Op-Ed: This Is Newsom’s Biggest Problem – He’s Shallow

With a reed-thin profile, perfectly coiffed hair, and a designer wardrobe, it still doesn’t take much for Gavin Newsom to morph his celebrity facade into a hyper-smug, arrogant, “shallowsome” persona.

Stuck in a loop of his own misinformation, California’s governor can’t help but run the same playbook, insisting that anything Trump says, does, or has accomplished is bad, while all that he personally imagines, supports, or messianically reiterates is gifted from Mount Olympus.

But upon review, his broken-record talking points about his Golden State triumphs and Trump’s failures are more a fantasy script from a grade-B movie than a factual documentary. And the evidence for that claim is overwhelming.

An obvious proof of Newsom’s incompetence is his high-speed rail boondoggle. Described by state legislators as a “textbook example of government failure,” the project, originally planned for 500 miles, was authorized by voters in 2008 at a projected cost of $33 billion. However, a scaled-back 171-mile version began in 2015 at a cost almost four times as much and is projected to remain under construction until at least 2031.

Yet, despite Newsom’s overly optimistic rhetoric and his frequent photo-ops celebrating minor construction steps as major achievements, no operational track has yet been laid. So, massively over budget, behind schedule, and lacking virtually any visible progress, it is beyond doubt that Newsom has mismanaged the project, costing taxpayers billions of dollars.

But a far more important quality-of-life issue facing Californians is the crime they face every day. Due in part to Newsom’s support for reducing penalties and limiting law enforcement tools, the overall crime rate under his watch is higher than in most states.

In fact, according to an aggregate of state and federal data, California is less safe than 80 percent of all states. More specifically, based on 2024 FBI statistics, Newsom’s fiefdom ranks among the highest in the country for both violent and property crimes. That is, property crime is over 18 percent higher than the national average, and violent offenses are twice that standard.

There is little doubt that Newsom’s strong support for initiatives to reclassify several drug and property offenses from felonies to misdemeanors and to expand parole eligibility has weakened deterrence, leading to increased crime.

The negative consequences of these so-called reforms are undeniable. Reclassifying property theft valued at less than $950 as a misdemeanor has led to fewer arrests for “low-level” shoplifting, the rise of organized retail theft rings, and a “revolving door for chronic offenders.”

And arguably the most short-sighted of all criminal justice reforms supported by Newsom is expanding parole eligibility for “non-violent” offenders, including those incarcerated for domestic violence, human trafficking, certain sexual offenses, and assault with a deadly weapon.

Moreover, treating simple drug possession as a “slap on the wrist” misdemeanor has reduced the number of people entering the criminal justice system for treatment. But more importantly, because the drug “misdemeanor list” now includes several major controlled substances, including cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines, it has fueled the homeless crisis in California.

And a crisis it is. California’s homeless population, the nation’s largest, accounts for nearly a quarter of the country’s total. And due to an undersupply of shelter beds in the state and housing costs well above the national average, over 66 percent of California’s homeless live unsheltered, which is almost 50 percent of the nation’s total number.

But in a waste of money rivaling his mythical railroad, Newsom’s administration has spent about $24 billion to reduce homelessness since taking office in 2019, yet California’s homeless population has increased by 30,000 in that period.

However, in Newsom’s California, tied with Louisiana for the highest poverty rate in the nation, the homeless are not suffering alone. Under his shallowsome leadership, taxes, regulations, and fuel prices have all risen. Since taking office in 2019, the state’s total budget has more than doubled, and according to a nonpartisan analysis, the state is currently facing a nearly $18 billion deficit.

But that’s not all. California currently has the highest top marginal state income tax rate, the highest base sales tax, and ranks 48th on the 2026 State Tax Competitive Index. And making matters worse, California drivers pay the highest per-gallon state gasoline tax in the nation.

As a result of rising crime, ever-increasing taxes, among the nation’s highest housing costs, and an epidemic of illicit drug use and homelessness, California has unsurprisingly experienced a population decline.

Citing the above factors, roughly one in three Californians has considered relocating. In fact, in the most recent fiscal year, 216,000 residents voted with their feet by leaving Newsom’s paradise.

Supporting that exodus statistic, U-Haul has repeatedly stated that since Newsom took office in 2019, California has experienced the highest one-way outbound rental volume of any state for six straight years.

Yet, although Newsom currently trails Kamala Harris in voter surveys for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, prediction markets and many pundits tell a different story. Given his visibility, media presence, and party positioning, the shallowsome Newsom is seemingly not shallowsome enough to still be the frontrunner for his party’s next presidential nomination.

But after Biden and Harris, progressives should be wary of falling for the shiny new penny of Gavin Newsom. If they are continually beguiled by Newsom’s optics over accountability and fluff over substance, Democrats are unlikely to find victory over Republicans in 2028. And that is so even if he looks presidential hobnobbing at The French Laundry.

The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either d or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.

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