When Ronald Reagan was sworn in as governor of California in 1967, the state had a population of 19,176,000, according to the Census Bureau. Eight years later, when he left that office in 1975, the state’s population had grown to 21,537,849—an increase of 2,361,849. That was not an unusual pattern for governors of the Golden State. Under Reagan’s predecessor, Democrat Gov. Pat Brown, the state’s population grew from 15,467,000 in 1959 to the 19,176,000 of 1967—an increase of 3,709,000. This longstanding pattern of population growth in California continued through the terms of each of the next six governors of the state, three of whom were Republicans and three of whom were Democrats. Jerry Brown Jr., who followed Reagan as governor of California, served his initial two terms from 1975 to 1983. During that time, the state’s population climbed from 21,537,849 to 25,360,026, an increase of 3,822,177. Brown was succeeded in his initial two terms by Republican Gov. George Deukmejian. In Deukmejian’s eight years, the California population climbed from 25,360,026 in 1983 to 30,414,114 in 1991, an increase of 5,054,088. Deukmejian was followed in office by Republican Gov. Pete Wilson. In his eight years, the California population grew from 30,414,114 in 1991 to 33,145,121 in 1999, an increase of 2,731,007. Democrat Gray Davis then served as governor of California from 1999 to 2003. During that period, the state’s population grew from 33,145,121 to 35,253,159, an increase of 2,108,038. Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger succeeded Davis as governor of California, serving from 2003 until 2011. In those years, the state’s population grew from 35,253,159 to 37,636,311, an increase of 2,383,152. Democrat Jerry Brown Jr. then served a second set of two terms as the state’s governor. From 2011 to 2019, the state’s population grew from 37,636,311 to 39,437,610, an increase of 1,801,299. When the next governor—Democrat Gavin Newsom—was sworn into office in January 2019, it seemed almost a certainty that during his tenure, the state’s population would exceed 40 million. But, according to the Census Bureau’s latest estimates, California’s population has not increased under Newsom, it has decreased. In Newsom’s first two years, California’s population made miniscule gains. From 2018 to 2019, it grew from 39,437,463 to 39,437,610—an increase of a mere 147. In 2020, it hit 39,527,808—an increase of 90,198. Then in 2021 and 2022, it dropped—first to 39,152,927 and then to 39,125,347. In 2023, it moved up again slightly, but in the two years after that it dropped again, hitting 39,355,309 in 2025. That was down 82,301 from the 39,437,610 who inhabited the state in 2019, the year Newsom took office. What has happened under Newsom to reverse California’s long-term trend in population growth? The California Senate Republicans have posted a webpage listing what they call “Gavin Newsom’s Top 15 Worst Flip-Flops and Fails.” Among these is “Worsening Homelessness.” “[A]s governor he has spent $37B in taxpayer money on homelessness over the past six years,” it asserts. “To what effect? California became the nation’s homeless capital.” Another failure the Republicans cite is Newsom’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Remember in 2020 when Newsom forced businesses to close, leaving hundreds of thousands of Californians unemployed even as he dined unmasked with his friends? We do,” the webpage asserts. “[H]is mandated school shutdowns caused major damage to California school children,” it continues. Then there is the price of gasoline. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in California is $6.012. That is the highest in the nation. The California Senate Republicans also cite Newsom for not fulfilling his promise to build millions of new homes in California. “As Governor, I will lead the effort to develop the 3.5 million new housing units we need by 2025 because our solutions must be as bold as the problem is big,” Newsom wrote in a Medium posting he made on Oct. 21, 2017. Did he fulfill this commitment? On Oct. 31, 2022, Cal Matters published a report headlined: “Newsom campaigned on building 3.5 million homes. He hasn’t gotten even close.” “Just 13% of the 3.5 million homes he campaigned on building have been permitted, let alone built,” the report read. In January 2019, when Newsom took office, the median price of an existing single-family home was 536,830, according to California Association of Realtors. As of April 2026, it was $914,810. There were many good reasons Americans were inspired to move all the way to the western end of the continent and settle in California, making it the most populous state in the union. It is, arguably, the most beautiful state in the nation. Its seacoast is lined with majestic mountains, intersected by scenic canyons and covered with ancient oak and evergreen trees. Its central valley, irrigated by abundant rivers running down from the mountains to the east, is some of the best farmland on Earth. The Sierra Nevada is the most majestic mountain range in the land, featuring some of the most spectacular canyons on this planet, including Kings Canyon and Yosemite. It is not the scenery or the weather that is driving people out of California. It is politicians like Gavin Newsom. COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of the Daily Signal.

Is your business “needed”? Bizarrely, in many states, if you want to start a business, you first must convince bureaucrats that your business is “needed.” Four years ago, Louisiana blocked social worker Ursula Newell-Davis from helping kids with special needs. Bureaucrats said she hadn’t proved her business was needed. “Why does the state of Louisiana have the right to stop me from doing what I love?” she asks in this update video. Good question. Ursula has a master’s degree and a social work license. For two decades, she’s helped kids with special needs. One, Kamal, told us he struggled to make friends, until Ursula “helped teach me how to talk to people.” Kamal’s mother is grateful: “She explained to me things that I didn’t understand about my kids. It allowed me to go back into the community and work.” Ursula helped many families. But four years ago, she tried to help more kids by doing short-term respite work. Louisiana wouldn’t let her. “You have these skills, you could help people,” I tell her. “What do you think is going on with these regulators?” “Louisiana wants to limit how many agencies they have to regulate,” she replies. “Make it easy for the state.” Anastasia Boden of the Pacific Legal Foundation is helping Ursula sue Louisiana, arguing that its regulation is unconstitutional. “Louisiana gives you no clue about how to prove you’re needed,” says Boden. “That would be difficult for even the best entrepreneurs. Nobody can prove with any certainty that they’re needed.” Right. I can’t prove Stossel TV is “needed.” Is McDonald’s needed? What about the local phone store? “The only way to find out is to open up your doors and try,” says Boden. But Ursula isn’t allowed to try, even after giving regulators what they demanded: She rented office space, paid fees and wrote seven pages about why her work is “needed.” Louisiana decided that wasn’t good enough. That’s what usually happens. The year Ursula applied, the state turned down 75% of applicants. The health department says it limits “the burden on regulators.” “That’s just not a legitimate excuse,” complains Boden, “that government doesn’t have enough money to administer people’s constitutional rights.” Stossel TV reached out, but state officials wouldn’t talk to us about their rule. Thirty-five states and Washington, D.C. have (appropriately named) “CON” laws requiring entrepreneurs to get a Certificate of Need before opening certain businesses. This creates nasty side effects. Try not to get injured in Kentucky. The state’s CON law for ambulances results in longer wait times for transportation. But Louisiana is the only state that applies this nonsense to social workers doing respite work. The result: “Consumers in Louisiana are less satisfied with their care,” says Boden. “It might be easier for the government, but that’s not benefiting consumers.” If these laws don’t benefit consumers, why do they stay on the books? “Hospital [and] medical associations give money,” explains Boden. “They don’t want the competition,” I ask. “Of course not! But the result is to deprive people of economic opportunity and to make care worse,” says Boden.  Now, four years later, Boden’s latest lawsuit winds its way through America’s bureaucratic courts, and bureaucrats still won’t let Ursula do respite work. But good news: Ursula now helps people with special needs by employing them at her new fried chicken restaurant. At least Louisiana’s government doesn’t get to decide if a new restaurant is “needed.” What Louisiana’s bureaucrats do is just wrong.   So often, government just gets in the way. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of the Daily Signal. COPYRIGHT 2026 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC.

We have known for some time that our federal employees have cushy lives compared to the people for whom they work (us). What is particularly infuriating is that so many of them either don’t pay their taxes or are seriously delinquent on what they owe their employer—the federal government. Recently, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found in a new report showing that 6.9% of federal employees are delinquent on their IRS taxes. That amounts to about 215,000 employees. This is a marked increase in three short years from 4.9%. It is appalling that the rate was previously as high as it was, but it has now hit crisis level, seemingly with little or no consequences. This is in contrast to a 5% delinquency rate among the general population. The number of delinquents exploded during the Biden administration, which was lax on enforcing anything for favored groups. We can only speculate as to why federal employees felt they had the right to forgo paying their taxes. It might be Biden allowing so many people to go without repaying their student loans that encouraged the government’s employees to skip payments. The fascinating aspect of this is that these employees are W-2 wage earners who have withholding taken out of their paychecks. The government can easily enforce additional withholding to make sure its employees are in compliance. The feds can easily garnish workers’ wages, as they certainly know where they work. Indeed, the feds do this all the time to ordinary citizens. Worse, about 2,000 of these culprits work for the IRS. It is estimated that their back debt is $50 million. As of 2024, the most recent year for which data is available, there are about 50 employees who have been delinquent for more than five years. Yet these people still work for the agency collecting taxes from the public. There have only been 20 employees terminated for nonpayment in recent years. Nongovernmental professionals who help American citizens comply with the maze of tax laws to properly file their personal returns have significant requirements to stay current on their tax filings and payments.   The broadest manner in which the feds control tax preparers is through the Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). These numbers became mandatory in 2010. It allows the feds to track anyone who is a preparer. The preparer must renew annually and must attest to the fact that he or she is current on tax filing and payments. If the preparer is not current, the preparer’s right to file taxes will be suspended. Of course, we know it is illegal to lie to the federal government in these situations. As usual, government likes to punish people with penalties. If someone files a return without a valid PTIN, there is a $530 penalty per return. There is another mandatory number tax professionals receive to be able to file tax returns electronically. That number is an Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN). The IRS conducts continuous surveillance of tax preparers to monitor their compliance with tax laws and, if someone is not current, they will suspend the tax professional’s right to file. There is an even higher standard for CPAs and tax attorneys. The IRS issues a document called Circular 230 for code of conduct for tax professionals. I once asked if there was a similar document for conduct of IRS employees. Not surprisingly, the answer was no. The failure to file or pay taxes can permanently disbar these professionals from representing clients or signing tax returns. This is the way the government treats ordinary Americans regarding tax filings or delinquencies. It is an understatement to say that dealing with the IRS can be very harsh and incomprehensible. It would be nice to know if our federal employees delinquent on their taxes were receiving similarly harsh treatment for their errant liabilities. When American citizens are working hard and complying with the tax laws, they should have no tolerance for their federal employees failing to file and pay their taxes on time. It seems natural that, in order to work for the federal government, employees should be current on their taxes, just like tax professionals must. Working for the government is a privilege, not a right. To maintain that privilege, employees should be required to file and pay their taxes on time. Lax enforcement of this standard must end. The American people should demand this. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of the Daily Signal.

One classical school in Minneapolis offers a lesson on how to create opportunities in tough areas. Policymakers and special interest groups should pay attention. In May, at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rep. Bob Onder, R-Mo., described a reality that has been obvious to parents in the inner city for years: “Democrats and their teacher union allies are opposed to giving poor children, and yes, poor black children [and] poor Hispanic children, opportunity to achieve a good education.” Students from low-income families, especially those in urban areas, are often assigned to public schools that have been persistently low performing for generations. These families’ situations are even more dire in cities that have repeated instances of fraud and mismanagement among assigned schools. Though teachers unions refuse to admit it, there is a way out for these families. A great example can be found in Minneapolis, where city officials have lost the trust of residents due to repeated scams and a public school budget deeply in the red. Minneapolis made headlines in 2026 for widespread childcare fraud and empty “learning centers” that received millions in taxpayer spending. The city’s public schools are also stuffed with taxpayer dollars, even as many of them fail to fill hundreds of available seats.Rising above the morass is Hope Academy, a classical school serving students in downtown Minneapolis. Hope’s students reflect the city’s diversity: 84% of students are ethnic minorities, and school officials report dozens of languages are spoken in the hallways. The median income of Hope Academy families is less than $43,000 per year. Despite these challenges, Hope officials report 97% of students graduate on time. The majority of ninth graders who have attended the school for at least two years are proficient in math and reading. The school even tracks the number of conversations on religious values that educators have with students each year. Every teacher monitors test scores, but how many educators can tell you how often they talk with students about matters of character and devotion?According to researchers at Stanford University, the Minneapolis public school students score nearly two grade levels below the national average in both math and reading. In fact, black and Hispanic students are 4.5 and 5.4 grade levels behind the national average in combined achievement levels, respectively, while white students are two grade levels ahead. Chronic absenteeism rates (the rate of students missing 10% or more of the school year) are up compared to 2019 (though figures have improved since 2022). These dismal results come on top of a district budget that has been riddled with errors and is now nearly $40 million in the red. Meanwhile, Hope Academy tuition is supported by private donations, and the median tuition contribution from families is a mere $850 per year. The difference at Hope Academy is not in how much money is spent but how it is spent. Hope is one of 900 classical schools in The Heritage Foundation’s Classical Schools Database. This database not only tracks the growth of classical schools around the country but also provides information on classical schools’ distinctives compared to assigned public schools. For example, Hope uses a curriculum that includes the trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric), teaches Latin and Greek, and engages students in Socratic seminars. Heritage’s database includes 19 other classical schools in Minnesota, but none are located in urban Minneapolis. Minnesota used to be a pioneer of the school choice movement, a movement that encouraged the growth of public and private schools of choice. State lawmakers adopted the first charter school law in the nation in 1991. Unfortunately, lawmakers have not kept up with the expansion of education choice policies nationally. Today, lawmakers in 18 states allow every family in their state to apply for education savings accounts to pay private school tuition or buy other education products and services for their children. Minnesota lawmakers in both chambers have introduced education choice bills that would create these accounts, but these proposals have not advanced. Instead, lawmakers continue to pour dollars into empty daycares and half-empty public schools. When education and the success of future generations are concerned, moms and dads should call for solutions, hold policymakers accountable for fraud, and ask why more students do not have access to schools such as Hope Academy.

This past week, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent sparred with Democrats as he testified before multiple committees on Capitol Hill. Here are the seemingly mild-mannered secretary’s most vicious verbal battles of the week during his testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. Who Was President During WWI? “Do you agree with President [Donald] Trump that you also do not care about Americans’ financial situation?” Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., asked Bessent, pressing him on the economic consequences of the president’s decision to strike Iran. “Who was the president during World War One?” Bessent replied. “I don’t know,” Chu admitted. .