We don't need to look at other countries, just look at other States. California is quite poorly run by the standards of other States. I'm a California native but I've lived in and worked with many other States. You don't realize how appallingly bad California government is until you have to work with their counterparts in other States.

It isn't a red versus blue thing, even grift-y one-party States like Washington are plainly better run than California.