{"id":26294,"date":"2026-08-03T17:18:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T12:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26294"},"modified":"2026-08-03T17:18:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T12:18:25","slug":"california-democrats-kill-economy-condemn-wealthy-then-demand-billionaires-save-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26294","title":{"rendered":"California Democrats kill economy, condemn wealthy, then demand billionaires save them"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/twt-thumbs.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2026\/04\/27\/California_Billionaire_Tax_Proposal__9422_s1440x960.jpg?f72536d07237fdd262042ae8f5e6e6de3b865f3c\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"article-category\"><strong>OPINION:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>California\u2019s Democrat Party delegates voted to put a one-time 5 percent special tax on billionaires on a ballot for voters\u2019 consideration this November \u2014 an idea so far leftist even Gov. Gavin Newsom and governor hopeful Xavier Becerra, practically card-carrying socialists themselves, oppose it.<\/p>\n<p>This is a fine classic textbook example of the government tapping into citizens\u2019 pockets to pay for a problem the bureaucratic class itself created.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia faces an acute fiscal crisis,\u201d a 2026 economic analysis on the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy <a href=\"https:\/\/itep.org\/expert-report-on-the-california-2026-billionaire-tax-revenue-economic-and-constitutional-analysis\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Yes. The state\u2019s been facing acute fiscal crises for years.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what long-running Democrat leadership buys: economic depression.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFailures Of Governance Is The Reason Why The \u2018State of California\u2019 Is Bad And Getting Worse,\u201d The Hoover Institution <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoover.org\/research\/failures-governance-reason-why-state-california-bad-and-getting-worse\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">wrote<\/a> in February of 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Six years ago, Hoover <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoover.org\/research\/failures-governance-reason-why-state-california-bad-and-getting-worse\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">found<\/a> California\u2019s job growth was a measly .1 percent compared to there national average of 1.5 percent. Why? Everyone was leaving the state. Why? Because the state was becoming too expensive for the average citizen. Why?<\/p>\n<aside>\n<\/aside>\n<p>In 2019, \u201cNewsom made housing and homelessness his major policy priorities,\u201d Hoover wrote. \u201cHe proposed to create a \u2018Marshall Plan\u2019 for housing by building 3.5 million new housing units by 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He didn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He didn\u2019t \u2014 because government doesn\u2019t actually build anything; rather, it relies on private sector citizens to either pay for government to construct, or to do the construction themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>And high-taxing, high-regulating, high-brow elite California leftists in government were busily driving out working class citizens at the same time they were laying out the red carpet for homeless \u2014 and addicts \u2014 and illegals, all of whom take from the system much, much, much more than they give.<\/p>\n<p>Look at healthcare.<\/p>\n<p>In March of 2025, the headline from the House Budget Committee was this: \u201cCalifornia to <a href=\"https:\/\/budget.house.gov\/press-release\/california-to-spend-84-billion-this-year-on-health-care-for-illegal-aliens\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Spend<\/a> $8.4 Billion This Year on Health Care for Illegal Aliens.\u201d That\u2019s more than the $5 billion the state\u2019s Department of Finance originally estimated. And it\u2019s all due the decision of state Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia [in 2024] became the first state to offer free, taxpayer-funded health care through Medicaid to all illegal aliens in the state,\u201d the Budget Committee wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Well lookie here: the California Democrat Party\u2019s plans for the revenues raised by this billionaire tax, if it\u2019s passed by voters this November, is to help offset health care costs in the state. Surprise, surprise.<\/p>\n<p>The push for the tax comes by way of Dave Regan and the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West union he <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/08\/02\/us-news\/california-dems-defy-gavin-newsom-xavier-becerra-on-billionaires-tax\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">leads<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>All this tax will do is drive away the estimated 200 or so billionaires who live in the state \u2014 the ones who create the job opportunities; the ones who pay massive amounts of taxes already; the ones who keep the drowning California markets afloat. And when they leave, the remaining lower-income earners in the state will have to make up the difference in the tax rolls.