Enterprising young people are abandoning decaying Democrat cities in search of a better life
Sunday Telegraph, March 27th, 2022
America is on the move. A rapid demographic change is under way, reshaping the nation’s economic, political and cultural contours. For as long as anyone can remember, America’s big business clusters were in the northeast, the midwest and California. New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles were the kinds of places where enterprising young Americans would go to make their way in the world.
Not anymore. In just 12 months between July 2020 and July 2021, these four cities lost over 700,000 people. A very different phenomenon is playing out in conservative states, especially in the south. Almost 80 per cent of the population growth in 2021 happened in a mere 10 counties. Five of the fastest growing counties were in Texas and two in Florida. The fastest of all was Maricopa county in Arizona, which is rapidly filling up with large numbers of Californian emigres.
What do the growth states have in common? They favour freedom. From snow-capped Utah to swampy Florida, geography and climate are not the decisive factor; state politics is. As free states thrive, radical progressives drive businesses away from their traditional hubs. Last year, Elon Musk relocated Tesla’s headquarters from California to Texas. Thousands of lower-profile businesses have made the same move.
While California combines European level taxation with third-world level public services, free states such as Texas, Tennessee and Florida do not have a state income tax at all. In New York and Silicon Valley, permits are needed for almost anything, yet Arizona and Utah have imposed radical red-tape reduction plans.
Contemporary America remains bitterly divided between these two tribes. Conservative America drives pick-up trucks, prefers its taxes low and its government small. Here, the Oath of Allegiance is pledged daily, and American exceptionalism accepted as self-evident. Progressive America, on the other hand, drives a Prius rather than a pick-up and is far more likely to worry about climate change. This tribe has a fundamentally different conception of what America is, was and ought to be, and prefers to focus on intersectional identity above any kind of exceptionalism.
Opinion formers in Britain, citing Biden’s win over Trump, often assume that America is moving inexorably towards a more progressive future. Yet a rather different picture is emerging.
States aren’t just depopulating due to an exodus of enterprising people. Progressive America is literally dying; deaths in Democrat cities and states have started to exceed births. Though birth rates have fallen across the board in the past decade, it has been most pronounced in places where folk have gone woke, perhaps losing interest in raising a family in the process. Women in conservative America on average marry significantly younger than they do in progressive states.
As Chicagoans and Californians flood into Texas, Arizona and Tennessee in search of a better life, many conservatives fear that they will bring their progressive voting habits with them. A more optimistic scenario is that as the most entrepreneurial abandon progressive controlled areas in favour of free ones, they will merely reinforce the intensely individualistic mindset that already exists there.
What is certain is that two models of American identity are engaged in a fierce battle at a federal level. Because the US system allows interstate competition, here in Mississippi we are leading a campaign to abolish the state income tax. We have written a new law on universal occupational licensing to make it easier for outsiders to come and work here.
What if this kind of localism were normal in Britain? What sort of innovation could be unleashed? You would not have to kill time hoping for Boris Johnson to fix things anymore than we are waiting on Joe Biden.
Douglas Carswell is the president and CEO of the Mississippi Centre for Public Policy.
Today the Mississippi Senate and House appear to have reached a compromise deal on income tax cuts.
Commenting on the news, President & CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, Douglas Carswell said:
“This tax cut is great news for Mississippi. With the cost of living rising, exempting every Mississippi worker from paying income tax on the first $18,000 earned is welcome.”
“It is good that some of our state’s $1.2 billion surplus is being used to give taxpayers back some of their own money. However, this package is more modest than we would like to have seen.
“This is a good first step but it is not full income tax elimination. Under this proposal, in 2026 the legislature will still need to agree further reductions.”
“There is a danger that the Mississippi government will not tax to get the money it needs, but finds a need for the money it gets”.
“While this a step forward towards eventual income tax elimination, Mississippi still needs bold, game-changing policy changes if our state is not to continue to rank 50th out of 50 states by many metrics”.
