Looking at California news these days, it's hard not to feel a sense of despair about the current situation.

On the surface, it still appears to be the most successful state in America.

Its economy ranks among the top five in the world, technology emerges from Silicon Valley, and content is produced in Hollywood.

From the news, it seems like a "successful model." However, living here tells a completely different story.

Recent American news has a common theme.

"Cost of living crisis," "housing shortage," "middle-class exodus." California is always mentioned.

Especially when it comes to rent, it's almost a staple topic. While incomes are said to have increased, costs are rising even faster, making life more difficult. At this point, it's hard to tell if the economy is truly doing well or if it's just good on paper.

I fundamentally believe that directions like environmental protection and welfare expansion are still necessary. The problem lies in how these are implemented.

News outlets often describe California as a "laboratory for progressive policies," but to be honest, the results are not very clean. If it's a laboratory, at least the results should be well documented, but right now, it just feels like costs keep rising.

The housing issue is almost comical. The news frequently mentions "housing supply shortage."

Yet at the same time, construction regulations keep tightening. When you combine environmental reviews, local community opposition, and various permitting processes, it takes years to build a single house. Meanwhile, they complain that "housing prices are too high." It feels a bit like asking why the speed isn't increasing while stepping on the brakes.

Perhaps that's why recent news has been filled with stories of people moving to Texas, Nevada, and Arizona. Especially the news about companies relocating is quite symbolic. This was the case when Tesla moved its headquarters, and recently, there have been ongoing discussions about headquarters relocations and workforce movements. Some attribute this to "taxes and regulations," while others say it's simply a cost issue. Regardless of what's true, it's hard to deny that people are leaving.

However, saying that "the Democrats ruined everything" is a bit simplistic. To be honest, California residents have chosen this direction. Strengthening environmental regulations, labor protections, and social diversity. These values have led to the current structure. As is often reported in the news, California voters have made fairly consistent choices. Therefore, to some extent, we must accept the current results.

But there's an uncomfortable point here. The intentions behind the policies are good, but the execution is highly inefficient. News often reports that "there's a lot of budget but no results." Just looking at the homelessness issue, billions of dollars have been invested, yet the street conditions have not improved significantly, which continues to draw criticism. This is less about ideology and more about operational capability.

Ultimately, California is in a bit of a state like this. It's making a lot of money, but it doesn't feel like life is getting better with that money. The policies are idealistic, but in reality, the discomfort keeps piling up. The news keeps calling it "the center of innovation," but those of us living here wonder, "How long do we have to endure this?"

In conclusion, California certainly has the conditions to do better. It has money, talent, and industry. However, the operations seem unable to keep up. To say that the Democrats ruined everything overlooks significant structural factors and the choices of voters. But that doesn't mean we can just leave the current situation as it is; frankly, it's too expensive and too inefficient.

As I watch the news these days, one thought keeps coming to mind. The direction may be right. But the driving is too rough, and it feels like we're stepping on both the brake and the accelerator at the same time. If this continues, no matter how good the car is, it won't last long. California seems to be standing right on that edge.