This opinion piece argues that California's high cost of living is undermining efforts to rebuild America's defence industrial base by driving away the skilled tradespeople needed to sustain it. The state hosts over 30 major defence installations and a substantial aerospace and defence sector offering well-paid jobs, but the author contends that soaring housing, energy and general living costs mean even strong salaries no longer stretch far enough to keep workers there.

The piece cites defence-sector wages of roughly $90,000 to $100,000 a year, achievable without a four-year degree, against rents approaching $3,000 a month, alongside rising costs for petrol, electricity, insurance and food. It calls for a shift away from a "college for all" mindset towards expanding apprenticeships and vocational training, pointing to Trump administration initiatives and the America First Policy Institute's workforce agenda, while arguing that California's state government (Sacramento) must also address affordability if it wants to retain the tradespeople the defence industry depends on.