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have passed a bill on Critical Race theory by large majorities. The bill was drafted as model legislation by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.
“I am delighted that both the House and the Senate have now voted in favor of this bill by large majorities” said Douglas Carswell, President & CEO.
“When we published our report on Critical Race theory in Mississippi in October, we presented clear evidence that this extremist ideology is being promoted in our state.”
“Our report included a model bill to tackle this problem – and this bill has now been sent to the Governor for signature.”
“Our CRT bill does not prevent the teaching of history. Nor does it mean that teachers will no longer be able to educate young Mississippians about the Civil Rights movement.”
“What our bill does do is help safeguard Dr Martin Luther King’s vision of America as a country in which individuals are judged on the content of their character, not the color of their skin”.
“Having led the way in tackling Critical Race theory, I hope that other states across America will now follow Mississippi’s lead”
The Mississippi Center for Public Policy hosted a large event in Jackson with Lord Daniel Hannan.
A former Member of European Parliament, and key figure in Britain's Brexit campaign, Lord Hannan talked about American freedom and Mississippi's role in both preserving and promoting US exceptionalism.
A video of the talk will be available soon.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The American Conservative Union, Americans for Prosperity - Mississippi, Americans for Tax Reform, Bigger Pie Forum, Empower Mississippi, The Mississippi Center for Public Policy, The National Federation of Independent Business, National Taxpayers Union, and Taxpayers Protection Alliance have sent a letter to the Mississippi Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and members of the Senate and House of Representatives in support of the repeal of the state's income tax.
The Mississippi Center for Public Policy believes repealing the state income tax would be both a moral and economic good, leading to higher incomes, competitiveness, and prosperity for all Mississippians!
"Mississippi needs a boost," said President & CEO Douglas Carswell. "This coalition has come together to support abolishing the income tax because it’s so important. I hope every conservative in Mississippi will now help make this much needed tax break happen."
"Mississippi stands at a crossroads. With unprecedented revenue surplus and considerable federal dollars at its disposal, policymakers have a unique opportunity to prove that conservative state-based tax and spending reform can work to improve the lives of its citizens," reads the letter. "The Magnolia State can lead boldly in the elimination of the income tax, creating a more competitive environment that attracts new people and capital, increases productivity and grows the economy, and
yields better, higher paying jobs."
Senior Director of Policy & Communications said, "Mississippi has a chance to fundamentally transform its economy with the elimination of the income tax. We are proud to be a part of this conservative coalition fighting for change and are hopeful that the legislation will move forward. We will continue seeking to advance economic liberty as part of our Freedom Agenda for the state.”
For media inquiries, please reach out to Stone Clanton, [email protected]
In just a few days, a new legislative session will begin. Our state representatives and senators will be considering a range of bills that could have a major impact on our lives.
While some entrenched interests fight to protect their own industries and pocketbooks, our aim is quite the opposite. We seek to defend and expand freedom and ensure that the rights and liberties of each Mississippian are defended under the dome of our capitol building.
Recognizing this, we are launching a coordinated strategic press to advance a range of policies that we believe will empower free markets and free people in our state.
Here’s a look into what we’ll be fighting for this session:
Bills to Combat Critical Race Theory:
1. Combat Critical Race Theory
Having published a paper highlighting how Critical Race Theory is being advanced in our state, we are supporting legislative efforts to ensure that no public money be spent to promote this divisive ideology.
2. Promote Academic Transparency
A key way to combat the presence of toxic ideologies in the classroom is to require schools to publish details of what is actually being taught to our young Mississippians. We support legislative efforts to do exactly that.
Bills to Extend Economic Liberty:
3. State Income Tax Abolition
A number of Southern states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee have already eliminated or are working to eliminate the state income tax. This policy proposal may be the best way to bolster the Mississippi economy and make us more competitive in the region.
4. Red Tape Reduction
Mississippi is burdened by far too many boards, commissions, and states agencies that are constantly pushing new regulations onto the people. Big businesses can navigate this minefield of market obstacles, but small businesses and entrepreneurs are often stifled. We want to mandate a significant scaling back of the existing regulatory landscape.
