I'm a Native Californian and 1st Generation American. I joined the US Air Force as a Junior in High School (DEP - delayed enlistment program). My recruiter helped me pick an awesome AFSC (Doppler, Inertial, and Celestial Nav Systems) as my goal was to learn electronics (family couldn't afford to send me to Cal Berkeley or anywhere else), work on planes (my first love), and serve my country during the Cold War (my Dad served during WWII in the RAF). A great start - from AFSOC in W. Germany (Rhein Main AFB), to SACHQ in Omaha NE (Offutt AFB), then NRO in Marysville CA (Beale AFB - SR-71 & U-2).
My career progressed from hardware, to firmware, to software. 15 startups later, I became a "thousandaire" - never landed the big money (no bitterness, just a fact). But I enjoyed every minute.
I am 100% in agreement with you that what Elon did is a huge shift! He BROUGHT EVERYONE WITH HIM, not just a bunch of VCs who ultimately cash in, alone... the VCs always believe it was their "risk-reward" yet we did the work.
Elon knows: it takes everyone to succeed.
California, my home state, has tarnished and taxed the American Dream right out of this state. Sad.
Thank You for your post. Sadly, we've offshored the American Dream, and we need to get back to making things again...
What a great essay and perspective! In this short sighted culture where critical thinking is not taught nor encouraged, it’s important for everyone to know the “complete” story or the “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey would say and end his program. Elon, with all his quirks is a genius!
Are they getting hammered by local tax policies but also by the states punishing tax policies. I truly hope you are successful in your run for Congress because we need someone of your caliber in Washington. But I don’t know how that will help us attract the type of businesses that you describe back to California. The central Coast will be even tougher because of the cost of land and the cost of living. Good luck this fall.
Once again, Bob demonstrates that his experience, intelligence, skills and deep understanding of the new economy and how to grow high paying jobs in the Central Coast makes him uniquely suited to become our Congressman. I have lived in Santa Barbara since 1988 and I can honestly say that in my time here, I have not seen anyone run for this office who is as qualified as him.
In 2010, Obama said, "those American manufacturing jobs are not coming back"...
And this is why the 2026 development in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Forum was historic—
When President Trump arrived in Davos with the largest US delegation to date—it was not to negotiate with these European globalists—but to dictate the terms of their surrender: EU globalism is dead.
President Trump's terms of surrender was truly akin to the victor over the defeated—in an economic policy war which had for the longest time put the U.S. completely subservient to Europe's globalists, i.e., outsourced our manufacturing to other countries, and completely gutted America's manufacturing base.
AS AN 'OLD-FASHOINED' TEACHER FROM THE 1960'S, I AM TAKING MUCH PLEASURE IN READING CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS, RETIRED NAVAL CAPTAIN BOB SMITH'S LETTER TO THE EDITOR THIS MORNING. HIS COMMENTS BRING BACK THE MEMORIES POST WWII OF HOW WE AMERICANS LOOKED AND FELT AND ACTED IN OUR WORLD OF CAN-DO POSITIVE ATTITUDES. IN THE LAST 250 YEARS, ACTUALLY TWO AND ONEHALF GENERATIONS IF EACH GENERATION WERE 100 YEARS, REMEMBER WHERE AMERICA CAME FROM, WHAT IT TOOK TO GET HERE, WHAT IT BECAME, AND THEN SOMEHOW IN THE LAST 50 OR SO YEARS, HAVE WE LOST SOME OF ITS GET UP AND GO?
IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT BOB SMITH LEADS US NOW MORE THAN EVER INTO RECOVERY FROM THE FAILED LEADERSHIP OF THE CURRENT CONGRESSMAN CONSTANTLY DRAGGING SANTA BARBARA THROUGH THE MUD.
I am a Native Californian and worked on base at Vandenberg at the Missile Assembly Buildings (MAB) operated by Boeing and Orbital Sciences Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). The SpaceX MAB assembles, integrates, and tests Falcon 9 and heavy rockets. The launch business at VSFB and on the east coast has increased significantly. To put it in perspective, my past program would launch a test flight 2 or 3 times per year from either Kwajalein Atoll or Vandenberg twenty years ago. Compare that to a launch cadence of 1 or 2 times per week this year, credit SpaceX and the range for this incredible tempo!
Santa Barbara County maintains an industrial defense presence with several employers but the overall number of employees has shrunk in the last decade as jobs have left for more business friendly states like Texas, as noted by the author. I joined a proud SoCal Aerospace workforce, 500,000 strong, in the mid-80s. In 2025, that same defense job number is estimated at 92,000 yet the population has grown as have the number of jobs across most other employment sectors. California blue policies have transformed the region from a heavy manufacturing base to being dominated by education, healthcare, leisure, and government sectors for employment. Southern California has a proud Aerospace heritage preserved in static displays of aircraft and missiles in museums across the USA. Credit SpaceX for keeping the SoCal Aerospace Dream alive at Vandenberg.
