Blue State Exodus

Americans And Businesses Are Fleeing Blue Cities And States For Redder Pastures

DEMOCRAT POLICIES ARE DRIVING AMERICANS OUT OF THEIR CITIES AND STATES

• Americans are voting with their feet, with Democrat-run cities and states seeing a mass exodus as families and businesses are flocking to Republican-led states.
  • Census Bureau data shows red states like Florida and Texas have seen massive growth in their population, while blue states like California, Illinois, and New York are seeing their citizens leave in droves.
  • The top 15 U.S. cities that saw the largest numeric declines in population from 2020 to 2021 according to the Census Bureau are Democrat-run.
• These statistics come as no surprise, as Americans are being crushed by Democrats’ soft-on-crime and restrictive business policies.
  • Six major Democrat-run cities are on pace this year to exceed the historic levels of violent crime they saw in 2021.
  • Businesses are leaving Democrat-run states for red states that are safer, have lower taxes, and refuse to return to devastating COVID-19 restrictions.

AMERICANS WANT OUT OF CRIME-RIDDEN DEMOCRAT CITIES

• Crime is a rising concern for Americans, with 53 percent saying they worry a “great deal” about crime and violence.
• In New York City, major crimes have increased by 37 percent compared to last year, driven by spikes in grand larcenies, auto thefts, burglaries, and robberies.
  • 40 percent of private-sector employees who live in Manhattan are considering moving due to crime, with 74 percent of the city’s commuters saying safety on public transit has gotten worse since the pandemic began.
• Last year, 40 percent of San Francisco residents said they plan to leave the city due to the rise in homelessness and crime.
• For residents in Washington, D.C., 30 percent say they do not feel safe from crime in their neighborhoods.
• Democrat-run cities across California have become hotbeds for crime and drugs.
  • In the span of a few days, a former NASCAR driver was stabbed to death by a homeless man, a Buena Park amusement park closed early due to repeated violence, and millions of dollars of jewelry were stolen from an armored car near Los Angeles.
  • Former Olympian Kim Glass was attacked by a man with a metal pipe that left her bloodied and bruised in downtown Los Angeles.
  • A father in Los Angeles is so fed up with crime that he is moving his family to Texas, stating, “I’m tired of it.”

SOFT-ON-CRIME DEMOCRATS ARE BAD FOR WORKERS AND BUSINESSES

• As Democrat leaders push their defund the police and soft-on-crime agenda, workers and businesses in their cities and states are under attack.
• Businesses have had to cut back operating hours or close their doors altogether to combat rampant shoplifting.
  • Former FBI agent Jim Maxwell pointed to soft-on-crime policies saying, “Unfortunately, in our major cities these days, the prosecutors have adopted a posture which allows recidivists to go back out into public and continue to commit crime.”
• Starbucks has had to close stores in Democrat-run Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. due to “safety concerns” consisting of “crime, assaults, thefts, [and] drug use.”
  • Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz blamed Democrat mayors and city councils that have “abdicated their responsibility” in addressing rising crime.
• Last year, Walgreens shuttered at least five stores in San Francisco due to “organized retail crime.”
• Recently, a New York City bodega worker was attacked by a career criminal who was out on parole for assaulting a police officer.
  • Democrat District Attorney Alvin Bragg initially tried to charge the victim with murder for defending himself and tried to set bail at $500,000.
• Philadelphia convenience stores are “closing left and right” due to out-of-control levels of robberies.
• Portland, Oregon saw businesses leave due to a rise in “lawlessness” last year, and now the city is still failing to bring back workers and visitors.

BUSINESSES ARE SAYING “SO-LONG” TO BLUE STATES

• Many businesses are moving to Republican-led states for low tax rates and pro-business environments.
  • A poll of nearly 700 CEOs and business owners showed Republican-led states were ranked the top four best states for business, while Democrat-led Illinois, New York, and California were ranked as the worst three states.
  • Republican states making up nine of the top ten states for the best business tax climate.
  • Red states have led the economic recovery from the pandemic, outpacing Democrat-run states at recovering jobs. 
• In Illinois, three major companies – Boeing, Caterpillar, and Citadel – recently announced they are leaving the state for the economic freedom and safety that Republican-led states offer.

ON COVID, RED STATES LEAD

• A report by the National Bureau of Economic Research found Republican-led states outperformed Democrat-run states on health, educational, and economic outcomes of their pandemic response.
• 17 of the top 20 states with the best COVID response scores are led by Republican governors.
  • Nine of the top 10 states for COVID outcomes are led by Republicans, and nine of the bottom 10 states and districts are led by Democrats.
• 19 of the top 20 states for getting their kids back in school are led by Republicans while 18 of the bottom 20 states and districts are led by Democrats.