California Is Everything Wrong With Society

Summary

California, once a symbol of the American Dream, now grapples with a surge in crime, homelessness, and economic turmoil. Proposition 47, which downgraded certain crimes to misdemeanors, inadvertently fostered serial shoplifting and drug use, exacerbating societal issues. Despite high taxes and a push for rehabilitation, the state's approach has failed, leading to businesses and residents fleeing to more affordable and safer locales. The script calls for a reevaluation of California's policies to restore its former glory.

Takeaways

• 🌴 California, known for its Mediterranean climate and beautiful landscapes, has historically been seen as a paradise, attracting people from all over the world.
• 📉 The state's largest cities are now facing economic chaos, a surge in crime rates, and a growing homeless population, turning the once-paradise into a living nightmare for many residents.
• 📖 Proposition 47, enacted in 2014, reclassified many felonies as misdemeanors, including thefts under $950, effectively decriminalizing certain crimes and contributing to a rise in shoplifting and drug use.
• 🛒 The law has led to an increase in serial shoplifting, with criminals exploiting the $950 threshold to steal from shops without significant punishment.
• 🏪 Small businesses have been severely impacted by theft, with many losing significant revenue each month and some being forced to close down due to the financial strain.
• 🏭 The rise in organized crime, such as smash-and-grab heists, has added to the pressure on small businesses and has contributed to a sense of lawlessness.
• 💊 Proposition 47 also decriminalized the possession of hard drugs, leading to normalized open drug use and a rise in overdose deaths, particularly in San Francisco.
• 🏙️ The homeless crisis has worsened, with over a quarter of the US homeless population living in California, and the state's efforts to address the issue have been largely ineffective.
• 🏠 High housing costs and strict regulations have made it difficult for people to afford homes, contributing to the homelessness problem and the exodus of residents from the state.
• 🔄 There is a growing bipartisan support to reform or repeal Proposition 47, reflecting public dissatisfaction with its outcomes and the desire for change.

Q & A

What has been the impact of California's Mediterranean climate on its population?

California's Mediterranean climate has attracted people from around the world for centuries, with many moving to the state to build a new life, contributing to its population growth.

What was Proposition 47 in California, and when did it come into effect?

Proposition 47 was a controversial change to state laws in California that reclassified many felonies as misdemeanors, particularly for thefts under $950. It came into effect in late 2014.

How has Proposition 47 affected crime rates in California?

Proposition 47 has been linked to a rise in serial shoplifting and organized Smash and grab heists, as criminals realized they could steal under a certain amount without facing serious jail time.

What was the rationale behind Proposition 47, and how has it differed from the actual outcome?

The rationale behind Proposition 47 was to ease the pressure on police by focusing government efforts on rehabilitation and education rather than punishment. However, the actual outcome has been an increase in crime, with fewer arrests and less effective policing due to underfunding and bureaucratic hurdles.

How has the increase in shoplifting affected small businesses in California?

Small businesses in California have been hit hard by the increase in shoplifting, with many losing between $500 to $2,500 in products every month, leading some to face bankruptcy or be forced to close down.

What measures have been taken by businesses to combat shoplifting in California?

Many businesses in California have resorted to keeping most of their products behind protective glass, treating all customers as potential criminals, which has not been entirely effective and has negatively impacted customer experience.

How has Proposition 47 contributed to the homelessness crisis in California?

Proposition 47 has contributed to the homelessness crisis by decriminalizing drug possession, making it easier for people to get trapped in addiction, and by failing to effectively allocate resources towards solving homelessness, leading to an increase in the homeless population.

What has been the impact of Proposition 47 on drug use and overdose deaths in California?

Proposition 47 has been linked to an increase in open drug use on the streets, normalization of drug possession, and a significant rise in overdose deaths, particularly in cities like San Francisco.

Why has the housing crisis in California worsened despite efforts to address it?

