Hanson warns that California's policies are turning the state into a national cautionary tale

In a recent interview, Victor Davis Hanson highlighted a defense-budget bill passed by the House that authorizes Donald Trump to purchase or appropriate property for an oil pipeline near Santa Barbara, arguing the move reflects California’s expensive energy landscape and abundant untapped reserves. He condemned a San Francisco-based nonprofit that, despite receiving roughly $26,000 per resident, operates understaffed shelters plagued by abuse and neglect.

Hanson suggested that the state’s approach to homelessness relies on short-term, profit-driven contracts rather than systemic solutions such as treatment facilities or modest housing villages. He also warned that officials are embedding negative language into the ballot description of Proposition 39, a voter-ID initiative, and that powerful labor groups and donors are likely to ensure its defeat. The commentator concluded that California’s decline—visible in deteriorating downtown areas, graffiti-covered buildings and a hostile business environment—serves as a warning for the nation.