I find it fascinating how the US government pits every state against each other. Yes, people are leaving a high tax state to a low/no tax state. But (just using Texas as an example) what happens when Texas' growth based ponzi scheme stops growing?
Not to mention the infrastructure - The electrical grid is already creaking, and the commuting situation is already absurd in and around the major metro areas.
The US government isn't doing anything here, much less pitting anybody against anybody.
The US has a federal system. States are the primary entity, not the federal government -- it's the opposite of a centralized government such as France.
Every state just sets whatever policies it wants. They're not "pitted" against each other any more than Spain and Italy are "pitted" against each other. They're just each doing their own thing.
This is all just to say, it's not some intentional policy at the federal level. It's just how it's always been ever since the states chose to come together and form a country. The (original 13) states came first.
(BTW I'm not defending this arrangement, just describing it.)
It’s a good thing. There are too many people and too much money in California. Places should indeed compete for things and people should move more freely.
You're assuming Texas doesn't collect very many taxes, we're actually somewhere in the middle of "total tax load" for all 50 states, however the middle and lower class pay more than in other states to make up for tax laws that favor the 1% unlike in California.
So that various sets of ideas can be tried as experiments. Also, so that groups of people with different values and ideas can live in their own worlds and not have to reach consensus on everything. I believe a lot of the division in the country could be solved by returning more decisions to state and local levels. Only centralize what the constitution requires.
Mechanically, America could convert to a unitary state with a Constitutional amendment. Practically, very few want that. American states individually command resources on the scale of rich nations.
That's literally impossible given the way our Constitution and government is written. The only way would be a civil war by those who don't like the ideas of "states" and I don't think there are enough of those individuals.
> The electrical grid is already creaking, and the commuting situation is already absurd in and around the major metro areas.
…which is definitely not also the case in California.
> I find it fascinating how the US government pits every state against each other. Yes, people are leaving a high tax state to a low/no tax state.
This is a core democratic mechanism in the US: citizens leaving one state for one which they believe will better suit their beliefs, needs, aspirations, etc. — to “vote with your feet”.
This competition for citizens and business forces governments to respond to the needs of citizens — rather than mistreat them for ideological or feudalistic goals.
Not to mention the infrastructure - The electrical grid is already creaking, and the commuting situation is already absurd in and around the major metro areas.