The housing crisis in California has worsened due to high costs of construction, strict regulations, and mismanagement of funds allocated for building shelters and affordable housing. Additionally, the state's high taxes and living costs have made it difficult for many to afford housing.

What are some of the recent developments in California's approach to Proposition 47 and its associated issues?

There is growing bipartisan support to reform or repeal Proposition 47 due to its failures, and it is set to be on the ballot in the November election. Additionally, there have been recent laws introduced to combat serial theft and efforts to clear homeless camps, although critics argue these are more about appearances than substantive change.

Outlines

00:00

🌴 The Downfall of California's Paradise

California, once seen as a paradise with its beautiful beaches and Mediterranean climate, has become a living nightmare for many residents. The state's largest cities are facing economic chaos, a surge in crime, and a rapidly growing homeless population. The high cost of living, with rents reaching $2,500 to $3,000 a month for small apartments, is coupled with an environment plagued by crime and poverty. A controversial change in state laws, Proposition 47, which reclassified many felonies as misdemeanors and decriminalized certain drug possessions, has been blamed for exacerbating the situation. This has led to a rise in serial shoplifting, with criminals taking advantage of the $950 threshold for felony charges to avoid serious punishment. The police are often powerless to intervene due to underfunding and bureaucratic hurdles, resulting in a significant increase in retail theft and a decline in the quality of life for Californians.

05:01

🛒 The Impact of Proposition 47 on Crime and Homelessness

Proposition 47, which was intended to ease the burden on law enforcement by focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment, has had unintended consequences. The law has led to a steep rise in organized crime, such as smash-and-grab heists, and has put immense pressure on small businesses, many of which are struggling to survive. The decriminalization of hard drugs has also contributed to the state's growing homeless population, with over a quarter of the US's homeless living in California. Despite efforts to address homelessness with the funds saved from reduced law enforcement spending, the situation has worsened, with a 30% increase in homelessness between 2017 and 2022. The proposition has also been linked to a rise in drug use and overdose deaths, highlighting the complex interplay between drug policy, crime, and homelessness.

10:01

🏙️ The Housing Crisis and Its Effects on California

California's housing crisis is a significant factor contributing to the state's homelessness and crime issues. The state's stringent regulations and high construction costs have led to a shortage of affordable housing, with rent increases pushing families onto the streets. The situation is further complicated by the state's climate, which allows for year-round outdoor living, and the provision of services that enable drug use and homelessness to persist. The state's efforts to address the housing crisis have been criticized for their inefficiency and potential corruption, with billions of dollars spent on programs that have not significantly reduced homelessness. The high cost of housing and the lack of available homes have made it difficult for essential workers to afford to live in the state, leading to a decline in the quality of life and an increase in the number of people leaving California.

15:03

🏢 The Exodus from California and the Future of the State

The combination of high taxes, rents, crime, and an unfriendly business environment has led to a significant exodus from California, with nearly 750,000 people leaving the state in 2021 and 2022 alone. Both individuals and businesses, including major companies like Tesla and Chevron, are relocating to states with lower taxes and safer cities. The state's policies, such as Proposition 47, have been criticized for their role in the decline, and there is now bipartisan support to reform or repeal the law. Despite some efforts to address the issues, such as clearing homeless camps and passing laws to move them off main streets, these are seen as superficial measures that do not address the root causes. The future of California remains uncertain, with the state's natural beauty and rich culture overshadowed by the challenges it faces.

Keywords

💡Proposition 47

Proposition 47 is a California state law passed in 2014 that reclassified several nonviolent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, with the intent to reduce prison overcrowding and redirect resources towards rehabilitation and education. In the video, it is criticized for contributing to an increase in crime, particularly shoplifting and drug use, as the law reduced the penalties for theft under $950 and decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs. The script mentions that this has led to a rise in serial shoplifting and a normalization of drug use on the streets.

💡Shoplifting

Shoplifting refers to the act of stealing goods from a store. The video discusses how Proposition 47 has indirectly encouraged shoplifting in California by making it a misdemeanor for thefts under $950, which means that the act is not severely punished, leading to a rise in retail theft. The script gives examples of stores being looted in broad daylight due to the lack of fear of legal consequences.

