In a candid revelation, Senator Adam Schiff of California admitted to a personal encounter with crime in South San Francisco, where his luggage was stolen two years ago.
The incident, which led to a rather disheartening interaction with a Target store clerk, served as a wake-up call for the Democratic senator. "We're going to have to address people's legitimate concerns about crime," Schiff stated during his appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher."
According to The New York Post, Schiff's experience at the Target store was a stark reminder of the public's perception of Democrats. The senator recalled the clerk's indirect insinuation that "Democrats are aholes," a sentiment that he believes is indicative of a "major problem" within the party. "I thought, you know, if the cashier in San Francisco at 10:00 at night believes that Democrats are aholes because that is shampoo is locked up and my stuff gets stolen out of the trunk, we've got a major problem that we have to address," Schiff confessed.
The 64-year-old senator, who was serving as a congressman at the time of the theft, described the incident as an "experience in the city that all too many people have" in California. Schiff's account echoes the experiences of other prominent Democrats in the Golden State, who have been forced to confront the consequences of their governance.
In a similar vein, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a fellow Democrat, recounted a brazen act of theft he witnessed at a Target store. "He picks it up and keeps walking out as were checking out," Newsom narrated, adding that the clerk let the shoplifter go, citing the governor's lowered threshold and lack of accountability.
This wave of self-reflection within the Democratic Party comes in the wake of the Republicans' strong electoral performance last November. Schiff acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, "I dont disagree that weve got to do a lot to improve governance in California."
During the same panel discussion on "Real Time," Schiff also addressed concerns about the exodus of the entertainment industry from California. Bret Stephens, a conservative opinion columnist for The New York Times, argued that California's high taxation and regulation have made it "Exhibit A in progressive misgovernance," driving the entertainment industry away.
Schiff, however, refuted this claim, attributing the industry's departure to more lucrative incentives offered by other states and countries. "Theyre leaving because theyre getting richer incentives in other states and other countries, and we havent kept pace with that," Schiff argued. He suggested that both California and the United States at large need to offer competitive incentives to retain the industry.
Stephens urged Schiff to extend this mindset to all businesses considering setting up shop in California. Schiff concurred, emphasizing the need for competition and a favorable business climate. "We need to be competing for business with the rest of the country, and we need to not be complacent about whether people are going to locate here because of the business climate," Schiff agreed.
This acknowledgment underscores the necessity for a shift in the Democratic approach to governance, particularly in the context of crime and business climate, to align more closely with conservative values of limited government and free-market economics.
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