Califailure: Reversing the Ruin of America's Worst-Run State

Steve Hilton tackles the (literally) burning question: What will it take to save California?

California is a "model for the nation," Governor Gavin Newsom keeps telling us. "We’re following a formula for success." In this incisive work of political commentary, Califailure, Hilton compellingly captures exactly where this far-left experiment in one-party rule has gone fundamentally—catastrophically—wrong.

Great cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland collapsed into squalor as crime and a devastating homelessness crisis were allowed to explode. The state that used to pride itself as the home of innovation and opportunity became the state with the worst rate of poverty, highest unemployment, and most hostile business climate in America—as well as the highest taxes.

How did this happen, and what is needed to turn things around? Hilton identifies the nine key "pathologies"—from Elitism to Cronyism to Narcissism—that define the ideology at the heart of California’s decline. And he lays out a comprehensive program of policy reform ("CaliFuture") that will restore the Golden State to its rightful place as the very best of America.

Californians are starting to wake up from the long and fitful nightmare. In 2024 far-left politicians were removed from leadership positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Proposition 36, which in the words of its proponents "makes crime illegal again," passed overwhelmingly with majorities in every county.

Califailure is what happens when Democrats get everything they want. Increasingly, it’s not what Californians want. This book explains why America must reject it, too.

• The Nine Pathologies of Decline: Hilton diagnoses the ideological superbugs—from Elitism and Cronyism to Narcissism—that have poisoned California’s political leadership and driven its downfall.
• A Failed State Blueprint: A detailed breakdown of how decades of unchecked progressive policies have turned the Golden State into a model for national decline, creating the highest poverty rate in America.
• CaliFuture Policy Reform: Go beyond the diagnosis with a comprehensive, practical program of policy solutions designed to reverse the damage and restore the California Dream for working families.
• An Insider’s Diagnosis: Political commentator Steve Hilton combines deep public policy knowledge with firsthand experience to expose the failures of the state’s ruling class, including Governor Gavin Newsom.