How about less Internet and more fixing California?

Saturday, August 30, 2025

That's why I was taken aback when Gov. Gavin Newsom's vaunted social media team disparaged an announcement from the new CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond that it would not open or operate any stores in California due to anxieties over our state's business climate. The governor's team responded to the feedback not with a reasoned argument, but with an extended attack in their new "Trumpian" voice of belittling those who disagree with them. Their message to the CEO (and the 6.1 million other people who viewed the post) was "take your business elsewhere." Given that California currently has more than 1 million unemployed residents, this was not the reaction I was expecting " or that was called for.

Posted by oneironaut at 08:46 PM | 50 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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My Mayor in San Jose.

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More from the cited OpEd ...

... California is the most successful state in the nation, and as our governor rightly reminds our detractors, we are the world's fourth-largest economy, with over $4 trillion in GDP.

But maintaining our success requires a relentless focus on the facts in the real world, not a blind leap into meme land. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-08-30 09:16 PM | Reply

California is the most successful state in the nation, and as our governor rightly reminds our detractors, we are the world's fourth-largest economy, with over $4 trillion in GDP.

Yeah so ..

- #1 in homelessness
- #1 in income inequality.
- #1 in poverty
- #1 in Retail crime
- #1 in gas prices
- #1 in illiteracy
- #1 in wage stagnation
- #1 in frivolous lawsuits
- #1 in restrictions on workers
- #1 in restrictions on solo contractors
- #1 in income tax
- #1 in gas tax
- #1 in budget deficit
- #1 in illegal border crossings
- #1 in funding for illegal immigrants
- #1 in people leaving state

#2 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 09:33 PM | Reply

@#2

Got a link?

thx.

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-08-30 09:34 PM | Reply

California sounds like a real --------. What kind of idiot would live there?

#4 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-08-30 09:39 PM | Reply

@#4 ... What kind of idiot would live there? ...

California's Population
www.ppic.org

... With just over 39 million people (according to July 2024 estimates), California is the nation's most populous state -- its population is much larger than that of second-place Texas (31.3 million) and third-place Florida (23.4 million). ...

#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-08-30 10:09 PM | Reply

I guess a better question would be what idiot, who bitches daily about how horrible California is, would live there?

#6 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-08-30 10:16 PM | Reply

I don't believe a word of it Redial. Just sayin

#7 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-08-30 10:19 PM | Reply

"the new CEO of Bed Bath & Beyond that it would not open or operate any stores in California due to anxieties over our state's business climate."

Bed Bath and Beyond declared bankruptcy and closed all their stores.

Overstock.com bought the name and operates the brand purely as an e-commerce retailer.

There ain't no store opening anywhere, in California or anywhere else.

#8 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-30 10:25 PM | Reply

"Time to do your job. People are dying on their watch. Dying on their watch. How do how do people get reelected?
Look at these encampments they're a disgrace.
They've been there years and years and years and years"
- Gavin Newsom, last year, unironically

#9 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 11:26 PM | Reply

I guess a better question would be what idiot, who bitches daily about how horrible California is, would live there?

Someone that wants more for their children. How is that so difficult?

#10 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 11:28 PM | Reply

" #1 in income inequality."

That's to be expected in the state with the most upward mobility.

Do you understand the equation?!?

#11 | Posted by Danforth at 2025-08-30 11:29 PM | Reply

I don't believe a word of it Redial. Just sayin
#7 | POSTED BY LAURAMOHR

Not sayin much as usual.

#12 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 11:29 PM | Reply

There ain't no store opening anywhere, in California or anywhere else.
#8 | POSTED BY SNOOFY

So. WTF does this have to do with people -------- in the streets?

#13 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 11:30 PM | Reply

Not sayin much as usual.

Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 11:29 PM | Reply

You sound like a guy with two brain cells that are trying to fight for third place. Just sayin

#14 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-08-30 11:31 PM | Reply

You sound like a guy with two brain cells that are trying to fight for third place. Just sayin
#14 | POSTED BY LAURAMOHR

Wow nice come back smooth brain. You get that from hanging around third graders?

I guess a better question would be what idiot, who bitches daily about how horrible California is, would live there?
#6 | POSTED BY DIALAGAIN

How about the Mayor San Jose who wrote the article.

#15 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 11:33 PM | Reply

Wow nice come back smooth brain. You get that from hanging around third graders?

Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-30 11:33 PM | Reply

Lordy that's a cheesy comeback if there ever was one.

#16 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-08-30 11:37 PM | Reply

@#15 ... How about the Mayor San Jose who wrote the article. ...

Did he actually write it?

ChatGPT helps prepare this mayor's talking points. Now he wants a thousand city workers using AI (July 2025)
apnews.com

... Before the mayor of San Jose, California, arrives at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new business, his aides ask ChatGPT to help draft some talking points.

