I think a good description of California as having a “Dust Bowl government”.
It makes sense: from Sacramento, never ending torrents of hot air that destroys crops and blows the fertile soil out of state, leaving behind nothing but misery and deprivation.
So now there are “Grapes of Wrath”-like refugees fleeing the place to seek their fortunes elsewhere.
My father’s family came to CA as refugees, like the Joads, during the Great Depression. My mother’s family came to CA during the 1940’s boom, when hardworking self-sufficient legal immigrants made CA great. My husband and I were both born in CA and grew up during the decline.
We fled with our family in 2003. I now live fairly close to where my great-grandparents lived, and fairly close to where my husband’s family is from. We would not raise our children in CA. Most of our family has followed us out.