tt Bill Clinton predicted Gavin Newsom would be the next President – But look at the devastation California has suffered under him: Taxes skyrocket, crime is rampant, jobs are disappearing – Californians are crying out for help, how does Clinton think he can lead America?
Bill Clinton recently suggested that California Governor Gavin Newsom could be the next Democratic president, but this prediction overlooks the stark realities of Newsom’s governance, which has transformed the Golden State into a cautionary tale of progressive excess. Under Newsom’s leadership, California grapples with soaring taxes, crumbling public safety, job losses, and skyrocketing living costs that burden everyday residents. Critics argue these failures stem from an extreme left-wing agenda that prioritizes ideology over practical solutions, raising serious doubts about Newsom’s national viability.
California’s tax burden has reached punishing levels, with the state’s top income tax rate at 13.3%—the highest in the nation—compounded by high sales and property taxes. Newsom’s 2025-26 budget proposal, a $322 billion plan amid a multi-billion-dollar shortfall, includes cuts to Medi-Cal for undocumented immigrants and reallocations from climate funds, yet it fails to address core fiscal irresponsibility. Businesses and high earners continue fleeing to lower-tax states like Texas and Florida, exacerbating a $12 billion deficit and stifling job growth in key sectors.
Public safety has deteriorated dramatically under Newsom’s watch. Policies like Proposition 47, which reduced penalties for theft and drug offenses, correlate with rising crime rates, including a surge in retail theft and homelessness. Major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles report unprecedented shoplifting epidemics and open-air drug markets, while violent crime in some areas remains elevated. Newsom’s soft-on-crime stance, including resistance to federal immigration enforcement, has fueled perceptions of lawlessness, leaving residents feeling unsafe and abandoned.
The housing crisis exemplifies Newsom’s mismanagement. Despite signing reforms like AB 130 and SB 131 to streamline CEQA and boost production, California still faces a shortage of millions of units, with median home prices exceeding $800,000. Rent control expansions and regulatory hurdles have driven up costs, displacing families and contributing to a homelessness crisis that worsened under his tenure—rising 37,000 unsheltered individuals from 2014-2019 before modest slowdowns. Ordinary citizens struggle with affordability, as gas prices, utilities, and groceries remain among the nation’s highest.
Newsom’s defenders tout climate initiatives and housing pushes, like new laws for affordability and energy savings projected at $1 billion annually via AB825. Yet these come amid blackouts, wildfire mismanagement, and economic strain from high energy costs. Republicans warn that exporting this model nationally would spell disaster, pointing to population exodus—over 800,000 residents left since 2020—and business relocations as evidence of failure.
Clinton’s endorsement ignores these realities, signaling a Democratic disconnect from voters weary of progressive experiments. Newsom’s 2025 budget maneuvers, including scaling back some entitlements, reveal cracks in his agenda but do little to reverse entrenched problems. As Republicans gear up to highlight California’s woes, they aim to block any national expansion of Newsom-style governance.
Ultimately, while Newsom positions himself as a presidential contender with bold reforms, California’s metrics—highest poverty when adjusted for cost of living, fleeing businesses, and persistent crises—paint a damning picture. If Clinton sees presidential timber here, it underscores the left’s insulation from the consequences borne by everyday Californians. Republicans must amplify this narrative to ensure Newsom’s record remains a state-bound warning, not a blueprint for America.