To change the direction that California is headed, the electorate needs to choose leaders willing to commit to policies that will make California attractive again for employers to conduct business and pursue tax incentives to encourage manufacturing rather than environmental regulations that have crushed CA manufacturing jobs. Congressional Candidate Bob Smith vows to work hard to change policy in WDC to help grow our local economy. Give him your vote in November to enact real change.
Economic potential strongest when government gets out of the way, allows people to keep more of their earnings and the successful are not demonized and denounced.
Cali’s goal appears to be drive out all big business and saddle it’s citizens with an untenable tax burden. And thereby crush us into socialism. Because all the big business money needed to fight the CA govt in court will be gone.
Ironically, Bob Smith is celebrating, as an example of economic success at its best, a situation in which workers owned shares of the company that employed them which is exactly what Marx advocated: workers controlling the means of production. So, really, SpaceX has its toe in the river of socialism, and that's being praised here.
Wow, ironically, a Marxist doesn't know what it is.
Workers having a financial stake in a privately owned company competing in a competitive market is literally capitalism at its best.
I have received shares in my own company as part of compensation and bonuses. That does not make the company socialist. It aligns incentives. When employees have ownership, they are rewarded for helping to produce a superior product, improving the company, and increasing its value in the competitive market.
This is exactly what productive capitalism does. It raises living standards by aligning private investment, risk-taking, innovation, and labor. The result is not government control of production. The result is that thousands of workers become wealthier because the company they helped build becomes more valuable.
The average American standard of living is 30 times above the global extreme-poverty line, because market capitalism, private ownership, capital investment, innovation, and productivity have created extraordinary prosperity.
Crazy how you all want us to go the route of Venezuela. Exactly, one of the reasons I'm running, can't let my children inherit your version of the world.
Interesting , so do the workers at SpaceX control the means of production? I’m pretty sure Elon’s got a death grip on that. Looks to me like EM used the carrot and stick. Because the hardest thing to do is to get people to take ownership of a company. (especially in 2026.)
Excellent summary of what we must face if we don’t want to become a national park- a Disney land for all to visit, great weather, beaches, mountains and desert.
Excellent post!
I'm a Native Californian and 1st Generation American. I joined the US Air Force as a Junior in High School (DEP - delayed enlistment program). My recruiter helped me pick an awesome AFSC (Doppler, Inertial, and Celestial Nav Systems) as my goal was to learn electronics (family couldn't afford to send me to Cal Berkeley or anywhere else), work on planes (my first love), and serve my country during the Cold War (my Dad served during WWII in the RAF). A great start - from AFSOC in W. Germany (Rhein Main AFB), to SACHQ in Omaha NE (Offutt AFB), then NRO in Marysville CA (Beale AFB - SR-71 & U-2).
My career progressed from hardware, to firmware, to software. 15 startups later, I became a "thousandaire" - never landed the big money (no bitterness, just a fact). But I enjoyed every minute.
I am 100% in agreement with you that what Elon did is a huge shift! He BROUGHT EVERYONE WITH HIM, not just a bunch of VCs who ultimately cash in, alone... the VCs always believe it was their "risk-reward" yet we did the work.
Elon knows: it takes everyone to succeed.
California, my home state, has tarnished and taxed the American Dream right out of this state. Sad.
Thank You for your post. Sadly, we've offshored the American Dream, and we need to get back to making things again...
Thanks Bob for this very well written article!
Think any of our Elected Officials would have written an article like this, negative!
It’s because of our Elected, doing business in California has moved to a more friendly business state taking thousands of high paying jobs with them.
We need you Bob to help our State turn this disaster around!
Well said! We need politicians who believe in capitalism, not socialism.
What a great essay and perspective! In this short sighted culture where critical thinking is not taught nor encouraged, it’s important for everyone to know the “complete” story or the “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey would say and end his program. Elon, with all his quirks is a genius!
Thank you!
Are they getting hammered by local tax policies but also by the states punishing tax policies. I truly hope you are successful in your run for Congress because we need someone of your caliber in Washington. But I don’t know how that will help us attract the type of businesses that you describe back to California. The central Coast will be even tougher because of the cost of land and the cost of living. Good luck this fall.
I could not agree more, you have my vote, but how are you going to beat Carbajal?
Once again, Bob demonstrates that his experience, intelligence, skills and deep understanding of the new economy and how to grow high paying jobs in the Central Coast makes him uniquely suited to become our Congressman. I have lived in Santa Barbara since 1988 and I can honestly say that in my time here, I have not seen anyone run for this office who is as qualified as him.
In 2010, Obama said, "those American manufacturing jobs are not coming back"...
And this is why the 2026 development in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Forum was historic—
When President Trump arrived in Davos with the largest US delegation to date—it was not to negotiate with these European globalists—but to dictate the terms of their surrender: EU globalism is dead.
