Perhaps the sickest thing about the rapid decline of blue states like New York and California, each rapidly shrinking in comparison to the rest of the country, is that the Democrats who dominate their governments can\u2019t be bothered to stop the bleeding \u2014 but only to ensure their own turf remains whole.<\/p>\n
A new analysis by reapportionment expert Jonathan Cervas suggests internal migration in advance of the 2030 Census will cost<\/a> New York two House seats, and California four; Texas and Florida would gain eight, dramatically shifting political power and federal funding away from the deep-blue strongholds.<\/p>\n Of course the Empire State has been shrinking for decades, while the Golden State was gaining until 2000, with its House delegation shrinking for the first time ever after the last Census. <\/p>\n Yet the progressive Democrats who fully control both state government show zero sign of reversing their high tax, prodigious spending, crushing-regulation ways; their only response is to gerrymander ruthlessly so that their party retains its House-seat count.<\/p>\n Heck, as long as it\u2019s mostly Republican voters who flee, they might even applaud the exodus.<\/p>\n \t\t\tMore From\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPost Editorial Board<\/p>\n So, California, if you want to see your future, just look at New York, which has been losing ground for nearly a century<\/a>, losing House seats after every single 10-year census starting in 1940. <\/p>\n It\u2019s now down to just 26, from 45 in the 1930s \u2014 and looking at 24 in 2031 if Cervas\u2019 math proves true.<\/p>\n Fine: The early part of that decline had a lot to do with the climate, as air conditioning made life in many parts of the country far more tolerable; you can leave the land of near-zero winter temps and brutal snowstorms without melting in the summers.<\/p>\n But California\u2019s climate remains as perfect as ever, yet it\u2019s staring at a drastic drop come 2030 \u2014 its House delegation shrinking more than 10% in just two decades. <\/p>\n Without a doubt, the two states\u2019 increasingly-lefty policies explains their shared decline. <\/p>\n Democratic policies \u201craise the cost on just about everything,\u201d\u00a0warns Upstate United\u2019s Justin Wilcox.<\/p>\n New Yorkers pay more tax per capita<\/a> than any other Americans; California is racing to catch up after taking a hard left turn in the late 1990s. <\/p>\n Progressive laws and regulations drive up housing costs, making it far more expensive and time-consuming to build.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet opinions and commentary from our columnists\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter!\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Green anti-carbon (and anti-nuclear, for some reason) obsessions lead to exorbitant costs for electricity that also becomes less reliable.<\/p>\n Business taxes and regulations push away companies \u2014 and jobs, sending unemployment skyrocketing.<\/p>\n Plus, Dem rule lets lousy schools proliferate, allowing teacher unions and other vested interests to run public education systems to suit their needs, not the kids\u2019.<\/p>\n And lefty social policies foster rampant homelessness and public drug use, as well as exploding crime. <\/p>\n The future looks more grim in both states: New York is eyeing statewide tax hikes to fund Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s socialist agenda, while the threat of a new \u201cwealth tax\u201d in Cali is already driving out top earners<\/a>.<\/p>\n By contrast, Texas and Florida consistently rank among the most business-friendly states; neither has an income tax.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t expect New York or California Democrats to copy that model.<\/p>\n Instead, they\u2019re making sure they\u2019re held harmless, by helping themselves to an ever-larger share of the pie their policies are shrinking. <\/p>\n In California, Dems just rammed through a new gerrymander openly designed to boost their share of the state\u2019s 52 House seats from 40 to as many as 48; that\u2019ll give them 92% of the seats, even though only 47% of voters are registered Democrats.<\/p>\n