"Elected officials do a tremendous amount of public speaking," said Mayor Matt Mahan, whose recent itinerary has taken him from new restaurant and semiconductor startup openings to a festival of lowriding car culture. ...

#17 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-08-31 12:24 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

... and, fwiw, I am still waiting for the links I asked for in #3 to substantiate the claims made in the #2 comment.

#18 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-08-31 01:07 AM | Reply

BB&B want preferential treatment and will "swing for the fence" to get it.

#19 | Posted by fresno500 at 2025-08-31 03:31 AM | Reply

How dare a Democrat write on social medi!?!

That kind of conduct is reserved to Donald Trump, who I support with all my heart, as the Bernie Bro I pretend to be.

-OneIronTurd (who is definitely not a wumao army paid Russian troll using ai to hide the fact that I can't speak English and know nothing about the state I claim to reside in)

#20 | Posted by censored at 2025-08-31 06:46 AM | Reply

How dare a Democrat write on social medi!?!
That kind of conduct is reserved to Donald Trump, who I support with all my heart, as the Bernie Bro I pretend to be.
-OneIronTurd (who is definitely not a wumao army paid Russian troll using ai to hide the fact that I can't speak English and know nothing about the state I claim to reside in)

Posted by censored at 2025-08-31 06:46 AM | Reply

Bears repeating

#21 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-08-31 06:47 AM | Reply

There ain't no store opening anywhere, in California or anywhere else.

#8 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-30 10:25 PM | Reply

They're, allegedly, opening 300 stores.

"The first such store opened in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 8, 2025, as a smaller, curated format store operated by The Brand House Collective (formerly Kirkland's)."

#22 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2025-08-31 10:15 AM | Reply

but not in California. Only people starting up there are AI companies, and those gains definitely aren't going to the lower 98%.

#23 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2025-08-31 10:16 AM | Reply

"They're, allegedly, opening 300 stores."

They should have gone into the concentration camp business. That's an actual growth economy. Bed Bath and Beyond failed for reasons that haven't changed.

#24 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-31 10:17 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

I really liked this part of the statement!

The result? Higher taxes, higher fees, higher wages that many businesses simply cannot sustain, and endless regulations that strangle growth.

Listen, if Bed Bath and Beyond actually wanted to open a store in California, their CEO would call Gavin Newsom's office and talk about his concerns and what can be done about them.

Read the actual press release. There are zero specifics about what's so bad about California. The verifiable reasons one might choose to avoid California when opening a business, like demonstrably high cost of real estate and high cost of energy, aren't even called out.

#25 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-31 10:37 AM | Reply

Any company actually opening a retail establishment in CA is retarded.

#26 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2025-08-31 12:12 PM | Reply

Posted by oneironskul

Yer an idiot and yer "article" is garbage.

Choke on it.

#27 | Posted by Angrydad at 2025-08-31 12:12 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Any company actually opening a retail establishment in CA is retarded.

#26 | POSTED BY LFTHNDTHRDS

New businesses applications occur in California about once a minute. www.desertsun.com

Anyone who thinks that's a bad thing is an idiot.

The state saw approximately 43,265 new business applications per month in 2024, or about one per minute.

Have fun with your California bashing today.

I will chuckle about it all the way thru the redwoods and to the beach. The weather has just been amazing.

#28 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-08-31 12:50 PM | Reply

Any company actually opening a retail establishment in CA is [MAGAT-like in intellectual capacity].
#26 | Posted by lfthndthrds

Yes! What kind of fool would want a piece of the world's fourth largest GDP?

California passes Japan as fourth largest economy
www.bbc.com

Much better to hone in on that West Virginia coal money. Delicious, sweet, mercury-laden coal...

#29 | Posted by censored at 2025-08-31 01:18 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

"It might be a winning strategy for his presidential campaign, but it's a losing one for improving the lives of Californians. And now even more politicians will try to get ahead with online antics rather than sensible policies."
~ FTA

Sounds like OneNut doesn't he... OneNut has been saying this since he got here.

Can you imagine the Democrat Mayor of San Jose complaining like this! The ------- nerve to go against the cult!

According to DialAgain and LoriMoreOrLess he should just move.

#30 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-31 02:52 PM | Reply

I will chuckle about it all the way thru the redwoods and to the beach. The weather has just been amazing.
#28 | POSTED BY DONNERBOY

Great flying weather, Half moon bay is spectacular, absolutely no homelessness at GA airports!

#31 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-31 02:53 PM | Reply

Can you imagine the Democrat Mayor of San Jose complaining like this! The ------- nerve to go against the cult!

Yes imagine that. Because that's all you can do.

Because normal people don't live in cults. Maga is a cult. If you belong to maga you have to support and defend and even praise the cult leader (Dear Leader Trumpy) no matter the cost to you or your reputation or the truth.

