Providing Opportunities

For John, BLUF:  The thing that caught my eye is "California is driving on fumes—living off the residual investments and innovations of past generations."  While any of the 50 States could fall into that trap, I think it is especially true of California.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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To Continue Thriving, California Needs New Politicians

Here is the sub-headline:

California is driving on fumes and living off the residual investments and innovations of past generations.  Is it any wonder so many Californians are heading to Texas or Arizona?

From Reason, by Mr Steven Greenhut, 1 January 2021.

Here is the key paragraph:

California officials love to boast that the state is the world's fifth-largest economy—and point to Silicon Valley as evidence that we're still on the cutting edge of entrepreneurial activity.  But California is driving on fumes—living off the residual investments and innovations of past generations.  These lawmakers take credit for something they seem intent on destroying.

The idea of living off the past applies to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as to California.  I wonder about the impact of the major Pandemic Driven Economic Disruption of 2020.  How many businesses will move themselves out of state or encourage their workers to work from home, in out of state locations.  It would seem that if the work force is mostly working at home, they could be almost anywhere, although close enough to drop by the office once in a while.

The past Route 128 Miracle was a major boost to Massachusetts.  However, that was then (1980s) and this is now,  We need not just jobs, but we need a better housing situation, where people are not crowded into ethnic neighborhoods that results in the residents not being able to build their personal wealth. We need land where homes can be built and the residents of crowded neighborhoods can move.  That means we need to improve the transportation infrastructure, although, with telecommuting, perhaps not on a one-for-one basis.  To reduce the population density in Boston and its environs we need to change zoning laws and provide capital for developers.

Not everyone will wish to make the transition to the hinterlands.  For some it will be too foreign.  For others it will be a long wished for opportunity.  For both groups of Massachusetts residents it will mean an improvement in quality of life—a Win-Win.

The result will be changed demographics, but not necessarily by moving the values of Boston out to Middlesex, Worcester and Franklin Counties.  It might mean that certain political and social values in Boston will become denser, while other values will move and be more compatible with the areas to which they move.  In any event, a larger number of people should prosper.  That is to the benefit of us all.

Let us not be like California!

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff