Sacramento homeless living under W/X freeway offramp, April 15, 2022. (Photo: Katy Grimes for California Globe)
The Amazing Gavin Newsom and CA’s 4th Largest Economy in the World
California reached this position not because of Newsom’s great leadership or brilliant economic policy, but because Japan’s economy is faltering
By Katy Grimes, May 1, 2025 7:46 am
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is bragging that California owns the 4th largest economy in the world. But he leaves out some important details, like poverty, homelessness, crime, taxes, gas prices, housing costs, illegal aliens, welfare recipients, and a $1.3 trillion total budget deficit, just for starters. And, California is the 1st most regulated state in the U.S.
California reached this position not because of Newsom’s great leadership or brilliant economic policy, but because Japan’s economy is faltering.
“California’s nominal GDP grew by 6.0%. Japan’s fell by 4.4%.”
And, as jobs remain weak, unemployment remains high, the California Center for Jobs and the Economy reports. “California has produced an average of 15.6% of the nation’s unemployed, or a third higher than the state’s overall share of US population.”
They explain California’s GDP:
“While California enjoys a high GDP, it dissipates the effective purchasing power through high and increasing costs of living,” the California Center for Jobs and the Economy reports. “Using the most current US Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities to adjust California’s current GDP to an equivalent statistic, California barely edged ahead of Italy from 12th to 11th highest when GDP is measured by IMF’s purchasing power parity series. This shift in rank is a stark illustration of the extent to which the costs of living sap the economic reach of the state’s households.”
Newsom’s bragging about the economy falls short when it comes time to do anything.
California is the 1st most regulated state in the US
According to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, California has 420,000 total regulations – the most of any state in the country.
“Research from the Mercatus Center shows that jurisdictions that allow regulations to consistently pile up over the years experience slower economic growth, but this effect can be reversed when policymakers actively cut red tape. Other studies from the Mercatus Center indicates that the growth in these regulations is correlated with increased poverty rates, lost jobs, and higher inflation, among other effects.”
Gavin Newsom claims that California simply has no peers, across the spectrum. The Globe reported on Newsom’s conceited claims in which he lists the Orwellian “Ten Ways California Leads the Nation.”
As the Globe has observed, California may be leading the nation – off the cliff into 3rd world status, we stated, especially as Newsom’s and Democrat’s policies have pushed out some of California’s greatest businesses.
In April 2024, Edward Ring of the California Policy Center (and CA Globe contributor), and Steve Hilton, Founder of Golden Together and gubernatorial candidate, addressed California’s regulatory environment, its high taxes and exorbitant fees, and the overall cost of doing business, leading many businesses to move their operations to more welcoming business environments.
Ring and Hilton reported that since “2020 over 500 companies have either left California completely, or opted to expand their operations in a different state while shrinking their operations here. The list includes scores of household name companies: Aerojet, Aligent, AirBNB, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Amgen, and Apple, and that’s just the As. It spans the gamut from high-tech and aerospace, to energy (Chevron) and civil engineering (Bechtel), to arts and entertainment (Academy of Country Music, Disney).”
Perhaps ironically, on his official California Governor’s website, Newsom does list some of these issues, however, as though he has fought valiantly and slayed the dangerous beasts. He also includes a rather unhealthy dose of narcissism:
“Newsom is widely recognized for his willingness to lead – repeatedly developing, advocating, and implementing innovative and groundbreaking solutions to some of our most challenging issues.”
“On a wide range of topics including same-sex marriage, gun safety, marijuana, the death penalty, universal health care, access to preschool, technology, criminal justice reform, and the minimum wage, Newsom stuck his neck out and did the right thing, which often led to sweeping changes when his policies were ultimately accepted, embraced, and replicated across the state and nation.”
This sounds as if he is running for President of the World… but he’s running in the wrong direction. From his website:
Newsom’s top priorities for his administration include:
- tackling homelessness and building more housing,
- keeping California safe,
- creating opportunity for all,
- building a healthier California, and
- standing up for California values — from civil rights, to immigration, environmental protection, access to quality schools at all levels, and justice.
“Tackling homelessness…” we see how that has played out with Newsom succeeding in exponentially grow more drug-addicted homeless vagrants in the state, while disappearing $24+ billion.
