Regardless of who California's Governor Newsom...

Editor's note: ...is, his background, his family, his ties to the Democratic Party and criminal activities the two cultural differences in America that have been in place before the American "civil war" erupted in 1860 are still in place, and can be seen with Newsom representing one culture against the opposing culture represented by Nathan Bedford Forest. These two opposing cultures are reaching critical mass and as it does we are reminded of what Forest said about war: "War means fighting, and fighting means killing." Because most Americans are clueless, it should be noted Nathan Bedford Forest asked to speak at the Independent Order of Pole-Bearers Association in 1875. The Independent Order of Pole-Bearers Association has lineage and ideas that later developed into the NAACP. In Nathan Bedford Forest's speech, he called for racial harmony and stated: "We were born on the same soil, breathe the same air, and live in the same land. Why, then, can we not live as brothers?" He also urged African Americans to work, live honestly, and promised to "come to your relief" if they were oppressed. When Americans claim the KKK (form of government in the south and infiltrated by the feds) was a racist organization, what they are really saying is that they are racists and criticize the KKK to demonstrate they are not racists. People call others racists in a psychological ploy to say, "I'm not racist." Forest was the most polarizing figure at that time and historians, as much as they can be relied on, still haven't figured him out. Then we come to Newsom's California...

Business Flees California due to Overregulation

August 22, 2025 | By Martin Armstrong

California has been repelling capital through overregulation. The energy sector high-tailed out of the state in recent years under Governor Gavin Newsom's net-zero policies. Now, even retailers feel forced to evacuate as California becomes increasingly anti-business.

Bed Bath & Beyond announced that it must close all retail stores within the state of California. "This decision isn’t about politics—it's about reality," company head Marcus Lemonis said in a social media post. "California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky environments for businesses in America. It's a system that makes it harder to employ people, harder to keep doors open, and harder to deliver value to customers."

Newsom's office commented that Bed Bath & Beyond was already a dead business, failing to take any responsibility. To begin, California's minimum wage continues to rise year after year at a pace unsustainable for businesses. Automation is replacing the human workforce, and some studies have shown that minimum wage workers in California are simply receiving fewer working hours as employers aim to cut costs.

Newsom believes he can continue spending and rescue the state from the debt through taxation. Fleeing businesses can't pay taxes, and California forces both businesses and residents to pay some of the highest taxes in the nation. All corporations operating in the state must pay a flat corporate income tax rate of 8.84% on net income. Banks and financial institutions pay a bit more at 10.84%. There is an annual franchise tax of $800 for businesses as well. But wait—corporations are still beholden to the 21% federal corporate income tax, which means businesses are paying roughly 29.84% on corporate income taxes alone.

Payroll taxes in California are higher than the national average, largely due to social programs like State Disability Insurance (SDI) and the Employment Training Tax (ETT), which must be paid in addition to Unemployment Insurance (UI). There is a personal income tax withholding of up to 14.63% that employers must withhold from employees as well.

The state was forced to overturn its policy regarding shoplifting and burglary after criminals used the minimum $950 amount for petty theft to avoid felony charges. Countless businesses shuttered their brick-and-mortar locations as a direct result of light-on-crime policies.

Capital flees excessive regulation and it's almost a no-brainer for corporations to move beyond state lines where operating costs are drastically lower.