💡Homelessness

Homelessness is the condition of people without a permanent residence. The video highlights the growing homeless population in California, which is exacerbated by high housing costs, drug addiction, and a lack of effective policies to address the issue. The script mentions that over a quarter of the US homeless population lives in California, and despite efforts to allocate resources to combat homelessness, the situation has worsened.

💡Crime Explosion

The term 'crime explosion' is used in the video to describe a significant increase in criminal activities in California, particularly in its largest cities. This is attributed to economic chaos, changes in laws, and social issues. The video suggests that the perception of California as a paradise has been tarnished by this surge in crime, which includes not only shoplifting but also more organized criminal activities like 'smash and grab' heists.

💡Smash and Grab

A 'smash and grab' refers to a type of robbery where criminals break into a store or other establishment, typically by smashing a window or door, and quickly steal as much merchandise as possible. The video describes how organized gangs target high streets, breaking into multiple shops in one night, which adds to the pressure on small businesses and contributes to the overall rise in crime.

💡Serial Shoplifting

Serial shoplifting is the repeated act of stealing from stores. The video explains that criminals in California have realized they can steal items as long as the total value does not exceed the $950 felony threshold without severe punishment. This has led to a rise in serial shoplifting, where individuals repeatedly steal small amounts, knowing the consequences are minimal.

💡Decriminalization

Decriminalization is the process of reducing the penalties for certain offenses, making them less severe or treating them as non-criminal issues. In the context of the video, decriminalization refers to the changes brought by Proposition 47, which made some drug possessions and thefts misdemeanors instead of felonies. The video argues that this has led to a normalization of drug use and theft, as the consequences are less severe.

💡Harm Reduction

Harm reduction is a public health approach that aims to minimize the negative consequences of behaviors, such as drug use, without necessarily aiming to eliminate the behavior itself. The video discusses how some of the money saved from reduced law enforcement costs was intended to go towards harm reduction programs for drug addicts. However, it critiques that these programs, such as providing clean needles, may inadvertently enable continued drug use without addressing the root causes.

💡Overdose Deaths

Overdose deaths refer to fatalities caused by the excessive consumption of drugs. The video points out that after Proposition 47 was implemented, there was a significant increase in overdose deaths in San Francisco, suggesting a correlation between the law's decriminalization of drug possession and the rise in drug-related fatalities. The video implies that the law may have contributed to an environment where drug use is more prevalent and less stigmatized.

💡Regulation

Regulation in this context refers to the rules and restrictions imposed by the government on various activities, including construction and business operations. The video argues that California has excessive regulations that make housing construction more expensive and time-consuming, contributing to the state's housing shortage and high living costs. This is seen as a factor that exacerbates homelessness and the economic challenges faced by residents.

Highlights

California was once considered a paradise, attracting people from around the world.

Economic chaos, crime, and a growing homeless population have transformed California's largest cities into a living nightmare.

High rent costs and a surrounding environment of crime and poverty are driving people away from cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Proposition 47, which reclassified certain felonies as misdemeanors, has been linked to a rise in crime since its implementation in 2014.

Thefts under $950 are now treated as minor offenses, leading to a surge in serial shoplifting.

Police are often powerless to intervene due to underfunding and bureaucratic hurdles, exacerbating the shoplifting problem.

Small businesses suffer significant monthly losses due to theft, with some being pushed towards bankruptcy.

Organized smash-and-grab heists have increased, further pressuring small businesses to the brink of closure.

Proposition 47 was intended to ease police pressure and focus on rehabilitation, but it has failed to achieve these goals.

The decriminalization of drug possession has contributed to a rise in homelessness and substance abuse.

Overdose deaths have skyrocketed in San Francisco, with proposition 47 playing a significant role.

The lack of shelter and the normalization of drug use on the streets have made the situation worse.

