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For Californians, the recent report from the Census Bureau was a shocker. From 1990 to 2000, the Census found, the number of Californians leaving the state was greater than the number of those arriving from other states — a first.

Even during the high-tech boom, people left. From 1995 to 2000, 1.4 million Americans moved to California. But 2.2 million left.

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As a result, not enough jobs are being created — and not enough homes are being built. In just the last two years, the state has lost 14% of its factory jobs, while its population has surged 1.6 million.

The state needs more than 200,000 housing units a year just to keep up with population growth. In recent years it's been lucky to get even half of that, thanks to local "growth controls" and run-amok NIMBYism that have helped home prices soar out of reach.

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As for immigrants, California still has plenty of them — from outside the U.S. (It's no accident that three of the leading contenders for governor speak English as a second language.)

Well, which is it??? Shrinking population or surging population?

It's no wonder journalists have such a reputation as poor writers. They couldn't quite bring together that the mass exodus of talent and business was being replaced by a smaller flood of unemployed, unskilled labor.

Next, it will be spun that selfish businesses and the families that ran them created a pile a problems and fled-- dumping the mess in the laps of the poor. You watch.

Unless the "surge" of 1.6MM includes illegal immigrants, which is not explicitly stated...

Among the state's people, 26% were born in another country. Unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger or Arianna Huffington, they're on average poorer, less educated and have higher welfare participation rates than people born here. Will they be able to run an economy based on high tech, health care and entertainment? We doubt it.

I think they're starting to figure it out but it may be too late. Some people, even Conservatives seem to believe the Mexicanization of large areas of the USA is a good thing but many Americans move when they find themselves living in area that resembles Mexico more than it feels like the USA. Americans are fleeing the entire border region ---- here they're starting to discuss "brain drain" because so many doctors and professionals are leaving. It's gotten so bad you can go a complete day and hear almost no English spoken.

Well, which is it??? Shrinking population or surging population?

It's not a mistake. Less people are moving in than moving out but the population is still expanding because of birthrates.