@RepJudyChu: "Do you agree with President Trump that you also do not American's financial situations?"Secretary Bessent: "Congresswoman, who was the President during WWI?"Rep. Chu: "I don't know, but clearly you are not answering my question." pic.twitter.com/0X2l2Xtb7e— CSPAN (@cspan) June 4, 2026 Bessent went on to argue that Trump, similar to President Woodrow Wilson, was willing to accept certain consequences for voluntarily entering a conflict. “I will promise you that President Woodrow Wilson, who was president during World War One—that the Germans did not attack us, that he got into that. It was a war of principle. And I guarantee you President Woodrow Wilson thought the same thing, congresswoman,” Bessent said. Suozzi’s ‘Former Constituents‘ Bessent also sparred with Rep. Tom Suozzi of New York, a Democrat who represents an eastern Long Island district. “Prices are up, gas prices are up, grocery prices are up, energy prices are up, health care prices are up, interest rates are high—all specifically related to the policies of this administration,” Suozzi said. Secretary Bessent Makes quick jab at @RepTomSuozzi after exchange: "I want to invite you to South Carolina to see all your former constituents." pic.twitter.com/lwzRxLpj1k— CSPAN (@cspan) June 4, 2026 “Good to see you, Congressman. I want to invite you to South Carolina to see all your former constituents,” Bessent told Suozzi, poking fun at the number of New Yorkers moving to the Palmetto State. Wyden Bessent was particularly vicious with Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who accused Bessent of covering up the financial records of the now-deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “The machinery of government works to the benefit of Donald Trump before all else,” Wyden said. “That’s the corrupt framework that produces insurrection slush funds, protects pedophiles, and dismisses the concerns of people who are worried about being able to make rent.” Bessent fired back ruthlessly. “Sen. Wyden has mendaciously slandered the Treasury building in an attempt to cover up his son having an investment meeting with Jeffrey Epstein to ask for funding,” Bessent said. Documents released by the Department of Justice revealed Wyden’s son Adam, an investor, had engaged in business discussions with Epstein.  .@SecScottBessent: "Sen. Wyden has mendaciously slandered the treasury building — to cover up his son having an investment with Jeffrey Epstein."Sen. @RonWyden: "Let's be clear here, nobody is interested in the rambling of a capo in the most corrupt regime in American history." pic.twitter.com/sabIAv7YA7— CSPAN (@cspan) June 3, 2026 “Nobody is interested in the ramblings of a capo in the most corrupt regime in American history,” Wyden replied. “We would like to hear what Adam Wyden and Jeffrey Epstein talked about,” Bessent said. “Your son’s largest investment position was Rick’s Cabaret. So did your son and Jeffrey Epstein talk about pole dancing as he begged him for money using your limited credibility?” RCI Hospitality Holdings, previously known as Rick’s Cabaret, operates strip clubs across the United States. Adam Wyden’s investment firm, ADW Capital, did not respond to a request from the Daily Signal for comment on Bessent’s remarks. Related PostsHere’s How the IRS Is Taking on the Networks Potentially Funding AntifaTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters Thursday that the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI have made substantial progress on investigating the networks funding Antifa leftist agitators, and he mentioned one concrete policy change that could undermine nonprofits’ ability to prop up the violent movement. “In October, the Treasury Department started working with the FBI…Still Wearing a Bandage, Pam Bondi Walks Into Committee Epstein InvestigationFormer U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sat down for her second round of interviews with the House Oversight Committee Friday amid investigations into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein—despite undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer. Bondi underwent surgery in May. She wore a throat bandage from the surgery on her walk to the committee hearing. She testified…What I Saw on Pete Hegseth’s Trip to SingaporeSecretary of War Pete Hegseth said American relations in the Indo-Pacific are stronger than ever after he crossed the ocean to meet with his counterparts in Singapore.  Hegseth spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue conference, an Asia security summit, in Singapore, and held bilateral meetings with Indo-Pacific leaders on issues facing the region. The Daily Signal… Related PostsHere’s How the IRS Is Taking on the Networks Potentially Funding AntifaTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters Thursday that the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI have made substantial progress on investigating the networks funding Antifa leftist agitators, and he mentioned one concrete policy change that could undermine nonprofits’ ability to prop up the violent movement. “In October, the Treasury Department started working with the FBI…Still Wearing a Bandage, Pam Bondi Walks Into Committee Epstein InvestigationFormer U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sat down for her second round of interviews with the House Oversight Committee Friday amid investigations into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein—despite undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer. Bondi underwent surgery in May. She wore a throat bandage from the surgery on her walk to the committee hearing. She testified…What I Saw on Pete Hegseth’s Trip to SingaporeSecretary of War Pete Hegseth said American relations in the Indo-Pacific are stronger than ever after he crossed the ocean to meet with his counterparts in Singapore.  Hegseth spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue conference, an Asia security summit, in Singapore, and held bilateral meetings with Indo-Pacific leaders on issues facing the region. The Daily Signal…