The population is growing rapidly in red states like Texas and Florida.
But it’s shrinking in blue states like Illinois, New York, and California.
And this is why Democrat-run cities and states are devolving into chaos.
Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Louis Brandeis once referred to the individual states in America as “laboratories of democracy.”
In modern times, the states are more like “showroom floors” of the political party in power’s policies.
Deep-red states like Texas and Florida exemplify the GOP’s policies, and deep-blue states like California and New York exemplify the Democrats’ policies.
When compared side by side, the difference between the two “showrooms” is clear.
Democrat-run cities are becoming unlivable due to gross mismanagement, rampant corruption, and soaring crime rates.
One of the biggest problems facing residents in Democrat-run cities and states is crime.
Crime in Democrat-controlled places
Crime is a major problem in Democrat localities.
A lot of this is due to billionaire George Soros.
George Soros pours millions of dollars to install prosecutors who will refuse to go after criminals, and instead put policies like cashless bail in place.
According to a study by the Heritage Foundation, 27 of the top 30 cities with the highest murder rates have Democrat Mayors.
Of those 27 cities, 14 are run by Soros-backed prosecutors who implement the Left’s pro-crime policies.
“Such policies have contributed to the lawlessness across so-called blue cities and the steep rise in crime rates across America,” the Heritage Foundation reported.
The rising crime rates combined with Democrat calls for defunding the police have caused a mass exodus of voters from blue states to red states.
Voting with their feet
Americans are voting with their feet against blue states.
Between April of 2020 and July of 2023, two-million more Americans moved out of California and New York than moved to those states.
And it’s not just the wealthy who are leaving.
Californians and New Yorkers from all walks of life have chosen to leave.
Regulatory red tape and soaring housing costs are driving middle-class Americans out of the biggest blue states.
According to a study by the Brennan Center for Justice and the American Redistricting Project, states that voted for Kamala Harris are expected to lose 12 seats in the House due to the mass exodus of residents fleeing to red states.
California is expected to lose four Congressional seats and one electoral vote.
But the red state of Texas is expected to gain four Congressional seats and electoral votes, while Florida is expected to gain three of each.
Businesses are also fleeing blue states.
In the last several years, retail chains and small businesses have been hit hard by smash-and-grab robberies and organized retail crime gangs.
Hundreds of companies have moved their headquarters from California to Texas, including CBRE Group, Charles Schwab, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oracle, and Pabst Brewing.
Since 2020, Elon Musk has moved, or announced plans to move, five of his companies’ headquarters out of California and into Texas, including Tesla, SpaceX, X, Neuralink, and the Boring Company.
One of the reasons for higher costs and crime rates in Democrat cities is illegal immigration.
Homelessness and illegal immigration
In 2016, California’s homeless population was estimated at 115,000.
Today, it’s over 200,000.
This means that California accounts for 24% of the nation’s homeless and 45% of its unsheltered homeless.
And it’s not due to a lack of funding.
According to a state audit released in April of 2024, the state spent $24 billion between 2019 and 2023 to help the homeless.
This doesn’t include the 101% spending increase between 2016 and 2019.
But just like with crime rates, the rise in homelessness in 2024 is directly connected to sanctuary cities and illegal immigration.
Sanctuary cities hinder ICE’s ability to apprehend and remove people who pose threats to American communities.
But it also takes resources from residents who depend on them for survival.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s annual homelessness report from December of 2024, New York City asylum seekers “accounted for almost 88 percent of the increase in sheltered homelessness in New York City.”
Illinois tells a similar story.
In Illinois, homelessness soared by 116% last year, which was the largest increase in the nation.
More than half was due to an increase of illegal aliens in Chicago’s homeless shelters.
Massachusetts saw a 53% rise in homelessness in 2024, also greatly attributed to immigration.
Democrat policies impact more than just the economics and safety of local areas.
They also lead to a perverse culture and lack of morals.
In Democrat states and cities, children are brainwashed with the Left’s transgender agenda.
Prayer and public expressions of Christian faith have been banned in many Democrat-controlled areas while drag queen story hour is promoted.
In California cities, parents are forced to navigate an obstacle course of tents, trash, drug paraphernalia, and sprawled, stupefied bodies as they walk their kids to school.
There’s human feces all in the street and drug addicts roaming the sidewalks.
Corruption is also an issue in Democrat-run areas, with historical examples like Chicago’s machine politics and recent scandals reinforcing this narrative.
This corruption undermines public trust, diverts resources from essential services, and exacerbates governance challenges.
No matter how you look at it, Democrat policies are destroying cities and states across the country.
As former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, Democrats “are about ruining the cities.”
He said their theme should be that they “want to f*** up every city in America.”
And that is exactly what Democrat policies are doing.
24/7 Focus Group Members share their first-hand stories
Members of 24/7’s Focus Group chose this topic for our Featured Story this week and for many of them, the experience is personal.
Theresa I. wrote in to say, “I live in a suburb of Seattle. It seems every corner or street that has room is covered with the homeless in tents. With all of the shootings and drug use I have not been to downtown Seattle in over three years. I don’t feel it is safe. There are shootings and open drug use on the buses and light rail. Not even safe trying to get into town.”
Linda C. added, “I live in . . . California . . . where our homeless population is out of control, our schools with a woke agenda are failing, and the population doesn’t trust the government.”
Public safety is a major concern for those living in big cities.
“I’ve lived in Portland for over a decade. The homelessness situation has definitely gotten worse in my neighborhood. I used to walk through the park near my house regularly, but now there are encampments that make me uncomfortable, especially when I’m with my kids,” Robert J. said.
Thomas D. shared his experience: “Living in Baltimore, I’ve witnessed the direct impact of rising crime rates. My car has been broken into twice, and a neighbor was mugged last month. We’ve organized a neighborhood watch program, but it feels like we’re on our own sometimes.”
Others expressed gratitude for living in deep red states, even though they occasionally have to deal with issues in their blue cities.
Writing from the Free State of Florida, Michael C. said, “I’m fortunate, I live in the very red state of Florida. Here Progressives spit, sputter and slobber a lot, but aren’t gaining much traction.”
And Bill L. said, “I know those blue states and cities have lots of problems and mismanagement. I read the stories and news headlines but I have no first-hand experience. I live in eastern Kansas in a small town of about 3,500 people. We do have some unrealistic Democrats who live here but mostly Republicans. If those people would open their eyes and ears and pay just a little attention to what the Democrats are doing and listen to their crap and foul-mouth rants and become aware of Biden’s failures they would be much better off and happier with their life.”
Barbara H. spoke for many of our members when she said, “I would never live in a blue state like Illinois. We do have property there but not our residence. Sorry for people in Portland or Seattle! The West Coast and East Coast are blue. The heartland is red!”
Editor’s Note: We appreciate hearing from all the 24/7 Focus Group Members who participated in choosing this week’s Feature Story and submitted their thoughts on it!
Would you like to be a part of 24/7’s “Choose the News” Focus Group? Just take a moment to fill out the form below and you can have a say in choosing next week’s Featured Story and “Sound Off” about it when it’s chosen. You may even find your response included in our next story!
What do you think about Democrat-run cities and states devolving into chaos? Let us know by replying back to our email newsletter or by sending an email to [email protected]!
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