Most reasonable people will agree that President Ronald Reagan was a sunny optimist.
And that’s certainly true, but at the same time he was a realist.
We’re reminded of that each time we see a red state governor or mayor welcoming a transplant company from California or New York to their state.
Just last week Miami Mayor Francis Suarez was on Tucker Carlson’s show exuding bountiful optimism as he discussed the inquiries he’s been receiving from tech companies and tech moguls that are interested in exploring a move to Miami.
According to NBC, "Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has been fielding numerous inquiries from top executives in the tech world who reached out in recent weeks — from Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. He has also reportedly met with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and the chairman of Palantir, Peter Thiel, among others."
Suarez was all rainbows and balloons, but Carlson was trying to warn him that he may be clasping a viper to his bosom. Those companies are coming from leftist hotbeds and company employees, for the most part, are leftists themselves.
Suarez wasn’t having any of it.
In fact, he wants more: "Miami will try to respond to these Silicon Valley businesses by naming its first chief technology officer. Suarez said the new CTO will 'provide concierge services' like streamlining bureaucratic procedures for high-tech firms when they come to Miami."
Someone needs to take the mayor on a tour of Austin, Texas.
Austin has marketed itself to tech firms for decades and in the 1990s even adopted the nickname of "Silicon Hills."
The sales pitch worked and a number of firms relocated to the Live Music Capital of the World. Today it’s a little bit of San Francisco right in the heart of Texas.
For example, the homeless population is taking over many parts of downtown.
Plus, the city council and mayor’s office is filled with lunatics who want to defund the police. It's gotten so bad the governor is proposing to assume control of law enforcement for the city.
Is that Suarez’ vision for Miami?
If it’s not, and we certainly hope so, he and other red-state governors and mayors need to get to work.
Part of the outreach and relocation benefits offered to these companies need to include a quid pro quo for the new state or city.
We’re thinking an orientation for company employees that tell the low-tax, low-regulation and more freedom story of the company’s new home.
And not on a one-time, lick and a promise basis. Such outreach must be ongoing.
Otherwise these aren’t the economic development success stories mayors and governors think. Instead these companies are beachheads for leftist expansion.
Suarez talked to Schmidt formerly of Google. During the 2020 election campaign cycle the Google conglomeration of companies gave 80% of its political donations (and we can assure you 80% of its votes) to Democratic Party candidates and organizations.
Schmidt himself personally gave $6 million to the left.
Well you say, Palantir’s Peter Thiel was a prominent Trump supporter. That may be so, and Thiel may be open to conservative outreach toward his employees, but the company itself is in the leftist tank.
A sample of the first 200 Palantir political donors from the Center for Responsive Politics shows only 4.5 percent of the employees donated to Republicans.
Democrats received 95.5 percent of the employees and their votes.
A change of address won’t change their mind unless Miami can make the case for conservative government.
Red state politicians have become successful marketing their location to the people that run Big Tech and Silicon Valley companies.
What they must do, if they want to continue as a red state, is make the case to the rank-and-file employee. Otherwise, when they move these employees bring their failed ideology along with their furniture
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker’s bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian’s Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with addedhumor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.