Bills to Improve Education:
5. Open Enrollment in Education
To improve public schools in Mississippi, we need to give moms and dads more control. We seek to allow parents who are dissatisfied with their current school systems, the ability to send their child, and their tax dollars, to a different school of their choice.
6. Cap School Board Administrative Costs
Too much of our education budget is spent on administrative costs and bureaucratic salaries. We support efforts to ensure that more money goes into the classroom instead.
7. Establish Multiple Charter School Authorizers
Charter schools are meant to offer families a better future for their kids. But a decade since they were allowed to be authorized in Mississippi, there are still far too few of them. We want to streamline the authorization process and encourage the expansion of education freedom.
8. Free Speech on Campus
We need to protect freedom of speech for college students on our state campuses. We want to ensure that peaceful assembly, protests, lectures, petitions, and literature distribution will be allowed.
Bills to Improve Healthcare Provision:
9. Repeal Certificate of Need
Mississippi has some of the worst health outcomes in America. One reason for this is that we have some of the most severe restrictions on the expansion and creation of healthcare facilities. Certificate of Need (CON) laws mean that no new health care provider can come along and offer services without the express permission of competitors. This makes as much sense as allowing a Pizza Hut to block the building of a Papa John’s because of the potential for competition. We aim to get rid of this incredibly outdated policy.
10. Repeal of Moratorium on Home Health Agencies
With more folks than ever seeking to get medical care from the comfort of their own homes, we support legislation that would make it easier to offer medical access directly. Our system currently makes this almost impossible.
Bills to Encourage Technology & Innovation:
11. Agricultural Incubator
A major portion of Mississippi’s economy is comprised of agriculture. We would like to empower innovators and small businesses to bring new technology to market with reduced regulatory burdens that could allow for Mississippi to become the nation’s leader in the field.
12. Reduce Barriers to Telemedicine/Telepharmacy
In an age of unprecedented integration between digital technology and daily life, we believe that Mississippians should be allowed to access their healthcare systems and doctors using modern devices.
In a 2-1 ruling, a panel of the U.S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit ruled that the Biden administration could enforce the policy using the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
"Recognizing that the ‘old normal’ is not going to return, employers and employees have sought new models for a workplace that will protect the safety and health of employees who earn their living there," wrote Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch, a Barack Obama appointee, for the majority. "In need of guidance on how to protect their employees from COVID-19 transmission while reopening business, employers turned to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration."
The rule establishing the mandate had prompted a slate of legal challenges from at least 27 states as well as business and religious groups that argued the mandate is unconstitutional.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals November 12 ordered OSHA to "take no steps to implement or enforce the Mandate until further court order," reaffirming an earlier decision it had made. The court said the mandate exposes the petitioners "to severe financial risk" and "threatens to decimate their workforces (and business prospects)."
The Biden administration was forced to halt the mandate following the ruling. But Friday, December 17, the Sixth Circuit court ruled that the mandate was needed to limit transmission of the virus.
In November, the Mississippi Justice Institute (MJI), on behalf of Gulf Coast Restaurant Group (GCRG), filed suit, challenging the mandate. GCRG is the corporate family that owns several Mississippi restaurants, including Half Shell Oyster House and the Rack House. GCRG, which is already struggling with staffing shortages in its restaurants, challenged the mandate in court because it will encourage even more of its employees to quit their jobs and could even make it difficult to keep many of its restaurants open.
"Gulf Coast Restaurant Group is disappointed with the decision but always expected this case would eventually be heard by the United States Supreme Court," said MJI Director Aaron Rice. "Employers all over America are already struggling to keep their businesses open. Now they are faced with losing more of their employees and complying with onerous federal regulations. We are going to continue fighting on their behalf and we believe the Supreme Court will recognize the litany of constitutional and other legal problems with this mandate."
