I earned most of my wealth while I lived in Flordia and was CFO of a public company and later CEO of large health care company.

During my life I have lived in 12 states, prior to college I lived in one, New Jersey. Very little of my wealth was earned in California (I only worked here for three years).

I did meet my wonderful wife, the first time I lived in California in the late 80s. When I retired, she asked if we could move to California, my choice was North Carolina or Williamsburg, Virginia (where I got most of college education). And closer to my extended family.

As she tolerated all those career moves, I felt it only fair, she got to choose where we retire. So, actually California was not my choice. But I do enjoy the ethnic diversity here and given my wife is Chinese, the Chinese food here is more authentic than in most "red states", though Florida and Texas have some pretty good Chinese restaurants in the majori cities like Miami, Houston, and Dallas.

In addition, the southern California weather is amazing. And the geography is appealing to me, even though many people find it ugly and find Orange county a bit "man made".

But the politics stink... and the economy is starting to suffer because of it... and people are leaving and the middle class is sliding into poverty.

https://www.kpbs.org/news/economy/2018/03/15/californias-middle-class-decline-despite-states-im

Regarding my beachfront property, I was lucky to move here in 2010. I was able to buy my current home for half of what it was worth in 2007 and even less than half of what it is worth today... timing is everything in real estate. Right now, I think the real estate market is headed south again, though we are getting a bit of a boost from all the people fleeing LA country and its crime to Orange county so that should blunt the impact of this current recession on housing prices.

Can yo be specific with respect to which laws, Red states are imposing on their citizens that constitute Christofascism. The only fascist laws I have experienced so far in my life have occurred in California... including a host of mandates. And the most fascist organization I have encountered are the HOAs of California where you can't paint a mailbox without permission.

I have five wonderful children and a wonderful wife, so don't know where you got the impression I was single. We have been happily married for over 30 years. My two of my five children are working in careers (one as an executive VP of a major RE firm and the other as a health care technician). The other three are in school, one pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing, one is in medical school, and the youngest is at Baylor pursuing a degree in information systems. I am immensely proud of all of them.

In retirement, I have moved from the "C Suite" back to the mailroom and help support my wife, who started her own real estate business. I do her books (as on paper, I am a CPA), but mostly do errands for the business... I work very slowly these days and make sure to stop for coffee. As for "wages", I do complain my wife doesn't pay me... so the lowest wages, I have ever earned in my life has been in California!