“Keeping California safe,” is laughable given that Newsom not only did not support Proposition 36, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, to restore consequences for thieves and drug dealers and require treatment for addicts, he’s underminig it by refusing to fund it in his budget.
“California values.” Gov. Newsom neglects to include the word “legal” in front of “immigration.”
Notably, Gov. Newsom expanded the state’s Medi-Cal low-income health system to include illegal immigrants, and now it is bankrupt.
Newsom’s “healthier California” has destroyed medical care across the state when he inked the backroom deal with Kaiser for statewide Medi-Cal health. The backroom deal was to cut out the competition and make everyone in California under Kaiser, a doctor familiar with the deal told the Globe. Because if the Legislature and governor couldn’t pass single payer, the next best alternative was to place all of California under Kaiser. He’s still working on that.
And, since Newsom signed AB 1228 into law to increase the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour, more than 20,000 fast food jobs have been lost, and fast food prices are up more than 14.5%.
So while Gov. Newsom brags about California being the world’s 4th largest economy, he’s failed to mention that thanks to his party’s failed economic policies the state’s crushing cost of living drops Californians’ purchasing power down to 11th. He fails to mention California’s high unemployment – 15.6% of the nation’s unemployed and high underemployment – a third higher than the state’s overall share of US population. Newsom fails to mention California’s 420,000 total regulations and dimished purchasing power.
Gov. Newsom leaves out a few more details.
In Gavin Newsom’s delusion, he claims California has:
- the world’s greatest higher-education system, which is actually the DEI leader in the world and producing stunningly ignorant, unemployable graduates;
- “where people can love who they want” is a reminder that on “Feb. 12, 2004, then-Mayor Gavin Newsom upended the raging national debate over gay marriage when he directed the San Francisco County Clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.”
- “access to reproductive freedom” which is secret code for abortion up to/through the 9th month of pregnancy;
- “pursue a dream of a safe and prosperous life” – no one in California is allowed to pursue a safe and prosperous life with record retail and violent crime across the state, and businesses fleeing California in droves; and
- California’s $20 fast food minimum wage… fast food businesses are closing across the state and laying off employees.
Newsom claims California’s economy is “Golden.” He says:
“California has one of the most “equitable” tax systems in the entire country, and is #1 in the nation for new business starts, #1 for access to venture capital funding, #1 for manufacturing, #1 for high-tech, and #1 for agriculture.”
All of those links in Newsom’s statement on “California’s Golden economy” link back to his own website (a form of “because I say so”). However, his ludicrous claim “California has one of the most equitable tax systems” links to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy in Washington D.C., a non-profit organization which claims, “Tax justice is critical to racial justice.”
Here is the reality – no “justice” for California tax payers:
10 states with the highest personal income tax rates
- California: 13.3%
- Hawaii: 11%
- New Jersey: 10.75%
- Oregon: 9.9%
- Minnesota: 9.85%
- District of Columbia: 8.95%
- New York: 8.82%
- Vermont: 8.75%
Iowa: 8.53%***- Wisconsin: 7.65%
We will end on gas prices – again – since that hits everyone. AAA reports today that the national average of a gallon of gas is $3.186 – In California the average is $4.777 for a gallon of gas, and well over $5.00 per gallon in many California counties.
Gavin Newsom has never once explained why California residents are fleeing to other states. It appears that he really does not care about anyone except Gavin Newsom.
- Top 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. – California Not Even in Top 100 - May 22, 2025
- CA Senate Republicans Ask US Senators Schiff & Padilla to Repeal Newsom-Backed EV Mandate - May 21, 2025
- New Full-Page Ad Slams Los Angeles $30 Wage, Saying The City Is ‘Ruining a Golden Opportunity’ - May 21, 2025
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Gavin Newsom, the greasy, slimy, b@llsh#t artist , the used car salesman of governors.( no offense to those who do sale used cars)
Sorry for the run on sentence but it is required to describe a creature like Newsom.
His words are empty. This state has spiraled into something that others run from in other countries. He showed his true instincts during the years of the Sars Covid V-2 era. He is a little dictator making up for his moral, ethical short comings. The man would sale you a bowl of shi*t and tell you it is the tastiest chocolate pudding you will ever have!
