During the high inflation days of the Biden administration, many of the less than well-off were forced to cut back on their spending, whether it was food, gasoline or in some cases medication. Some migrated from blue states to red ones where often taxes, housing and prices were lower.
Blue state Democrats are reacting to losing residents not by reducing taxes, but by raising them. Their philosophy seems to be that they are losing money so taxes must be raised to make up for the shortfall. The exact opposite should happen, but because Democrats are so wedded to "tax the wealthy" they can't see any other way.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D), who followed his tax cutting predecessor Larry Hogan (R), signed a bill in May which increases income taxes on residents making more than $500,000 a year. Hogan's administration touts that it cut state taxes by $4.7 billion over his eight years in office, moving the state's economy from 49th to 6th in the nation in economic performance. Hogan claimed to have left behind a $5.5 billion surplus and $3 billion in a rainy-day fund. It takes a genius - or a Democrat - to spend such a large surplus in so short a time. This is likely among the reasons Maryland is experiencing a net population outflow.
A Wall Street Journal editorial points out the potential political fallout for Democrats from this modern great migration. Between 2020 and 2024 the losses from states that have raised taxes and have lousy schools are as follows: "California (-1,465,116), New York (-966,209) and Illinois (-418,056)."
Which states are benefiting from the influx of new people? Texas (747,730), and Florida (872,722). These two states "gained the equivalent of West Virginia. Utah, Idaho, Arizona and North Carolina also experienced a rush of newcomers."
The political benefits to these lower taxing states (assuming any fleeing Democrats don't bring their ideology about "taxing the rich" with them) will be seen in coming elections. The Journal predicts Democrats could lose as many as 10 house seats in 2030, the year of the next census.
This would likely overcome the gerrymandering California and Illinois are fashioning as they draw districts to give Democrats an even larger advantage than they currently enjoy.
This is what can happen when politicians are more interested in gaining or maintaining power, ignoring the Constitution (and yes, Texas Republicans are doing the same but for different reasons).
For those who flunked or didn't take civics in high school, this is the way the process is supposed to work. Census data taken every 10 years in even decades determines the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House is currently fixed at 435 members, so states gaining population may gain seats while states with slower growth or declines may lose seats. This is the Democrats' great fear and why some are trying to go outside the Constitution and the census to rig the system.
Following the census and apportionment, states redraw their congressional and state legislative district boundaries to reflect population shifts and ensure districts have roughly equal populations.
Independent Redistricting Commissions, separate from state legislatures, are then responsible for drawing district boundaries, according to the Campaign Legal Center.
It doesn't take a political genius to realize that if people are taxed more on what they have earned, many, including businesses, will look for places that tax them less. This is what's happening in some blue states. Democrats who think raising taxes on the successful will benefit them in future elections, may be sowing seeds for future electoral defeats.
Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas' latest book "A Watchman in the Night: What I've Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America" (HumanixBooks).
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