California has problems. Every large state does.
But if we're comparing outcomes, let's compare outcomes.
California has a lower firearm death rate than most red states. Californians live longer than residents of most red states. Infant mortality is lower than in many conservative states. We have some of the best hospitals, medical schools, and research institutions in the world.
Could we do better on housing, homelessness, and permitting? Absolutely.
But the narrative that California is some failed experiment falls apart when you look at the actual measures of health, longevity, innovation, economic output, and educational attainment.
You don't have to pretend California is perfect.
You just have to compare it to real places instead of an imaginary one.
Buddy, I live out in the countryside where it's nice, but I visited people that lived in areas where people got murdered across the street in broad daylight and people were overdosing and there were pregnant prostitutes high on drugs.