One could easily cut and paste elsewhere your rant by replacing Newsom’s name with the pathological liar and scammer in the White House who even screwed over his own fake business university students!
Wow, that’s really ancient. Don’t you have anything more current than that old dead fish? Maybe you people with terminal TDS could dig up some new fresh material every now and then?
Yup, and one would be just one more lying Trump hater.
your low IQ as a liberal dems shows eating cnn bullshit 3 times a day, Trump has done wonders in his first 3 months , newscum has destroyed california and its still going down we are a shit hole and know it.
Well said Cali Girl!
He is the ultimate flip flopper and NOT to be trusted….EVER!! Hard to believe that one person could be so self-centered and evil. He has been a total failure and has only one goal….. and that is to be President.., he must be stopped.
I’ll buy your house… and your can leave… problem solved.
unless you’re renting… can’t help you there.
Let me guess, you voted for orange man, a convict, liar, cheater, illiterate, bad business man, tax evader, golfer?! Every large state has a lot of homeless people, Newsome cares at least, Trump only cares about the rich, doesn’t care that most of us need our social security, need affordable healthcare, need all the programs his crooked administration has cut and the ones he/they are getting ready to cut. He’s deporting a lot of the wrong people, his own wife is a immigrant, is her citizenship ship valid etc., look at the idiot who is sharing secret I formation about our military and keeps doing it talking on unsecured lines putting lives in danger!!! Does Trump care, no, he just continues golfing!! Look at our education departments being dismantled, all to do called save money etc! Trump is ruining America! Other countries are laughing at us, we have no allies anymore due to Trump! He wants to be a dictator like Hitler, He wants to be like Putin, he wants to just take other countries, no humanity, remorse, morals, no soul! Racism is what got him elected again, not because he is all
for us all being united, it’s about greed too, he is getting richer and we’re all suffering because of his big lies! I hope his cult followers are happy!!!!
Another epic slam-dunk from Katy Grimes, who is not one-in-a-million, but one in 39 million in her reporting and latest justifiable exposure of the Worst Governor Ever with real facts of Newsom’s failure as CA governor, a rock-solid counter to Newsom’s endless bragging and expansive lies about his “reign.”
Never had we had a more destructive politician in charge of the Formerly Golden State. Never has such an actually destructive governor bragged and boasted and puffed out his chest about his great value and effectiveness more implausibly and unconvincingly than Gavin Newsom has in the face of such wreckage.
Here’s hoping, and not for the first time, that California is able to soon —- or at least one day — recover from this curse of a personality-disordered governor.
Does the 4th largest economy in the world have to run to Big Daddy with hat in hand constantly because it is broke? Apparently. What a joke.
Like Chris Plante say Democrat funding is like a weird “satire of Democrat government”.
says
4th largest economy with the worst roads in the nation.
With a economy that big, why is insurance so impossible to get a reasonable cost.
Clownshow
Now let’s talk about his complete and utter FAILURE at managing the California commercial insurance industry that he has ALSO driven out of state, thereby leaving California residents exposed only to the California FAIR plan of last resort.
Then let’s talk about his related fuel-management policies, which prioritized the “climate change” fraud, and directly contributed to both the Palisades and Eaton fires….
Exactly, CD9. And so much more.
I am wondering what actions President Trump is going to take with the announced closure of these refineries? If they close, it will create an emergency that has national ramifications especially to Arizona and Nevada as they import gas from California. You can’t let the worlds 4th largest economy go over the cliff. I would like to see President Trump have the federal government take over the oil business here in California which includes refineries and put it in a temporary receivership not allowing the companies to shut them down. While under the auspicious of the Federal government they can deregulate the industry which would allow for prices to come down and profits to go up. They could also cut the State taxes which would starve Sacramento and CARB. Once California has stable leadership again the Feds could end their emergency.
