In the most recent presidential election, the power shift towards Republicans across all three branches of the federal government was quite palpable. This transition could be perceived as a decline in the popularity of the liberal ideologies vehemently propagated by California’s political leaders. The Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, brilliantly leveraged the Californian origins of Vice President Kamala Harris as a tactical move to secure victory in key contested regions.
Moreover, the election results suggested that Harris’s concentration on defending abortion rights could not substantiate a win. Trump prevailed importantly in various states, including nearby Nevada and Arizona, primarily because of voters’ economic concerns, specifically the endemic inflation during Harris and President Joe Biden’s tenure.
Assessing the administration’s direct influence on inflation can be a complex task, nevertheless, it is not the core issue here. Substantial frictions or dissatisfaction with current circumstances often guide the electorate to vent out their frustrations on the reigning party. As predicted, Harris did manage to secure a win over Trump in her home state of California, thus acquiring its 54 electoral votes.
Regardless, California couldn’t completely stay aloof from the nation-wide issues that led to Harris’s defeat in other areas, particularly the rising cost of living. Families in California grimly have to contend with possibly the most escalated prices for essential commodities among all states, this includes housing, fuel, and electricity.
Notably, even goods that should relatively be more affordable in California, such as food, also come at a high price due to the reflection of the hefty costs faced by the supplying, packaging, and retailing sectors. This increasing cost of living has contributed to California topping the list with the highest functional poverty rate in the nation—15.4%, as per the Census Bureau.
Interestingly, an analogous approach estimates that by 2023, a staggering 31.1% of Californians will either be living in or close to poverty. The aftermath of the election has seemingly given a reality check to the Democrat-dominated state government, spotlighting the burning issue of the cost of living.
As the legislature reconvened for its two-yearly session this week, leading figures proclaimed that addressing living expenses will now be a top agenda. On the inception of the session, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas highlighted the urgent need for reorienting their efforts towards achieving greater affordability.
However, the extent to which politicians can stabilize living costs remains a contentious issue. For instance, the price of gasoline, an essential commodity, may witness a significant surge as regulatory measures for reducing greenhouse emissions are implemented.
Additionally, the costs associated with electric power are expected to sharply rise, as utilities undertake preventive strategies like underground power transmission to mitigate their part in sparking wildfires. While California’s officials seem to be striking the right chord by addressing inflation rhetorically, whether they can bring about substantial changes still hangs in the balance.