I think it's more accurate to say that the high cost of living borne of an expensive social safety net grows less and less attractive as the safety net becomes less and less productive. Democrats have long favored "the poor" and "the cops" in order to salve their consciences for all the money they've given up on wealth taxes and environmental protections to the point where most people's healthcare would be better if they could simply drop below the poverty line. Middle-income voters in blue states definitely get the sense that they are not a legislative priority and when they look at how far their money goes elsewhere they choose accordingly. It's not a choice without consequences, though. Everyone around here is moving to Arizona. To Texas. To Louisiana. To Florida. It'll be interesting to see what happens as they settle in, and what happens as complications ensue.