Famed entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary, absolutely destroyed blue states during an interview on CNN Tuesday, labeling them as "uninvestable" due to their punitive policies and high taxes.
According to O'Leary, states like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California have become increasingly hostile to businesses, driving investment and jobs to more business-friendly locations, which, not coincidentally, happen to be red states.
“I don’t put companies here in New York anymore or in Massachusetts or in New Jersey or in California,” O'Leary stated. “Those states are uninvestable. The policy here is insane. The taxes are too high.” He highlighted Fargo, N.D., as a prime example of where his businesses are now relocating, noting that 40% of the workforce there operates remotely, including employees in Boston.
"New Jersey, what a mess. New York, uninvestable," he said.
The panel then asked O'Leary why New York was "uninvestable" and if it was just because of high taxes. The hosts were clearly not happy with O'Leary's characterization.
“The regulatory environment is punitive,” he explained, explaining how a global data center project near Niagara Falls eventually moved to Norway due to the state's oppressive policies. “Thousands of jobs coming out of that... that’s New York. Uninvestable.”
"Don't shoot the messenger," he added. "Just telling you the way it is."
The conversation also touched on O'Leary's clash with prominent politicians like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Though he expressed respect for Warren as a politician, he was unequivocal in his criticism of her radical policies. “When you have punitive policy, you’re making a mistake,” he said, emphasizing that such policies drive businesses and jobs out of the state, which he has a connection to.
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"She's very successful, and that's the state where I grew my kids. I mean, our family grew up in Boston, Mass. We left there to move to Florida like everybody else is because it's such a tough place to — you know, this is a tough message. People really are critical about this, but somebody has to call it out because this is a competition of states now, and we don't put money there anymore. We put it in other places, and jobs are created elsewhere."
O'Leary argued that this would eventually destroy the blue states: "Over time, this is gonna diminish New Jersey, diminish New York, diminish Massachusetts, and California out of business. Out of business. El morte. No business there. You can't do business there. I don't know what that place is gonna turn into maybe a tourist zone, but no business."
O'Leary didn't shy away from calling out Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) either, holding her responsible for killing jobs. “She’s great at killing jobs. She kills jobs by the thousands,” he quipped, pointing to the Amazon HQ2 debacle in New York as proof. The project and all the jobs that it would have created ultimately went to Virginia.
The overarching message from O'Leary is clear: states that continue to impose heavy taxes and burdensome regulations are pushing businesses away. As companies move to more favorable environments, states like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California may find themselves "out of business" in the long run. O'Leary ominously concluded, "Imagine San Francisco. You can't even walk at night out in the street."
It's a stark warning from someone who has been on the front lines of business and investment for decades — states that fail to adapt may be left behind as the competition for jobs and growth intensifies across the country.
Kevin O’Leary, from Shark Tank, calls out the insanity of the Democrats.
— Farm Girl Carrie 👩🌾 (@FarmGirlCarrie) September 3, 2024
This clip is absolute truth for all the CNN viewers watching. He explains that the leftist policies are destroying blue states and says they have become “uninvestable.”
pic.twitter.com/Sk8551g9Pk
In short, blue states are garbage.
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