President Trump's terms of surrender was truly akin to the victor over the defeated—in an economic policy war which had for the longest time put the U.S. completely subservient to Europe's globalists, i.e., outsourced our manufacturing to other countries, and completely gutted America's manufacturing base.
No more...
/All we needed was a new President. 🇺🇸
AS AN 'OLD-FASHOINED' TEACHER FROM THE 1960'S, I AM TAKING MUCH PLEASURE IN READING CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS, RETIRED NAVAL CAPTAIN BOB SMITH'S LETTER TO THE EDITOR THIS MORNING. HIS COMMENTS BRING BACK THE MEMORIES POST WWII OF HOW WE AMERICANS LOOKED AND FELT AND ACTED IN OUR WORLD OF CAN-DO POSITIVE ATTITUDES. IN THE LAST 250 YEARS, ACTUALLY TWO AND ONEHALF GENERATIONS IF EACH GENERATION WERE 100 YEARS, REMEMBER WHERE AMERICA CAME FROM, WHAT IT TOOK TO GET HERE, WHAT IT BECAME, AND THEN SOMEHOW IN THE LAST 50 OR SO YEARS, HAVE WE LOST SOME OF ITS GET UP AND GO?
IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT BOB SMITH LEADS US NOW MORE THAN EVER INTO RECOVERY FROM THE FAILED LEADERSHIP OF THE CURRENT CONGRESSMAN CONSTANTLY DRAGGING SANTA BARBARA THROUGH THE MUD.
I am a Native Californian and worked on base at Vandenberg at the Missile Assembly Buildings (MAB) operated by Boeing and Orbital Sciences Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). The SpaceX MAB assembles, integrates, and tests Falcon 9 and heavy rockets. The launch business at VSFB and on the east coast has increased significantly. To put it in perspective, my past program would launch a test flight 2 or 3 times per year from either Kwajalein Atoll or Vandenberg twenty years ago. Compare that to a launch cadence of 1 or 2 times per week this year, credit SpaceX and the range for this incredible tempo!
Santa Barbara County maintains an industrial defense presence with several employers but the overall number of employees has shrunk in the last decade as jobs have left for more business friendly states like Texas, as noted by the author. I joined a proud SoCal Aerospace workforce, 500,000 strong, in the mid-80s. In 2025, that same defense job number is estimated at 92,000 yet the population has grown as have the number of jobs across most other employment sectors. California blue policies have transformed the region from a heavy manufacturing base to being dominated by education, healthcare, leisure, and government sectors for employment. Southern California has a proud Aerospace heritage preserved in static displays of aircraft and missiles in museums across the USA. Credit SpaceX for keeping the SoCal Aerospace Dream alive at Vandenberg.
To change the direction that California is headed, the electorate needs to choose leaders willing to commit to policies that will make California attractive again for employers to conduct business and pursue tax incentives to encourage manufacturing rather than environmental regulations that have crushed CA manufacturing jobs. Congressional Candidate Bob Smith vows to work hard to change policy in WDC to help grow our local economy. Give him your vote in November to enact real change.
This is an excellent article .
Sounds like you're suggesting that economic potential is at its strongest when the workers own a share of the business. Interesting idea.
Economic potential strongest when government gets out of the way, allows people to keep more of their earnings and the successful are not demonized and denounced.
Cali’s goal appears to be drive out all big business and saddle it’s citizens with an untenable tax burden. And thereby crush us into socialism. Because all the big business money needed to fight the CA govt in court will be gone.
Ironically, Bob Smith is celebrating, as an example of economic success at its best, a situation in which workers owned shares of the company that employed them which is exactly what Marx advocated: workers controlling the means of production. So, really, SpaceX has its toe in the river of socialism, and that's being praised here.
Wow, ironically, a Marxist doesn't know what it is.
Workers having a financial stake in a privately owned company competing in a competitive market is literally capitalism at its best.
I have received shares in my own company as part of compensation and bonuses. That does not make the company socialist. It aligns incentives. When employees have ownership, they are rewarded for helping to produce a superior product, improving the company, and increasing its value in the competitive market.
This is exactly what productive capitalism does. It raises living standards by aligning private investment, risk-taking, innovation, and labor. The result is not government control of production. The result is that thousands of workers become wealthier because the company they helped build becomes more valuable.
The average American standard of living is 30 times above the global extreme-poverty line, because market capitalism, private ownership, capital investment, innovation, and productivity have created extraordinary prosperity.
Crazy how you all want us to go the route of Venezuela. Exactly, one of the reasons I'm running, can't let my children inherit your version of the world.
HUH?
Interesting , so do the workers at SpaceX control the means of production? I’m pretty sure Elon’s got a death grip on that. Looks to me like EM used the carrot and stick. Because the hardest thing to do is to get people to take ownership of a company. (especially in 2026.)
Nicely done, Bob. You have my vote. Carbajal has created enough damage. Time to go.
Well said!
Excellent summary of what we must face if we don’t want to become a national park- a Disney land for all to visit, great weather, beaches, mountains and desert.