Top Democrat Governors Get Stunning Bad News
As politics seem to become more divided throughout the nation, a new controversy has risen as to the number of people leaving Democrat-run states versus those run by Republicans.
As reported by Forbes, the Democratic Governors Association made a slight at Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner through a tweet about the seemingly “mass exodus” of citizens that have left Illinois in favor of other states, attempting to paint a picture of continued “outmigration from the Land of Lincoln.”
“With that tweet, the DGA is trying to make the public dumber,” wrote Forbes contributor Patrick Gleason. “The DGA knows full well that Gov. Bruce Rauner doesn’t run his state.”
Gleason suggested that the true figure presiding over Illinois politics is Democrat House Speaker Mike Madigan, who has overseen for nearly 34 years the decline of the once-great state.
“By attempting to pin Illinois’ continued decline on Gov. Rauner, the DGA is either ignorant about how Illinois politics works, or they are lying,” Gleason added. “Most likely the latter, but either way it’s not good.”
Over the last year, nearly 33,000 Illinois citizens have “fled” Illinois, though Gleason pointed to the fact that the numbers were much worse during Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn’s time in office.
Under Rauner’s predecessor, 247,410 people left the state in favor of those such as North Carolina, Texas, Florida and even Arizona, as they were regarded as “better stewards of taxpayer dollars.”
According to IRS migration data, those 247,410 left for states that were known to be better-run and have lower taxes, taking nearly $13.7 billion with them.
And Gleason suggests that, though the DGA refuses to consider interstate migration data, numbers in other sectors seem only to get worse as governors such as California’s Jerry Brown are scrutinized.
Since his reinstatement as governor in 2011, nearly 243,099 people have fled California in favor of other states, essentially taking with them $7.794 billion with them to those states that don’t have soaring taxes and housing regulations that make living seemingly unaffordable for middle-class households.
Texas and Nevada has been the top two recipients from those moving from the Golden State, and they also happen to be two states that have zero income tax, while California holds the highest top marginal income tax rate in America.
“Policy, like elections, has consequences,” Gleason wrote, adding that both the tax hikes championed by Brown on both corporate and personal income tax might be a main reason for the exodus of Californians.
However, Gleason suggests the cost of living will only further be driven up, as the Golden State was one of the hardest hit after Brown approved an extension of he cap and trade program that was renewed earlier in 2017.
The result will be an even more bruised middle class, who are estimated to face what will essentially be a regressive tax hike as gas prices and utility bills become more exorbitant.
“Cap & trade makes Gov. Brown, Democratic lawmakers who run the state legislature with such large majorities they don’t even feel the need to discipline sexual offenders in their caucus, and their supporters feel good about themselves,” Gleason said.
“But the program doesn’t improve the environment,” he added. “In fact, California, even with its cap & trade program and renewable energy mandate, is home to 8 of the 10 cities with the nation’s worst air pollution.”
Things may even become worse, Gleason suggests, as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo becomes a 2020 presidential contender, as the Democrat governor has a history of running both employers and families from his state as the cost of living becomes too high to cope.
“People are voting with their feet and we are seeing them vote in favor of states that have more limited government, lower taxes, and more sustainable levels of spending,” Gleason added, who stated the mass exodus of Blue-run states may only increase.
“As such they are leaving states run by Democratic governors and legislatures,” he added. “That’s why it was odd for the DGA to think it a good idea to focus on migration data, as it does not bode well for Democrats.”
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