Over the past few years California’s plight has taken on mythic proportions — a cautionary tale of progressive woe among conservatives, but a beacon for a future enlightened capitalism among its woke supporters. The current battle over the potential recall of the preening governor, Gavin Newsom, likely will enhance these extreme interpretations on both sides, but likely will not be sufficient to make the changes needed to restore the state’s legendary promise. read more »
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Why More Americans Should Leave Home and Move to Other States
America has been lazily divided by pundits into red and blue states, as if there weren’t constant movement of people between them. Fortunately, reality is a lot more purple — and hopeful — as immigrants, people of color and millennials reshape parts of America by voting with their feet and moving.
These demographic groups are migrating from the big coastal cities to the suburbs, the interior cities, the South and even parts of the Midwest. And in the process, these newcomers change both their new homes and are also changed by them. read more »
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Work Trips in the CSAs with the Largest CBDs
This article describes the reduction in work visits, by counties within the six combined statistical areas (CSAs), also called commuting zones, that include the nation’s six largest downtown areas (central business districts, or CBDs) by employment. CSAs are combinations of adjacent metropolitan and micropolitan areas that have strong work trip commuting connections, but not as strong as within metropolitan areas (MSAs). read more »
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California and Urban Cores Dominate Overcrowded Housing
Concern about overcrowded housing has been heightened by its association with greater COVID-19 infection risk. As a disease transmitted by human proximity, exposure is increased by being in overcrowded and insufficiently ventilated spaces where sufficient social distancing is not possible. Exposure density for a person is intensified by the amount of time spent in such circumstances. read more »
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Can California Stop Big Tech from Decamping to Cheaper Places?
For the past half-century, California has dominated America’s tech industry. From the development of precision farming to the incubation of aircraft, space, semiconductors and computer systems, this state has emerged time and again at the cutting edge of future industries. read more »
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Pandemic Changes More Than Where We Work and Live
Pandemic Changes Congestion
Until the pandemic, people’s choices were largely shaped by their workplaces and commutes. A 25-minute drive to work could become an hour and a half at rush hour. read more »
Post-Pandemic Housing Reality, Alt Cities to CA-NYC Housing Boom
A crazy week with a *ton* of new items I'll only be able to partially get through in this post, including some followups to last week's post about California tech companies moving to Texas: read more »
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Peak Progressive?
In the minds of most progressives, as well as some horrified conservatives, California is the harbinger of America’s future. read more »
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Governor Preen: Newsom's Woke Posturing Masks California's Dismal Economic Record
If Hollywood were to cast a governor and future president, and if a straight white male were still politically acceptable, he would look like California’s Gavin Newsom. The 53-year-old governor, a former mayor of San Francisco, Newsom handsomely epitomizes the preening politics of the California elite class that has nurtured and financed his career from the beginning. read more »
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California and Its Contradictions: Rumblings of Realignment Beneath a Solid-Blue Surface
California remains deep blue, but the good news from this week’s elections is that it has not yet achieved complete ballot-box unanimity. read more »
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