High housing costs and regulations have led to a shortage of affordable homes, contributing to homelessness.

Despite spending billions on homelessness programs, California has seen little improvement and may have enabled corruption.

Calls to repeal or reform proposition 47 are gaining bipartisan support, reflecting public dissatisfaction with its effects.

Efforts to address homelessness and crime are often more about appearances than actual solutions.

Many people and businesses are leaving California due to high costs and declining quality of life.

California's crisis affects not only those with no money but also middle-class residents who struggle with the consequences of failed policies.

Transcripts

California's sunbe Beach as

Mediterranean climate have made it seem

like a dream come true to anyone who saw

it for centuries people traveled from

across the entire world to the state

hoping to build a new life with

Hollywood pictures romanticizing life in

California its beautiful nature and all

the money circulating there makes it

seem like a paradise on Earth but today

everything seems to be changing in

California California is Paradise you

have to work really really hard to ruin

Paradise but we did it once and they're

doing again in California they did it in

the Garden of Eden and now they're doing

it in California unfortunately what used

to be paradise on Earth has now become a

living nightmare for most who live there

California's largest cities have been

decimated by economic chaos an explosion

in crime and a rapidly growing homeless

population so if you want to pay $2,500

to $3,000 a month in rent for a tiny one

bet all while surrounded by crime and

poverty then Los Angeles or San

Francisco could be the right City for

you it's a tragedy how far California

has fallen it cities always a little

rough around the edges any large city in

the US is but 10 years ago a

controversial change to state laws

pushed California off the edge and that

was called proposition 47 and it came

into effect in late 2014 and since then

the entire State seems to have been

plunged down into the dystopian Vision

now the changes it made were relatively

simple lots of crimes that used to be

felonies were recategorized into

misdemeanors in the US a felony is a

charge for a serious crime which often

leads to jail time while a misdemeanor

is less serious more like a parking

tickets the most important crimes that

got down greater with theft shoplifting

and fraud if the value of whatever was

stolen or defrauded was under $950 then

the most you could expect to see was a

fine it also decriminalized the use and

possession of hard drugs if you got

caught with any amount worth under the

$950 cut off then it was barely worth it

for the police to even take notice it

might seem obvious now how bad of an

idea this was but there was a vision

behind it the lawmakers who pushed it

through said it was designed to ease the

pressure of police by changing the focus

of government away from punishment and

towards Rehabilitation and education

they thought they could tackle the root

causes of the state's problems which

sounds great on paper with fewer people

to arrest and imprison money could then

be diverted away from the police and

towards better things like schools or

care for the homeless of course when the

law actually came into effect this

wasn't even close to what ended up

happening one of the most obvious and

destructive effects has been the rise of

Serial shoplifting in California it

didn't take long for criminals to

realize they could pretty much take what

they wanted from shops as long as each

hit didn't add up to the $950 felony

amount they could get off scoff free and

there was nothing anyone could do about

it now these were still technically

crimes but they just weren't really

punished anymore the police had been

made powerless to intervene through

underfunding and more Hoops to jump

through before a conviction it meant

that shoplifters could only get in

trouble if a security guard court and

detain them often waiting hours for the

police to show up when they did the

guard would then have to go to court on

his own time and provide evidence that

prove the crime then and only then would

the shoplifter get punished but because

it was was now a misdemeanor it usually

just resulted in a fine of around $1,000

it's hard to say how many of these fines

themselves were even enforced the

homeless people who committed the

offenses are hard to track down and then

you'd have to somehow get the money from

them which is pretty hard considering

they'd almost suddenly spent it already

this is what caused those Infamous

videos of people shamelessly looting

stores in broad daylight while powerless

customers and shopkeepers watched

helplessly and it's made it so that

California is now the top state in the

country for retail theft even despite

the fact that most shoplifting goes

unreported it's mainly because there

really isn't any point in even making

the phone call anymore small businesses

have been hit the hardest by this

they've tried to come up with ways to

stop it of course most shops in places

like San Francisco or San Diego now keep

most of their products behind protective

glass but even treating all customers

like criminals hasn't really worked 75%

