conservative not to listen to Hilton's commonsense proposals and not be hopeful. Alas, Katie Porter is the front-runner in the Kamala Harris-free race for California governor. And what does she propose? Simple: take on Trump and get more federal funding. Will California conservatives be disappointed ... again?
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