<\/p>\n<p>Then Democrats in California\u2019s government will turn to other states to demand bailouts. That\u2019s what they do; that\u2019s what they\u2019ve done; that\u2019s what their record shows \u2014 that, and blowing off debt repayments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia\u2019s $7 Billion Bailout?\u201d Council for Citizens Against Government Waste <a href=\"https:\/\/ccagw.org\/californias-7-billion-bailout\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">wrote<\/a> in June of 2009.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia Seeking Federal Bailout,\u201d NPR <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/money\/2010\/01\/california_seeking_federal_bailout_.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">wrote<\/a> in January of 2010.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalifornia Defaults On $18.5 Billion Debt,\u201d The Hoover Institution <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoover.org\/research\/california-defaults-185-billion-debt-leaving-state-businesses-holding-bag\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">wrote<\/a> in April of 2023.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGov. Gavin Newsom pushed lawmakers to approve a $20 million bailout,\u201d The San Francisco Chronicle <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SFChronicle\/posts\/gov-gavin-newsom-pushed-lawmakers-to-approve-a-20-million-bailout-for-the-school\/1504205078417564\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">wrote<\/a> in February.<\/p>\n<p>California\u2019s problems are due to California Democrats. Hitting up billionaires for a bailout won\u2019t solve the state\u2019s fiscal problems. It will only enable Democrats in the state to continue their tax-and-spend frivolous policies, and avoid the consequences of their failures. It will only add to the hypocrisy of a party filled with leftists who love to condemn the wealthy, even as they rely on the wealthy to pay for their reckless politics.<\/p>\n<p>                        <a name=\"pagebreak\"\/><\/p>\n<p><em>\u2022 Cheryl Chumley can be reached at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2026\/aug\/3\/california-democrats-kill-economy-condemn-wealthy-demand-billionaires\/mailto:cchumley@washingtontimes.com\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">cchumley@washingtontimes.com<\/a>\u00a0or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast \u201cBold and Blunt\u201d by\u00a0<a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/specials\/bold-blunt-podcast\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1785844996519000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3rlblRErEL_gdbRJB3ObWw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/specials\/bold-blunt-podcast\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">clicking HERE<\/a>. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by\u00a0<a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/newsletter-signup\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1785844996519000&amp;usg=AOvVaw01cyarkE9bOUGU7gC2Ubwz\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/newsletter-signup\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">clicking HERE<\/a>. Her latest book, \u201cGod-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,\u201d is available by\u00a0<a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/God-Given-Bust-Defeating-Marxism-Biblical\/dp\/B0D77TLXCV\/ref%3Dsr_1_1?crid%3D2AWWEYXGIQPHM%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.P3gPbZmLXIb1_ANkFd0YxknvIOerPpLDkBFcFzV9nTIo8AJDkOuHqhlLkR1_zNIR--1amE7Z_Jo4brvfHJ-4nA.Sih2pQzznPQW0G439_7Gclmvp08yWG7s-NPyI9qTuxo%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3DGod-Given%2BOr%2BBust%2Bbook%26qid%3D1737452750%26sprefix%3Dgod-given%2Bor%2Bbust%2Bbook%252Caps%252C86%26sr%3D8-1&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1785844996519000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0j5Xg-vmUhrKP1EYcCJt9R\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/God-Given-Bust-Defeating-Marxism-Biblical\/dp\/B0D77TLXCV\/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AWWEYXGIQPHM&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.P3gPbZmLXIb1_ANkFd0YxknvIOerPpLDkBFcFzV9nTIo8AJDkOuHqhlLkR1_zNIR--1amE7Z_Jo4brvfHJ-4nA.Sih2pQzznPQW0G439_7Gclmvp08yWG7s-NPyI9qTuxo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=God-Given+Or+Bust+book&amp;qid=1737452750&amp;sprefix=god-given+or+bust+book%2Caps%2C86&amp;sr=8-1\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">clicking HERE.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<section class=\"author-contact-section\">\n<\/section><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OPINION: California\u2019s Democrat Party delegates voted to put a one-time 5 percent special tax on billionaires on a ballot for voters\u2019 consideration this November \u2014 an idea so far leftist even Gov. Gavin Newsom and governor hopeful Xavier Becerra, practically card-carrying socialists themselves, oppose it. This is a fine classic textbook example of the government&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/twt-thumbs.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2026\/04\/27\/California_Billionaire_Tax_Proposal__9422_c0-164-3927-2454_s1200x700.jpg?f25684313058fa8166675f3be9675f6dfc6057e1","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26294\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}