of small businesses lose between $500 to

$2,500 in products every single month

because of this epidemic of theft there

have been casualties across the state

but one example comes from Clement

Street a road in San Francisco they used

to support tons of shops and small

businesses unfortunately they've been

dealing with multiple break-ins and

thefts as well as shoplifting which have

pushing them further towards bankruptcy

in an interview with local TV news one

of the business owners told reporters

that quote we just want to do our

business peacefully and we want to feel

safe when we're doing it because running

the business is already hard and we

don't need something like this to add on

top of

it but before we continue I want to tell

you about a video sponsor have you heard

that the flavored air category is

quickly becoming the leading alternative

to vaping and smoking it's a whole new

movement towards better habits led by

today's sponsor fume their an

award-winning flavored air device that's

Paving the way for healthier alteratives

and just so we're clear fume is not a

vape there is no nicotine no vapor and

it's completely non-addictive instead

fume offers a guilt free way to satisfy

their urge to reach for something

without any of the downsides fume

drawers flavor to your mouth nor your

lungs using a passive diffusion system

vapor is like sticky soda fumes flavored

air is more like a refreshing herble tea

with flavors like crisp mint and orange

vanilla it's the perfect way to fill the

void when you're stepping away from a

bad habit the design is really another

highlight and fumees design just feels

amazing in your hand with its weighted

high quality build plus it's literally

made to fidget with featuring magnets

and airflow dial and satisfying snaps

that really helps calm anxiety and keeps

your hands busy it's so satisfying just

clicking it and the best part there are

no batteries required so you can use it

anywhere anytime without ever having to

worry about smoke or vapor if you're

curious I recommend starting with the

Cris Min or orange vanilla flavors

they're my personal favorites the flavor

is subtle and refreshing and it's just a

great way to move away from Old Habits

without feeling like you're really

missing out that's why fum has served

over 300,000 customers and you can be

the next success story for a limited

time use my code moon to get your free

topper that's the perfect accessory to

your fume device you just slip it onto

the mouthpiece for a softer warmer feel

it's chewable for those who love to

fidget and it's reusable so head to

tri.com that's trf m.com and use code

moon or scan the QR code on screen to

get your free fume topper when you order

your journey pack today day it brings us

to another issue that comes from

proposition 47 a steep rise in more

organized Smash and grab heists gangs of

criminals will often Target entire High

streets in one night breaking into the

shops one by one and taking whatever

valuables they can find it can only add

to the massive pressure being felt by

small businesses across California lots

of them have been pushed to their

breaking points or forced to close down

Cafe International which has survived

for 35 years in San Francisco was forced

to temporarily close in 2021 to deal

with the damages in a social media post

the owner bled it on the massive rise in

shoplifting and petty crime as well as

multiple break-ins and thankfully it did

manage to survive despite the continued

assaults but other businesses haven't

been so lucky large retail chains like

taret or Nordstrom have had to close a

bunch of their stores in ell and San

Francisco because of this is this

atmosphere of fear and apathy from the

government that had California down the

sorry Road the majority of the crimes

have come from a small group of repeat

offenders but police have been prevented

from actually cracking down on them the

proposition is now widely condemned by

California's people the majority

supporting harsher punishments because

of the Spree of crime the question Still

Remains where did all of the money go if

proposition 47 was meant to free up

resources to solve these problems what

did that end up looking like part of the

plan was to put more money into

California's homeless problem which was

only getting worse in 2014 when it

passed looking at the state of things

now though it clearly hasn't worked over

a quarter of the homeless population in

the entire us live in California there's

around 180,000 of them and that's only

counting the people we know about

between 20 7 and 2022 the number of

homeless went up by over 30% and just

the year after that it went up by

another 5.7% but why is it getting so

much worse in California compared to

other states homelessness and substance

abuse go hand in hand you can't

understand one without factoring in the

other on the one hand using hard drugs

like amphetamines riats often can very

easily lead people towards homelessness

It's the final stop in a tragic Journey

the very bottom of the pit a lot of the

time though it works the other way

people become homeless because of other

reasons then they start using as a

coping mechanism it doesn't matter how

it starts though frequent use and

addiction keeps people on the streets it

traps them in a cycle of using up

