Hewitt Ties 2017-2022 College Declines to 'Blue Blight' as California Factory Jobs Fall to 1.2 Million
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Hewitt Ties 2017-2022 College Declines to 'Blue Blight' as California Factory Jobs Fall to 1.2 Million
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 3
Summary
2017-2022 enrollment data showed colleges in Democratic-leaning states lost students faster than those in red states, with five of the six states posting gains classified as red in the column's analysis.
Hugh Hewitt argues students are increasingly weighing local job prospects and cost of living, citing reporting on Syracuse's struggles to attract enough students to cover its bills.
California anchors his broader case: manufacturing jobs fell from nearly 2 million in 1978 to 1.2 million today even as the state's population grew from about 22 million to nearly 40 million.
The column also points to energy costs, saying California's refineries dropped to 11 from 23 in 2000 and refining output fell by 1 million barrels a day, leaving motorists paying far more than in states such as Indiana.
Framed as a warning to voters, the piece says rising taxes, weaker education outcomes and job losses reflect policy choices in high-regulation states and can still be reversed at the ballot box.