Commentary
As a kid growing up in cold Michigan, I was fascinated by California. The Beach Boys were my favorite band. Disney movies were magic. My family took a summer trip to the Golden State in 1964 when I turned nine, traveling from Disneyland up across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Redwoods. I loved spending time in Monterey—still my favorite place—learning Russian for a 52-week course at the Defense Language Institute in 1978-79.
It’s no wonder I ended up out here in 1987. And despite complaints detailed here in my Epoch Times columns, I have no plans to leave. Indeed, it’s dismaying seeing the decline of this state these past 36 years. But as I wave goodbye to many friends heading to Texas, Florida, Idaho, and Tennessee, it’s not surprising California’s population has been declining….