everything they have to make sure they

can get the next dose by pretty much

decriminalizing both drug possession and

theft well drug legalization is a good

thing towards Liberty and it generally

makes a lot of sense proposition 47

almost makes it so that open drug use on

the streets is now normalized and it

makes it that much easier for people to

get trapped in the spiral first there's

shoplifting and petty theft which we've

already talked about now that it isn't

really punished addict always have a way

to make enough money to get their next

hit with drug possession effectively

decriminalized as well there really

isn't any need to hide it anymore the

cops don't have the time the resources

or the permission to deal with it so

people buy sell and use drugs in public

far from trying to stop this proposition

47 is actively encouraged it a large

part of the money that is freed up went

towards harm reduction for addicts and

they're generally well-intentioned

programs giving addicts access to free

healthcare can only be a benefit but

they also offer other services like

giving people access to clean needles

and even in San Francisco apparently

alcohol now if they're using clean and

sterile equipment then addicts are less

likely to get bloodborne diseases which

is a good thing and it might have helped

if that were the only dangers of drug

use but the kinds of opiates that we see

today on the streets are so potent and

harmful it doesn't really matter that

will often just kill people far quicker

than the disease Advocate but it's also

meant that any addict has everything

they need to keep using all completely

for free they have everything they need

and the police aren't putting them into

mandatory rehab programs either like

they used to and the results have been

tragic to say the least in years after

proposition 47 was introduced overdose

deaths exploded in San Francisco rising

from around 100 a year to over 500 there

were other factors of play here like the

increased potency of the drugs

themselves but it's undeniable that

proposition 47 hasn't played a major

role in New York for example overdose

deaths have increased but only by around

half the rate we just haven't seen the

same spike in other cities across the

country the last s on the coffin is the

ratio of homeless people that aren't

living in some kind of shelter around

70% of California's homeless population

Liv outside of shelters far more than

any other parts of the country first

this the problem of who they let in lots

of the money that went towards shelters

really aren't suitable for most homeless

people they often have strict rules

Banning drug use and pets which already

blocks a massive part of the homeless

population from using them California's

near perfect climate actually makes

things worse in this case as well in New

York around only 5% of the homeless

population actually sleeps on the

streets for a large part of the year

it's just too cold to survive outside

with just a sleeping bag or a tent but

that's not true in places like Los

Angeles then there the fact that addicts

have most of their needs provided for

anyway and the police really don't

interfere so why not set up your tent on

the main High Street the result of all

of this has been 10 cities and open a

drug markets that we see on the streets

of California today and they've simply

made these cities far worst places to

live in in their estimation 85 to 90% of

the police calls for service deal with

the homeless in some fashion most of

these crimes are committed by mentally

ill or drugged up homeless people rather

than some group of organized criminals

which is something you see a lot in LAPD

jurisdiction even though there are

plenty of facilities aimed at helping

these people the harsh reality is that

most transients are either suffering

from severe mental illness or drug use

they then went on to say that it's not

an easy fix and ultimately it needs to

be handled on a much bigger level if

we're ever going to see any progress

take the Hollywood Walk of Fame used to

be one of the biggest tourism landmarks

in the state now most people avoid it

it's known as being a dangerous area

especially according to locals who

already know what's going on there I'm

living somewhere where I don't feel safe

taking my mom for a walk I don't feel

safe sending my nieces to the store if

they came to visit me the homeless

encampments nearby make it a hostile

environment even the smell is apparently

awful the crime though is the worst part

assaults stabbings and murders are much

more common now each bad experience that

someone has chips away at California's

reputation now people do still come to

see Hollywood today but it's hard to say

how long they'll keep coming with

families if it continues to stay this

way even just recently graah Stefan

released a video about Santa Monica

showing how many shops are closing down

and how crime is through the roof there

which means theoretically you could walk

into a store steal up to 9 $150 of the

goods and then walk out without really

any fear of consequence especially when

most employees are told not to get

involved by the time the police do show

up the suspect is long gone and a lot of

the cases honestly just aren't heavily

prosecuted this is supposed to be one of

the nicest places in Los Angeles now

