California Governor Gavin Newsom’s special legislative session to ‘Trump-proof’ the state has begun, raising immediate questions about the true intent behind such a move. One might wonder, in his quest for protection, what exactly is he looking to defend? The governor’s position becomes particularly ambiguous when we consider California’s record-breaking failures in various metrics, which seemingly outstrip those of any other state in the nation.
Let’s take homelessness as a starting point. California houses approximately half of the unsheltered homeless population in the entire United States. Is this the benchmark of success that Newsom aims to safeguard? If so, it speaks volumes about the priorities of an administration more intent on image than on substantive solutions.
Similarly, the state’s poverty rate is not just distressing—it’s the highest in the nation. Here again, one must question whether these statistics represent the standards of achievement Newsom wishes to protect. And when it comes to retail crime, California boasts grim distinctions. If the governor’s vision includes maintaining a toxic environment for business, it would explain his motives. Numbers show that California’s business climate is burdened by severe regulations and frivolous lawsuits—conditions ripe for disinvestment.
The economic distress does not end with crime and poverty. California has the second highest unemployment rate in the nation, a statistic that perhaps Newsom hopes to improve upon through his ‘protective’ legislature, in an effort to reclaim a dubious leading position. The struggle extends further—with stagnant wages, soaring gas prices, and exorbitant housing costs ranking among the worst in the country. The special session appears more a facade than a genuine effort to confront pressing issues confronting Californians daily.
Moreover, let’s consider the educational landscape in California. The state demonstrates alarming levels of inequality and illiteracy, conjuring up the question—what legacy is the governor choosing to uphold? His record during the COVID era, characterized by relentless school and business shutdowns, could easily align with efforts to maintain a legacy of inefficiency.
On the issue of immigration, California continues to grapple with unprecedented illegal border crossings, driven in part by its sanctuary policies. His government’s provision of free Medicaid for undocumented immigrants implies a prioritization of resources that again slants towards support for those outside the system rather than fixing the structures that are faltering within.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s special session, framed as an initiative to ‘Trump-proof’ California, raises the question of what precisely he seeks to defend. In a state grappling with alarming rates of homelessness, soaring poverty, rising crime, faltering education, and troubling fiscal mismanagement, one suspects this is less an effort to protect California’s integrity and more a stratagem to obfuscate the multitude of ways his policies have fallen short.
It is uncanny how a call for protection often correlates with a desperate attempt to shield oneself from accountability. What exactly is being protected? One might argue it is the very brand of governance that has perpetuated a cycle of decline rather than usher in the bold, transformative measures that so many communities, especially those historically marginalized, truly need. The weighty issues facing California demand genuine leadership, yet the current course suggests we may simply be witnessing an effort to sustain a status quo that has, time and again, ignored the real challenges facing Californians. Only time will reveal whether this administration can deliver meaningful change, but for now, it seems we are left staring into a facade of urgency while the underlying issues persist unaddressed.
CRA Director of Communications Craig J. DeLuz has almost 30 years in public policy and advocacy. He currently hosts a daily news and commentary show called The RUNDOWN. You can follow him on X at @CraigDeLuz. A version of this first appeared at The San Diego Union-Tribune.
