California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom ‘DISQUALIFIED’ From 2028 Run — He’s In Major Trouble as His $20/Hr. F
Two years after California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the FAST Recovery Act with cameras flashing and union leaders cheering, the law is leaving a trail of layoffs, shuttered restaurants, and angry consumers.
The measure, which took effect in 2023, mandated a $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers across the state. Newsom hailed it at the time as a “win-win-win” for employees, restaurant owners, and customers. But the numbers now show a far different reality.
According to the Employment Policies Institute (EPI), California has shed nearly 20,000 fast-food jobs since the law was signed — accounting for almost one-quarter of all fast-food job losses nationwide over the same period.
The analysis draws from Bureau of Labor Statistics data, which paint a bleak picture for one of California’s largest entry-level job sectors.
The job losses are not just statistics. Two major Pizza Hut franchisees recently laid off more than 1,200 delivery drivers, citing the steep rise in labor costs. Other chains, including Mod Pizza and Foster’s Freeze, have decided to close California locations altogether. For many small-business franchisees, razor-thin margins disappeared overnight once payroll costs spiked.
Even those who still have jobs are losing out. EPI estimates non-tipped restaurant workers have seen their hours slashed by an average of 250 annually — the equivalent of $4,000 in lost income under the state’s previous minimum wage.
Kiosks and self-ordering technology are replacing many part-time employees as owners race to offset the higher costs.
“Newsom’s $20 wage has turned out to be nothing more than a boost to his own ego at the expense of fast-food workers,” said EPI research director Rebekah Paxton. “His consistent claim that the law is a ‘win’ is out of touch with reality, and lawmakers looking to mirror his job-crushing policies should think twice.”
The pain has spread beyond workers. Consumers are paying more, too. Menu price data from Datassential show fast-food prices in California climbed more than 13% after April 2024, nearly double the average increase in the rest of the country. Families already stretched by inflation now face higher bills for basic meals.
Small businesses are suffering the most. The American Cornerstone Institute warned that unlike global corporations, mom-and-pop shops cannot absorb the higher payroll expenses, leaving them with two choices: cut staff or close down.
“In the same manner, a state-wide minimum wage doesn’t make sense when applied uniformly across a state as big as California,” the group said, pointing out that the cost of living in San Francisco is vastly different from rural regions like the Central Valley.
The fallout has fueled criticism of Newsom’s leadership. Opponents argue he ignored basic economic warnings in order to deliver a political win for organized labor.
“This should be a wake-up call for Newsom and other policymakers pushing for drastic wage hikes that will cause unintended consequences,” Paxton said.
Supporters of the law point to a UC-Berkeley study claiming that the wage hike did not reduce employment and only increased prices modestly, by about 2%. But business groups and workers on the ground say the Berkeley study ignores the closures, layoffs, and lost hours happening in real time.
For many Californians, the issue has become symbolic of a broader disconnect between Newsom’s progressive rhetoric and economic reality. While the governor has not addressed the latest round of data directly, critics note his silence is telling. “His office isn’t responding because the numbers speak for themselves,” one franchisee said.
The political stakes are high. Newsom has been floated as a potential future Democratic presidential contender. But policies like the FAST Recovery Act, which were sold as national models, are now being cited as cautionary tales of overreach.
“California was the test case, and it failed,” said one Republican strategist. “If Democrats try to scale this nationwide, the result will be disaster for workers and consumers alike.”
For now, the damage in California is measurable: tens of thousands of jobs lost, hours cut, restaurants shuttered, and menu prices climbing faster than anywhere else in the country.
What was once celebrated as a bold experiment is now widely seen — even by many of the workers it was supposed to help — as a self-inflicted wound.
Serious Threat To Our Country' - Trump Issues Dire Warning To The Nation, Names The Biggest Challenge Americans Face
THE RED DILEMMA: Trump Outlines Midterm War Script at Road to Majority Summit After Socialist Swings Fracture New York Base
WASHINGTON, D.C. — JUNE 29, 2026 — President Donald Trump warned Friday that a wave of far-left victories in New York City’s Democratic primaries represents one of the greatest dangers facing the United States, arguing the results should serve as a wake-up call ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Speaking before thousands at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual Road to Majority conference in Washington, Trump blasted the Democratic Party’s leftward shift after several candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani scored major primary victories earlier this week.
“These ruthless communists will attack all religions, but in particular Christianity,” Trump told the audience.
“This is the greatest threat to our country since its founding.”
Trump’s remarks came just days after three progressive candidates supported by Mamdani won Democratic primary races in New York, including two members of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Their victories have fueled growing Republican efforts to portray the Democratic Party as increasingly dominated by its progressive wing heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Trump argued that the movement extends beyond economic policy and represents a broader ideological threat.
At one point during his speech, the president described communists as “animals” who would assassinate their political opponents, though he did not offer evidence supporting that claim.
The remarks carried additional significance because Trump was speaking at the Washington Hilton, the same hotel where an armed man attempted to breach security while the president attended the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April.
Authorities later identified the suspect as 31-year-old California resident Cole Tomas Allen, who has pleaded not guilty to charges that he attempted to assassinate the president.
Security around Friday’s event appeared noticeably tighter, with additional guards stationed throughout the venue and several entrances blocked off.
Republicans have increasingly seized on the New York primary results as evidence that Democrats are moving further left while voters remain primarily concerned about inflation, housing costs and the broader economy.
Political observers have suggested the victories give Republicans fresh material as they seek to defend their narrow congressional majorities this fall.
The candidates backed by Mamdani defeated two incumbent House Democrats and another candidate supported by the Democratic establishment.
While Republicans frequently characterize Democratic Socialists as communists, democratic socialism generally advocates expanding government-run social programs through the electoral process rather than replacing democratic institutions.
Many candidates aligned with the movement support policies including universal health care, tuition-free public college, expanded child care programs, stronger labor protections and higher taxes on wealthy Americans.
Several have also made opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel and support for Palestinians central themes of their campaigns.
Democrats quickly rejected Trump’s characterization.
Aidan Johnson, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, argued Republicans were attempting to distract voters from substantive issues.
“Know they can’t win on the issues, so we’re seeing them melt down in real time, resorting to ineffective boogeyman attacks,” Johnson said.
Trump’s appearance also highlighted some of the tensions within his own political coalition.
The president has remained popular with many evangelical Christians by backing policies such as protecting women’s sports and opposing biological males competing in female athletics.
At the same time, some pro-Israel Christians have criticized Trump’s ceasefire agreement with Iran, while some anti-abortion advocates have argued the administration has not gone far enough on pro-life priorities.
During Friday’s speech, Trump defended his handling of Iran and declared that his administration had successfully prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The Faith and Freedom Coalition gathering has long served as one of the Republican Party’s premier events for evangelical voters and conservative activists, Reuters reported.
With the midterm elections approaching, Trump’s speech offered a preview of what is likely to become a central Republican campaign message: portraying the Democratic Party’s progressive wing as increasingly driving the party’s agenda while urging voters to reject what Republicans view as an increasingly radical political movement.
