Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) should be pitied, not criticized, for his new marketing campaign.
The man loves his state, and that's a good thing. And in a new ad released in time for Independence Day, Newsom attempted to sell potential new residents of California as a place where freedom reigns — in opposition to the supposedly backward and despotic state of Florida .
We’re about to celebrate Independence Day -- but Freedom is under attack by Republican leaders in states like Florida.
Banning books.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 3, 2022
Restricting speech.
Making it harder to vote.
Criminalizing women and doctors.
It’s time to stand up. Don’t let them take your freedom. pic.twitter.com/cFI5UzgZzX
Admittedly, there is a sense of the word "freedom" for which the substance of Newsom's claims is true. For example, if your goal is to have a doctor help put you out of your misery, then yes, California is the state with the freedom you're looking for.
If you are a public school teacher who wants the freedom to confuse 5-year-olds by reading them Gender Queer and telling the boys that they might be girls, then California is the better choice for you. After all — freedom!
Most importantly, if you're a hypocritical governor who loves to turn the screws on everybody else with COVID-19 restrictions that you don't intend to obey yourself , then, by all means, "Go West, young man!"
But then, not all freedoms are created equal. There are some that, at best, might make your state an interesting place to visit for a day. There are others that attract full-time residents and businesses and create long-term economic opportunities for people who aren't even abortionists.
For example, the ability to work and operate one's business during the pandemic was a huge draw for Florida. Its lack of a state income tax and its reasonable cost of living have long made it attractive to families with children and retirees alike. If you own a gun, Florida won't persecute you for it or make you a scapegoat for urban crime. Also, freedom aside, parents tend to get upset when people confuse their children or raise grossly age-inappropriate subjects in front of them.
California has its freedoms, too — it's true — but you can only commit assisted suicide so many times before it starts getting old.
The real question is what freedoms you value most and what trade-offs you are willing to accept. Is it worth having to live under California taxation just to know that you live in a state that allows ninth-month abortions? Is it worth paying double for electricity and quadruple for rent to live amid homeless encampments just for the peace of mind that none of your neighbors are "Rethuglicans"?
No marketing campaign is going to repopulate California. That would take some serious policy changes. The reason California lost the population equivalent of Cleveland last year to net domestic migration and Florida gained the population equivalent of San Bernardino is that one of these two states has freedoms that people seek and value as part of their daily lives.
Newsom, eager to build his national image and run for president someday, might actually be on to something. But first, he ought to consider adopting freedom as an actual agenda, not just an empty buzzword in a television ad.
"freedom" - Google News
July 06, 2022 at 11:00AM
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Gavin Newsom's California: Where freedom goes to die - Washington Examiner
"freedom" - Google News
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