One year after Gavin Newsom’s $20 fast-food wage mandate: CNN admits it: “Higher pay, debatable job numbers.” Mic Drop Question: “How much do you make per hour… after being fired?” Here’s the reality CNN tiptoes around • NBER working paper estimates 18,000–20,000 fast-food jobs lost • Remaining workers saw hours cut • Menu prices jumped across chains • Self-serve kiosks replaced people Newsom called it a “win for workers.” But thousands of workers now earn $0/hour. To every blue state eyeing the same mandate: This is the outcome. And America—if Newsom runs in 2028 pushing national wage hikes? Expect California-style job losses, nationwide. Real economics beats political photo-ops. Every time.