New TYRANT Same as all the OLD DUMB-ASS’S
Who are Donkeys
On the TAKE
Sold its soul the RED CHINA
HAS STOLEN COVID FEDERAL FUNDING
Has its fingers in every HAIR PIE
Will be found to have STOLEN HIS TRAIN TICKETS TO NO WHERE
FEDERAL FUNDS
Will COP A PLEA TO AVOID
TREASON
When bent over the RAIL TRACK
IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE
He IS THE PICTURE OF A USELESS IDIOT
His signature is the EVIDENCE ON THE STOLEN
FEDERAL FUNDS
He bent the knee to RED CHINA
HIS RED DIPPER DOPE IS ON FOOL DISPLAY
SWEAT THIS PRICK FOR TREASON
TO CHINA
HE WILL SPILL THE WHOLE CHIT SHOW
Luckily we have Katy Grimes and California Globe to inform us of the important details and ugly truths while the useless mainstream mockingbird propaganda media just parrots Gov. “Hair-gel Hitler” Newsom’s bragging that California’s economy has grown to be the 4th largest in the world because of him. Native Californians have seen California’s steep decline under his failed leadership and become more like a third world country with each passing year.
Thank goodness for New California State, to pick up the pieces of this devastating financial collapse and debauchery from the Uni-Party Legislature that does nothing to protect women and our children. They are disgusting and should never serve in public office again!
Meanwhile, The Washington Free Beacon reported that in March 2025, Gov. “Hair-gel Hitler” Newsom awarded $200,000 in taxpayer funds under a state antiterrorism program to the Islamic Center of San Diego that has been linked to 9/11 hijackers and whose imam defended the Hamas attack on Israel.
(https://freebeacon.com/california/gavin-newsom-awards-antiterrorism-grant-to-mosque-linked-to-9-11-hijackers-pro-hamas-cleric/)
It’s not surprising, but where are legislative Democrats on the California Legislative Jewish Caucus on this controversial taxpayer funded award to this Islamic Center? There’s not a peep from them? Instead, Democrat Senator Scott Wiener and Democrat Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, Co-Chairs of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, recently released a statement that the Jewish Caucus stands in deep solidarity with immigrants and refugees. Meanwhile, there’s rampant Antisemitism on California’s publicly funded universities and colleges where Jewish students are being attacked.
(https://jewishcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/news/jewish-caucus-stands-deep-solidarity-immigrants-and-refugees)
Wish you were kidding TJ but I know you’re not. This is beyond outrageous.
Thank you for posting.
I do believe Newsom and the Democrats are all part of the plan NWO to break down society with alliances to Soros and other Oligarchs. It is like Harris said we will be begging for a loaf of bread.
I wonder if any of these commenters have spent quality time in California. As a descendant of the state’s Original Peoples, I choose the other path. While I appreciate the critiques and your right to voice them, I choose to acknowledge the great state known as California that Gov. Newsom has devoted his career to building and promoting. I have observed this elected official’s dedication and commitment to public service for decades now, beginning in San Francisco, and always marvel at how misunderstood or misinterpreted his actions often are by those who may not see the strengths of his vision as a leader because of his humanity and human frailty. Rather than sit in judgment of Gov. Newsom and each other, I propose we work together to create and support a California in which future generations can prosper and achieve their dreams. At the moment, I am more concerned with what is going on in the White House in 2025. I would love to hear your thoughts on how to navigate the next few years as a state and nation.
Is this some sort of sarcastic humor?
Gov. Failure needs to be recalled.
You’re right, Protect Freedom, it sounds like a joke. The commenter’s name is “Cat Pee.”
Anyway, who knows? “Cat Pee” might be an animal-lover in the Gov’s office. Or maybe it’s someone who is doing homework for their adult education writing class.
https://x.com/recallgavinnow?lang=en
I invite you to join my signature on Newsom’s recall.
And, thanks, for inviting me to share this thought at no expense to the taxpaying citizen.