While noble in making the federal government mostly harmless, the Articles of Confederation (the country’s first governing document) approved only one legislative chamber, relied on voluntary tax support, and had no common currency or central military, among other issues. To effectively run a country consisting of independent states, there needed to be some common procedure. As more and more states became interested in amending the Articles, a meeting was set in Philadelphia, PA on May 25, 1787. It was quickly agreed that simple changes would not work. Instead, the entire document needed to be replaced. This meeting became the Constitutional Convention.
The first draft set up a system of checks and balances that included an executive branch, a representative legislature, and a federal judiciary. The document was remarkable, but deeply flawed. The main issue being that it did not include a specific declaration of individual rights. It specified what the government could do but did not say what it could not do. The absence of a "bill of rights" turned out to be an obstacle for ratification by the states. It would take four more years of intense debate before the new government's form would be resolved.
Recently freed from a monarchy, the American people wanted guarantees that the new government would not trample upon their newly won freedoms of speech and religion, nor upon their right from warrantless searches and seizures. So, the Constitution's framers heeded Thomas Jefferson who argued, “A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to… and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.” In 1791 the United States Bill of Rights became the Constitution's first ten amendments and the law of the land.
This said, it must be noted that it, no matter the language, did not include everyone. For instance, women and property-less men were second-class citizens, unable even to vote. Native Americans were entirely outside the constitutional system and governed by treaties. Slavery was legal and the slaves had no access to the rule of law. But, as the preamble to the Constitution says, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,…” The key words here are, “in order to form a more perfect union.”
The US will never be perfect, but we must always strive to be, and we have made great progress in doing so. Jefferson once wrote to Lafayette, “We are not to expect to be translated from despotism to liberty in a feather-bed.” He was correct, but through civil rights, innovation, individualism, and economic liberalism, this American experiment has prevailed. We have become an example to other nations and are the “shining city upon a hill” – and we will continue this course. Additional amendments were later added to extend its protection of rights to all people, regardless of race or gender, and to keep state and local governments from violating the people’s rights. The Bill of Rights is the perfect example of believing in your fellow man.
This Bill of Rights Day, we should be grateful and celebrate our basic liberties reiterated in the text of the same name. It has proven to be one of the most influential documents in contemporary history, codifying the theory of natural rights, which holds that humans are granted certain liberties by God, God alone, and that no one should have the power to infringe them.
It's time to give Mississippi a boost and get our state growing. Abolishing the state income tax would do that, giving every Mississippi worker a pay raise and ensuring they have more money to spend on their priorities and families.
Right now, Mississippi’s budget has a stonking surplus of almost $1 billion – We can afford to Axe the Tax! Rather than wait for politicians to figure out ways of spending the surplus, let’s give taxpayers something back by allowing workers to keep more of what they earn.
Ronald Reagan once said, “Government does not tax to get the money it needs; government always finds a need for the money it gets.” If we don’t abolish the state income tax, state officials will soon find a need to spend that surplus.
As Mississippi’s leading free market advocacy organization, we have launched the Axe the Tax campaign to make the case for change. We are highlighting to hundreds of thousands of Mississippians the argument in favor of abolishing the income tax:
- Tax break for working families. The Governor’s executive budget recommendations suggests an individual with a taxable income of $40,000 would be $1,850 better off if income tax was eliminated.
- Make Mississippi more competitive. Neither Florida, Tennessee, nor Texas have state income taxes, and all three have prospered.
- Good for entrepreneurs. Mississippi has a long history of giving tax cuts to big corporations. An abolition of the income tax would be a break that helps ordinary businesses – not just those that are well connected in Jackson.
- It’s fair! Abolishing the income tax means a tax break for every worker.
- It is essential that tax abolition is done sensibly by balancing the books. Tax cuts can’t be paid for out of thin air.
We believe that there is common ground for an agreement to abolish the state income tax, using a combination of the budget surplus, and future growth in tax revenues to scrap the tax. And we will be popularizing the case for change in 2022!