The state of Saint Rodu in 2018 was actually not too bad.
The fallen leaves of late autumn were beautiful, and they would be even more so without the trash strewn all over the place.
Due to insufficient municipal budgets, sanitation spending had been cut, resulting in a reduced frequency of street cleaning in certain neighborhoods, and naturally, a corresponding decline in hygiene standards.
Twice a week was considered excellent; once every two weeks was still on offer.
On a smaller scale, this was a matter of hygiene or civic pride.
But looking at the bigger picture, it signified the gradual collapse of America's foundational public service system.
While it was true that each state in America decided its own budget autonomously due to national conditions,
from the decline of the automotive city to the outflow of industrial capital to Asia and other low-cost industrial nations,
from downtown Detroit's 'no-go' zones filled with the poor to downtown City of Los Angeles also crammed with homeless people,
every gift of fate had its price clearly marked.
Lying atop the financial system's profits, basking in the capital gains as if on euphoria-inducing drugs.
And the price?
The real economy waning, industrial workers losing their jobs, middle-class growth stalling.
Too many deadly details hide the devil within.
Cheng Daqi, who had traveled from 2023 to 2018, looked absently at the dog feces on the curbside of Los Angeles's Red Street, and he couldn't help but sigh.
"At this rate, no wonder eleven carrier strike groups are mostly trapped by their own shipyards; even twenty more ships would be no use!"
Sani looked at Cheng Daqi in surprise.
The black sister didn't quite understand.
Hi, man, are you serious?
We're all thick as thieves on the streets; we know each other all too well.
When was the last time you washed your socks, and here you are lamenting over America's carriers?
And you're contemplating carriers while looking at dog poop?
Cheng Daqi truly gave her an unprecedented feeling.
That feeling when you walk down the street with someone, and you can't help but step aside to pretend you don't know them.
This was an old habit of Cheng Daqi.
A middle-aged man with a penchant for studying military matters—that's pretty normal, right?
In fact, out of America's 11 aircraft carriers, at most six could form carrier strike groups, the rest requiring maintenance and upkeep.
One carrier departs for four months, on average it needs dock or port maintenance for a total of eight months (calculated as an approximate average from all the carriers' service times).
After the manufacturing industry shrank, America's weakened shipbuilding industry meant that only a few large docks were capable of servicing carriers, so they actually had to queue for maintenance for several months.
In this respect, homeless Cheng Daqi queuing up for a meal had some twisted commonality!
The well-known 'Richard' caught fire precisely because it was not properly maintained.
That is simply absurd.
(Laughing, I'm going to die laughing as I write this)
What's even more ridiculous is that by November 2023, right before Cheng Daqi's time travel, some American carriers had to exceed their limits and serve for several extra months to maintain certain appearances.
Of the eleven carriers, with some queuing for dock maintenance and others being slowly repaired,
the actual number ready for duty, you could count them on half a hand, three fingers would be enough.
Hard to imagine, isn't it?
But it's true!
According to military enthusiasts' calculations, by some time in 2024, the U.S. Military's effective carrier strike group might drop to only one.
Just like the United Kingdom's nuclear submarines, a bunch of subs, all under maintenance, when you check who's actually on duty, there's only one.
Angsa characteristic?
It's like being at work, where in a department of eleven including you,
ten people are lying comfortably getting foot massages, while watching you do all the work alone.
It's only fair to say that great America has too much work on its hands.
....
"God, my..."
An unprepossessing little old man stood on a wooden stool, holding a religious text and preaching.
In front of him was a long line of people waiting for relief.
This was a church relief station where one could obtain certain items for free.
Mostly it was food, with the occasional distribution of other miscellaneous items.
For instance, Sani's shoes, they were obtained from a church relief point.
Sounds nice, doesn't it?
Queue up for an hour, and you might not get anything.
The whole society bears the cost.
The authorities issue a hundred dollars, the masters behind the politicians take a big bite first, family members of the politicians who run the distribution agencies take a few more bites, and kickbacks are taken in the procurement process.
How much makes it into the hands of the homeless?
Welfare?
Wrong! It's everyone getting rich together!
Oversight?
Who dare to accuse me in front of this assembly?
Complain to Washington?
Don't joke, child, referees, officials, witnesses, organizers, co-organizers, they are all my people, how can you play this game with me?
Behind the high welfare of California is the highest tax rate in the nation!
Even Musk has left.
Oracle has also left.
There used to be a saying, if you love someone, send them to New York; it's heaven. If you hate someone, also send them to New York; it's hell.
Now replace New York with California, and that's pretty much the current situation.
Perhaps it's a paradise for the homeless, hell for the middle class?
Why could the California Sanctuary Law pass in the State Assembly?
Both corporate and family costs are just too high.
The employee benefits for companies are so high, painfully so for those companies that can't harvest global profits.
Apart from those global leaders in their respective fields, a considerable number of second-tier companies are in dire straits.
Household service expenses are too high; a quarter of a month's income goes to taxes, and the rest starts to run thin after a little spending.
The Chen Ping Inequality might sound comical, but the logic behind it has a certain objectivity (it's not about mindless criticism or blind adoration—take your time and see).
California needs cheap labor to sustain its own economic growth, such as letting local middle-class families enjoy the benefits of cheap maid and gardener services.
And since the state government is unwilling to undertake tax and legal reforms, they can only come up with a compromised method of supplementing labor.
Sanctuary laws?
No, it's more like a labor reform law!
Want to live with dignity?
Go do some off-the-books work for California, kiddo!