local governments across California have

tried to deal with this moving the 10

cities around or trying to uproot them

entirely but many of these initiatives

have failed like in San Francisco now

San Diego is often pointed to as a

better example but it's not really all

it seems recently they passed laws

allowing the police to actually deal

with the 10 cities and move homeless

people off the main roads which has

gotten them away from the schools and

the main streets but it hasn't solved

the problem at all they're still there

just in different places like under

bridges or next to the highways it's

definitely not a long-term solution in

fact it mirrors the early stages of what

could become a much larger problem

Brazil and its largest cities are home

to absolutely massive slum school for

VAs they also began as the equivalent of

10 cities large amounts of people living

packed together in impoverished homes as

they grew into permanent Shanty towns

the crime in the poverty only got worse

the environment creates gang culture and

Chaos today pictures of the faelas

contrasted with the upper class mansions

on the other side of the Hill are known

around the world and faelas is seen as

one of the most dangerous places in the

world this is potentially a future

that's unfolding right now in California

as you've got million dollar Apartments

completely surrounded by desperate

people without a penny to their name and

the results are clear to see entire

communities are now crumbling under the

pressure issues like homelessness can

seem so complicated that you can't get

your head around them but one pretty

simple reason is getting worse in

California is how expensive the

alternative has become each time the

rent goes up which has been happening

every year since 2011 it puts more

families out on the streets LA and

California's other large cities are now

some of the most expensive in the world

especially when it comes to housing if

you're living in some parts of

California earning the minimum wage

you'd need to work the equivalent of

three full-time jobs just to scrape by

it means that a lots of people working

essential jobs which society couldn't

function without and now being forced

out of the system it's completely

unsustainable but why has it gotten so

bad well a massive part of the problem

is that there simply isn't enough homes

being built California is the most

regulated state in the USA their code of

regulations the bat containing all the

administrative rules is over 21 million

wats long it means their regulations are

around 3 times stricter compared to the

average States and so building anything

here is way more expensive than it

should be the fees the permits and the

fines if you make any mistakes can lead

to building a home or a block of flats

cost 18% more than it should and then

there are the delays and it can take

years of waiting and therefore years of

legal fees to get through all of the red

tape with all of these extra costs it

makes it far riskier for construction

companies to actually build anything in

the state you can easily go bankrupt

waiting for your permit to come through

they could go pretty much anywhere else

in the country and make more money in a

much shorter time proposition 47 was

meant to help with this in a roundabout

way the money they took from the police

was meant to build more shelters and

housing to go towards solving the

homeless problem and it would go some

other way towards relieving the state's

massive housing shortage but it's the

state audit in April showed how

ineffective they've really been it was

revealed that despite throwing billions

of dollars at the problem the state of

California rarely kept track of where

the money was actually going or if it

was actually helping it's a Statewide

problem they spent $24 billion on

programs to solve homelessness between

2018 and 2023 in the same period the

homeless population swelled by 30,000

more people and it's really bad on just

an individual City level as well San

Diego spent over 2 billion on

homelessness programs between 2015 and

201 22 it's really confusing how they

could spend so much money while the

problem still gets worse but it makes a

lot more sense when you look at what

they've actually been buying with that

taxpayer money recently Santa Monica

officials gave the go-ahead for building

a set of basic Apartments to house

homeless people in you might think that

it's a step in the right direction it's

better than them living on the streets

at least but the twist is that each of

these units will cost over a million

dollars to make an insane amount for

basic homes especially considering the

city already owned the land itself

contracts like these are probably the

only reason any construction company

stays in California anymore it all

stinks of corruption billions of dollars

have disappeared the state doesn't even

write down where it all went and they've

been putting scams like this for years

it's not going to fix it they're

bankrupt this state is bankrupt because

they're incompetent they're not going to

become competent if you give them more

money you know it's just they've they've

managed the money that they got very

poorly they already have high taxes

there's a 13.5% state income tax here in

California and the place is still [ __ ]

