Filmaker’s are saying goodbye to Hollywood!

California gave birth to the motion-picture industry. Hollywood became synonymous with American movies, American entertainment and American culture around the world.

What an accomplishment. So naturally, California’s current Communist politicians have spent years figuring out how to screw it up.

The once-Golden State has embraced an increasingly government-heavy political and economic model, piling regulation upon regulation, taxes upon taxes, mandates upon mandates, and then acting absolutely astonished when businesses start looking for the exits.

Now Warner Bros., Paramount, and even Universal Studios are looking for ways to move their business outside California. Think about that. These aren’t some three-man production companies operating out of a rented bungalow. These are names practically carved into the cornerstone of Hollywood itself.

California managed to create the American film industry, dominate it for a century, and then make doing business sufficiently unattractive that some of Hollywood’s most famous names are increasingly looking elsewhere.

That’s quite an accomplishment.

Why would anyone automatically make the next movie in this economic shithole when America is overflowing with spectacular locations, talented crews, interesting cities, small towns, deserts, mountains, coastlines and stories that audiences haven’t already seen 5,000 times?

California itself has become a cinematic rerun. The same streets. The same skylines. The same beaches. The same mountains masquerading as somewhere else. Apparently the California Legislature believes America ends somewhere east of Palm Springs.

Here’s the delicious irony: Hollywood has spent decades enthusiastically supporting much of California’s left-wing political establishment. Now the industry is discovering what happens when the policies it applauded eventually arrive at its own front door carrying a tax bill, a regulation manual and another government form to fill out.

Suddenly, capitalism doesn’t look so terrible.

There are 49 other states, many with magnificent locations, capable production crews and communities that would actually welcome the jobs, spending and tax revenue generated by film and television production. They deserve their opportunity.

And now California’s politicians are scrambling to keep Hollywood from wandering away, dangling increasingly generous bribes to persuade productions to stay.

There’s something wonderfully absurd about creating an expensive business climate and then offering businesses taxpayer incentives not to flee the destitute business climate you created.

Brilliant.

If productions such as America’s Got Talent are moving their operation to Georgia, good. Let Georgia compete. Let Arizona compete. Let Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana and the rest of America compete.

Hollywood doesn’t belong to California.  American filmmaking belongs to America.

California politicians spent decades assuming Hollywood would never leave home. Perhaps they’re about to discover an ancient principle of economics:

Eventually, even the people who helped build the train wreck get tired of riding the train.