Here’s my take. Working with Newsom is a one-way street. He talks about solving homeless, crime and costs and other issues but his solutions not only do not solve the proper it makes things worse. (You can look at crime and homelessness as evidence.) In regard to the next few years under President Trump. You can expect government regulations to decrease and individual freedoms to increase. As evidence there was a story yesterday about a young ranching family in South Dakota that was being used under Bidens USDA and threatened with jail time over a fence that has been in place since approximately 1910. You can also expect to see fewer taxes and more money in your pocket. As evidence look for No federal tax on tips, no federal tax on overtime and no federal tax on social security to be passed in July. You can also look forward to federal taxes being eliminated on Federal taxes on income up to $200,000. All of these steps will put more money directly in your pocket. You can look for inflation to be under control again. Just today the Federal budgets 2026 budget is 22.6% less than 2025. By the government spending less it takes the pressure off of the flow of money and interest rates will come down which directly affects the price of housing. You do not need to fret about America’s future brighter days ahead. There will be some bumps for the next few months but after things smooth out it will be great. (Newsom and his crowd want us to be subjected to government. Less government means more individual freedoms)
You just believe everything you hear don’t you?
The catch, after a Google search, is: “state’s GDP can include the value of goods and services produced by companies that have manufacturing facilities in another state”. Basically, Newsom is taking credit for company’s manufacturing in the rest of the U.S. if the company has a home office in CA.
Good point. What a slimy liar Newsom is.
As you know.
Excellent point. That explains why the District of Columbia has a per capita GDP almost three times that of California.
Amazing! The 4th largest economy, and it doesn’t create any private sector jobs. Only 5400 private sector jobs were created in two and half years ending in June 2024. Meanwhile, the rest of the country created 7.3 million jobs.
The 4th largest economy, and has the highest poverty rate in the nation, the most homeless, the second highest unemployment rate in the nation, and the highest school dropout rate in the nation. At least Gov. Failure and the Commucrats have one talking point.
By the way, three other states and the District of Columbia have higher GDP per capita than California.
These are all such excellent fact-based points against Gov Gruesome’s galling high-speed spew of word-salad-y numbers and assertions that fly past his listeners’ ears and are almost never taken apart and exposed. Gruesome often ends up getting away with his crap monologue of faux facts and self-praise, but maybe not really because after all he still has an obnoxious style and personality that is extremely off-putting to normal people.
All of you MAGA you know trump likes the uneducated. It’s a hit piece you’re writing is one way not a article looking at the whole issue.
Loud and clear you hate Newson. My advise is move out of California because we will never have a maga Gov. or a Maga Senator. Planes leave everyday, Buses or Cars Move away.
Speaking of uneducated, the following sentence is a grammatical catastrophe:
“All of you MAGA you know trump likes the uneducated. It’s a hit piece you’re writing is one way not a article looking at the whole issue.”
My guess is that you are graduate of the California public school system.
@CSeifen, we are staying and we will turn all of California RED. You kook-aid drinking woke leftists trolls will all have to move to China or capitulate. You point fingers and accuse MAGA of being exactly what YOU are….UNEDUCATED….the typical DemocRAT tactic.
I prefer witnessing the final act of – Your Darn DNC: A Comedy of Errors, from right here.
Gavin’s office really needs to do a better job of training the guy they pay $1.59 an hour to write hostile Gavin suck-up comments. That was pathetic.
Gavin Newsom is the biggest, lying snake-oil salesman on the planet. He would have been right at home in the 1800’s with a horse drawn wagon full of “Doctor Goodbody’s” magic elixer that cures everything from head lice, to cancer, to toenail fungus. Never believe a single word that comes out of this dirt-bags mouth.
If China does not make a tariff deal soon, California might become the 3rd largest world economy based in GDP. Especially if Chinese companies controlled by the CCP are banned from selling their stock on Wall Street……Oh, but CALPERS is heavily invested in Chinese stocks…..so 3rd largest may not be possible after all. CALPERS would become insolvent with it’s billions in unfunded liabilities. Lying with statistics is the modus operandi of the DemocRATs…..especially the biggest RATs like Newscum.
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/chinese-delegation-spotted-entering-treasury-department-demands-photos-be-deleted-report
Gavin Newsom is a crackpot! I born and raised in California I have never seen anything like this guy he is doing sulfur dioxide experiments off the coast that have proven to be a complete and total failure acidifying the ocean killing whales killing seals and they’re blaming it on the retardant they used on fires, they’re blaming it on Tijuana spilling sewage into the ocean, lies, cover-ups, and blaming! When you call his office you talk to idiots. He has made California one of the most horrible states to live in. he’s using Jet exhaust with chemicals added to the fuel to make these goofy clouds to block out the sun to bring temperatures down that does not work is making people SICK! He won’t stop because he wants to be president. and this guy’s broken head he thinks he’s going to solve global warming and global warming has gotten worse since this guy’s been in office. my question is how do we get him the hell out of there?
