A lot of talk going on about projections and what ifs. So much so, that for many of us, we begin to lose sight of “what is” within the forest of theoretical science. Sometimes, really, a picture is simply worth a thousand words. Or maybe, a picture is not having to read a thousand words.
Who get's it? Who doesn't.
Why, you may ask, is the unemployment rate so much higher in California than in Texas?
What’s the worst state to do business in? According to readers of Chief Executive magazine, it’s California. In the same poll, Texas won first place as the best state in which to put your headquarters. As reported in The Economist, the two largest states in the nation have very different philosophies and very different success rates.
The article goes on to mention why Texas is doing a better job:
- Texans on average believe in laissez-faire markets with an emphasis on individual responsibility. Since the ’80s, California’s policy-makers have favored central planning solutions and a reliance on a government social safety net.
- Californians have largely treated environmentalism as a “religious sacrament” rather than as one component among many in maximizing people’s quality of life.
- California has placed “ethnic diversity” above “assimilation,” while Texas has done the opposite.
- Texas has focused on streamlining the regulatory and litigation burden on its residents. Meanwhile, California’s government has attempted to use regulation and litigation to transfer wealth from its creators to various special-interest constituencies.
The whole article is an awesome read as a “how to guide” for planners. It would be great if Barack Obama would read it.
Hat Tip Mark Perry and Rick Perry