up in 2022 the city of La spent over 50

million on buying a 50 story luxury

apartment building to move homeless

people into it already seems like an

awful decision to begin with but over 2

years later and they still haven't

filled even a single one of those

apartments there's no way the best

solution for homelessness was to buy

luxury apartments at Crazy Prices and

then not even use them they haven't even

bothered to hide how corrupt it all

seems this all amounts to millions and

millions of taxpayer money that went out

of the city's budget and into someone

else's Pockets it should hopefully be

clear now that California's idiotic laws

are only the tip of the iceberg they

enable the corruption that keeping

California cities incredibly expensive

while also full of homelessness and

crime it's why the recently announced

plans to scrpt the proposition 47 are a

little too late it's taken years and

years for people's voices to finally get

heard and now the damage has already

been done even now though with so much

overwhelming evidence of its failures

Gavin youum and other Democratic

lawmakers a dead set on keeping

proposition 47 in place but eventually

people couldn't keep ignoring what's

right in front of them and now there's

bipartisan support to get rid of it

there's enough support to get rid of it

that reversing the law is now going to

be on the ballot in the November

election at least that's if Nome and his

cronies can't put a stop to it first

Nome tried to get it removed completely

but he had to back down when even his

fellow Democrats wouldn't let him so

he's moved on to a different option

delaying and complicating it despite his

outward support for proposition 47 he's

now been trying to get his own water

down version of the reform onto the

ballot instead his version wouldn't

actually deal with the problems

proposition 47 as creators for example

it would only make selling other drugs

Lac with fensel a major crime rather

than actually deal dealing with fento

itself other than that he's also

introduced new laws to combat specific

cases of Serial theft now it might put

an end to the videos of people shoving

shop merchandise into garbage bags but

it wouldn't really do much else

suspiciously close to the upcoming

general election he's also suddenly been

making public appearances clearing up

homeless camps and passing laws to

finally let police move them off the

main streets the common factor is that

these are all moves designed to help

with appearances while keeping the same

moldy status quo it isn't surprising

that people have been leaving California

and drov for years now h prices rents

crime levels and taxes have taken their

toll on the people and a huge Exodus has

begun over 2021 and 2022 nearly 750,000

people left the state alone and that's

after you offset the people that moved

in with people instead moving to States

like Texas or Florida which offer far

lower taxes and much safer cities it

hasn't just been people and families

either but small businesses are getting

sick of the massive costs as a former

resident of California I had the

question whether or not these are

actually strict enough to make a

difference because let's be real for

this to really go into a fact a

shoplifter would first have to get

caught likely on camera with proof their

items would then need to be counted most

likely across counties and then the

state would have to keep proper records

of everything just to be able to

prosecute I mean why would you pay

double the rent and way more taxes just

to open a shop next to a homeless

encampment the larger companies they

used to call California home are the

same Tesla and Chevron have been moving

their factories to Texas tons of tech

companies like M and paper have

abandoned San Francisco businesses

leaving California doubled from 2012 12

to 2019 but over 30 years the state has

experienced a net loss of 177,000

businesses the study says it's high

taxes heavy regulation and generally

unfriendly business environments and

it's really a terrible shame that this

place of amazing natural beauty Rich

culture has fallen so far but today it's

clear that the only people welcoming

California either have tens of millions

of dollars or no money at all and it's

the regular people that are suffering

the consequences of this

[Music]