and no one’s even mentioned he wants to keep taxing you if you try and move away. that alone is sleazy. but then again look at his family, his and pelosi ‘s families have had control of California for I believe 60 years and their related. so you could say 1 family has controlled this state. I hope stoping his campaign for Washington before it gets started by recalling him, letting people understand his failure at being able to lead anywhere but down. I’d love to see Elon and doge team come in and audit California it’d certainly be interesting to see where tax dollars funnel too. between income, property, sales, death, gas and whatever else they can tax how it disappears without the ability to pave roads, and so many other needs there proposed to fund.
Amazing!!! is right. I’m constantly amazed at the amount of damage he is doing to my home of 72 years…
please don’t let his Aunt Nancy buy him the Presidency….
please…
Thought some of you might be interested in this nutshell summary of Gavin Newsom as a miserable failure at governance and what it means for California by Victor Davis Hanson at the link below. Whether or not this was done on purpose, as many suspect, is the only big item not addressed:
“Gavin Newsom’s California in ‘Existential Freefall'”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6khVcgAGrw
It’s about time WE throw this jerk, Newson, out of office. As another Democrat, like Biden, our former president who destroyed America for the four years that he was the president, Gov. Gavin Newson is destroying California in the same way. I have lived in California since 1959, and I have NEVER seen the crime, the homelessness, and the filthiness that is happening today on the streets. Every time I watch the 11:00 o’clock news at night on ABC, I get sick to my stomach and want to throw up my guts when I see all the crime. Women are being molested and raped constantly, and when the LAPD tries to stop these criminals and uphold the law, they are being stopped by Mayor Karen Bass on the grounds the LAPD has no right to interfere, and the perpetrators get away with committing crimes over and over and over again. The PROUD men and women of the LAPD were specifically hired to make sure that the streets were safe to walk on and drive on. Gov. Newson has allowed Los Angeles and San Francisco, AND the State of California, to become sanctuary cities and because of his EDICT, illegal ALIENS are entering California from all over the world and are being given a safe haven to commit crimes against the LEGAL citizens who live in California. Gov. Newson should be hanged by his neck from a tree until he’s dead and be buried in the cold ground!! Then, every Californian who lives in the great State of California will be safe again to walk, drive, and shop in the grocery and department stores AGAIN!! Where the hell are his brains anyway?? We need to start another RECALL election to get rid of Gov. Gavin Newson, PERMANENTLY. God help us if he runs to be the next president of the United States. I hope and pray that NEVER happens to America, because we’ll be right back where we started when Biden was president!! Everyone who is reading this, please pray this doesn’t happen!! Did you know that Newson is dyslexic?? Google what dyslexic means. What a big surprise you’ll have when you find out what dyslexic means!!
To all you Democrates. Pull you heads out of your rears, and take a breath of freash air, and a good look at what this idiot Newsom has done. Stop watching fake news, just open you eyes and ears, and if you not an idiot, you will see what’s up.
To all you Democrates. Pull you heads out of your rears, and take a breath of freash air, and a good look at what this idiot Newsom has done. Stop watching fake news, just open you eyes and ears, and if you not an idoit, you will see what’s up.
Impeach this guy. He is not worth having him for a governor. He made an edit to allow the State of California, AND Los Angeles and San Francisco to become sanctuary cities. Newson is a big jerk, and he has run California into a big filthy dump. There is crime all over California, and the ILLEGAL aliens he has allowed into California have raped and murdered innocent women. No one can walk the streets safely anymore. God help us if he becomes the next president of the United States, because if he does, there will be anarchy everywhere. Did you know Newson is dyslexic? Look it up on Google and you will be in for a big surprise when you find out what dyslexic means! We need to start another RECALL PETITION to remove him! Do it NOW, before it’s too late!
Newson is a big nut. He is crazy as a loony bird. He has allowed so much crime in the state, and if I had the money, I would move out of California. He is also dyslexic. Look it up on google! Dyslexic means he can’t understand what he’s reading. No wonder California has become so bad!