Can You Outrun the Socialist Bear?

By Brian Campbell

How Long Before the Bear Turns Its Gaze on You?

Two friends are hiking when suddenly a bear appears and charges toward them. One takes off running, and his friend shouts after him, “Are you crazy? You can’t outrun a bear!”

Without slowing down, he yells back, “I don’t have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you.”

Funny joke. Unless you live in California. After all, what animal is on our state flag?

Keep that thought.

Everyone Gets a B

There’s a political parable that has circulated for years. A liberal college student comes home for winter break complaining to her conservative father about how hard she works. She attends every class, studies constantly, and sacrifices nights and weekends. Her reward is a 4.0 GPA.

Her father asks about one of her friends. “She has a 2.0,” the daughter tells him. “She skips classes and parties.”

Her father offers a solution. “Why don’t you ask the dean to take one point from your GPA and give it to her? Then you’ll both have a 3.0. That would be equal.”

She’s furious. “Why would I do that? I worked hard for my grades. She did nothing. That’s not fair.”

Her father smiles. “Welcome to the Republican Party.”

Apparently, redistribution becomes considerably less attractive when somebody wants to redistribute your hard-earned success.

What Is Socialism?

Of course, a GPA isn’t money, but the parable makes a simple point: redistribution looks different when they’re taking what belongs to you.

Socialism is a political-economic system in which major resources and industries are owned, controlled, or substantially directed collectively, typically through the state, workers, or public institutions.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) calls for “aggressive wealth taxes on the richest individuals and corporations,” along with public ownership of the largest corporations and essential industries. California carries the message “Tax the Rich,” proposing a 5% billionaire wealth tax.

Congratulations on Your Success

But who are “the rich”? Don’t worry. Right now, they’re talking about billionaires, and you aren’t a billionaire, are you?

Then relax and go back to work. Open your restaurant. Start your plumbing company. Build your real-estate business. Open a gym. Mortgage your house to keep the business alive. Hire employees. Work weekends. Skip vacations. Make payroll during recessions. Save instead of spending.

Perhaps all that sacrifice pays off, and you become successful.

Congratulations.

Now you’re becoming a target.

Back When the Income Tax Was 1%

But don’t worry. They’re only targeting billionaires.

Consider 1913. After ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment, Congress enacted the Revenue Act of 1913. The new federal income tax primarily targeted high-income Americans. The normal rate was just 1%, if you made roughly $135,000 in today’s dollar value for a married couple.

Relax. They were only taxing the rich.

And is the federal income tax still 1%?

Relax, you’re not on the bear’s menu. Yet.

So, Who Is Rich Today?

Here in Santa Barbara, a family of four earning around $140,000 can fall within HUD’s low-income limits. Middle income reaches toward $190,000, while upper-middle income can approach $237,000, all above the $135,000 equivalent that triggered the 1913 income tax.

And of course it’s no longer 1% tax, it’s a 22% tax for the same income bracket.

These aren’t people lounging aboard superyachts. They’re paying mortgages or rent, groceries, insurance, utilities, tuition, and California taxes, while wondering how they can be living paycheck to paycheck and somehow be considered “wealthy.”

But don’t worry. Nobody is coming for them.

Well, at least until all the rich leave.

Meet the Socialists Next Door

Think this political movement is somewhere else? Look around.

Locally, Wendy Santamaria, Santa Barbara City Council District 1, was DSA-endorsed in 2024.

Oscar Gutierrez, District 3, was also DSA-endorsed.

Helena Pasquarella, a 2026 candidate for Congress in California’s 24th District, has been identified as a DSA member and endorsed by Ventura County DSA.

Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps’ 2022 campaign participated in an Isla Vista canvas organized with UCSB Young Democratic Socialists of America.

Socialist political organizing is here and taking root.

Don’t think Santa Barbara is isolated from policies taking hold elsewhere. Look at policies such as rent freeze, which would affect everyday mom-and-pop property owners, the primary owners of rental properties here, your neighbors. And all to address a century-old housing problem that our city has never meaningfully addressed.

It goes much deeper, but most people would rather not open their eyes and look.

The Rich Can Outrun the Bear

California recently lost roughly $12 billion in net adjusted gross income through interstate migration in a single tax year. Now California is proposing another tax on billionaire wealth.

I’m sure they’ll happily hand over another 5%.

Not.

They don’t have to disappear from California. They can establish residency elsewhere while still owning homes here and enjoying California. Their taxable income, however, can move with them. Suddenly Nevada, Texas, and Florida start looking very inviting.

Reality check: when taxpayers leave, the programs don’t. The bureaucracy doesn’t leave. The pensions don’t leave. The spending doesn’t leave. The tens of billions spent on services for illegal aliens don’t stop. The high-speed rail to nowhere spending doesn’t stop. The billions spent on homelessness without any meaningful impact and inadequate tracking of outcomes don’t stop.

Reckless government spending. Plain and simple. After all it’s not their money.

And you still have to pay the bill.

Yesterday, it was the billionaire. Tomorrow, it’ll be the millionaire.

Own a home in Santa Barbara? Checked your property value lately?

Then perhaps it’s you.

As deficits grow and taxable income leaves California, our own town will look for more money from the people who remain.

Like an addict looking for the next fix, the spending continues. Only the source of the money changes.

Back to the Woods

Remember our hikers. The billionaire doesn’t have to defeat California. He just has to establish residency somewhere else and take his taxable income with him.

Every person who escapes leaves one fewer taxpayer between you and the bear.

Helping someone with your own money, food, and time, is generosity. Government spending your money on a railroad to nowhere is something else entirely.

Look around the woods and notice who’s already running.

Californication

And one final thought. California politics and policies don’t always stay in California.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers may have put it best:

“And tidal waves couldn’t save the world from Californication.”

So, look around.

How long before the bear turns its gaze on you?