Texas vs. California

Overview

From John Stossel's blog: This week, a showdown between the 2 states. Their differences reflect the battle for America's future. Moving to California was once the dream for many Americans. Its population grew at more than double the national average--until 1990. Last decade, 2 million more Americans moved out of California than moved in. They moved to states like Texas. In the last decade, Texas' total population grew at double the national rate. Why? Reason Magazine's Matt Welch and Chuck Devore of the TX Public Policy Foundation give a few reasons: Texans pay less in taxes. There's more job creation. And government takes less of your paycheck. Both states have too many government workers--in fact, Texas has more than California. But California pays them so much more that California's pensions are bleeding the state dry, says Dan Mitchell of the CATO Institute. Kevin James, a mayoral candidate in Los Angeles, says L.A.