Democrats are not a cult. Communication is key to progress. If you can speak freely amongst your peers you can accomplish great things. Democracy is messy and we often argue amongst ourselves as we continue to work towards a more perfect Union. If you are really from China this should already be painfully obvious to you.

That's how us Californians became some of the most wealthy humans on the planet.

Maybe you can get some of that action too.

Pro Tip: you are not going to find it by attempting to spread hateful propaganda here.

#32 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-08-31 03:13 PM | Reply

CA needs o fixing as the residents have want they voted for.

Meanwhile, back a the ranch.... resources.arcamax.com

#33 | Posted by MSgt at 2025-08-31 03:18 PM | Reply

Fuck off MAGAT scum

#34 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-08-31 05:32 PM | Reply

#30

You're a clown Jeff. Nothing but a sad little clown.

#35 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-08-31 05:33 PM | Reply

like demonstrably high cost of real estate and high cost of energy, aren't even called out.

#25 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-31 10:37 AM | Reply | Flag:

You don't have to call those out. "It is known".

There's a national trend of a return to brick and mortar stores. California isn't part of it.

#36 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2025-08-31 05:41 PM | Reply

#32 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-08-31 03:13 PM | Reply | Flag:

Read your own link. California does poorly in new business per 100k residents. The number you chose sounds impressive until you look at population numbers. When you do it is a poor performance, crushed by Wyoming, Florida, etc. That's from your own link.

#37 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2025-08-31 05:43 PM | Reply

There's a national trend of a return to brick and mortar stores. California isn't part of it.

#36 | POSTED BY SITZKRIEG

Then they won't be part of a 4 trillion dollar economy.

We wish them well.

Question: is California opening any new "brick and mortar" stores?

AI Overview

+4
Yes, despite some retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond choosing to skip California due to regulatory costs, other retailers are opening new brick-and-mortar stores in the state, and Amazon plans to open large department store-like physical locations there, with others following suit for a variety of reasons, such as expanding into omnichannel retailing or meeting continued consumer demand for in-person shopping experiences.

With AI your maga lies are easier to debunk than ever.

#38 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-08-31 05:47 PM | Reply

California does poorly in new business per 100k residents. The number you chose sounds impressive until you look at population numbers.

Perhaps. Perhaps not. And I might even debate that with an honest person.

But it does expose the maga lie that new businesses aren't opening in California.

Just like post #38 does.

#39 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-08-31 05:53 PM | Reply

There's a national trend of a return to brick and mortar stores. California isn't part of it.
#36 | Posted by sitzkrieg

Did California ever leave? It's crawling with malls.

#40 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-08-31 09:25 PM | Reply

Did California ever leave? It's crawling with malls.
#40 | POSTED BY SNOOFY

Empty malls.

California malls as we know them are dying. Here's what comes next.
www.ksbw.com

#41 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-31 11:19 PM | Reply

California does poorly in new business per 100k residents.

This is false it does about 1000 per 100K. #2 in nation.

The reason is that you need to be an LLC to be an "independent contractor", unlike most states (1099)

I for instance have an LLC so does my daughter. Its really the only way the State allows other companies to pay you (W2).

#42 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-31 11:23 PM | Reply

Shitstain, your child-raping hero bankrupted multiple casinos.

#43 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2025-08-31 11:25 PM | Reply

This is false...

imalumpertoo's signature line.

#44 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-08-31 11:27 PM | Reply

Question: is California opening any new "brick and mortar" stores?

idk there's alot of retail space available, and it isn't cheap enough, the other issue is anyone can steal < $1000, and nothing happens, the police don't even show up.

So who will take the risk? Crime is a problem despite what Snoofy and donorbot say. Certainly not mom & pop retailers.

But overall I would say retailers are having a tough time outside of CA.

#45 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-31 11:28 PM | Reply

Empty malls.

Some are.

Others are changing to become more restaurant based as society changes.

Shopping is being done online.

#46 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-08-31 11:29 PM | Reply

OneLumpOrTwo signature line.
#44 | POSTED BY DIALAGAIN

Much better, dial up a little slow up north.

#47 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-31 11:29 PM | Reply

Pro Tip: you are not going to find it by attempting to spread hateful propaganda here.

Hateful? what was hateful? Your car is broken you tell the mechanic, and that is hateful?

You sound triggered.

#48 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-08-31 11:31 PM | Reply

""""""

How about you don't worry about California comrade since you don't live there.
Worry about your hometown ST Petersburg, Russia. Some people are saying it looks run down and ragged.

#49 | Posted by a_monson at 2025-08-31 11:38 PM | Reply

""""""

How about you don't worry about California comrade since you don't live there.
Worry about your hometown ST Petersburg, Russia. Some people are saying it looks run down and ragged.

#50 | Posted by a_monson at 2025-08-31 11:38 PM | Reply