CNN anchor Fareed Zakaria went off on California’s “failing” Democratic leadership for turning the state into a high-tax mess that does nothing for middle class natives — except increasingly send them looking for ways to escape.

Zakaria skewered The Golden State during the opening monologue on his show Sunday.

He said the state’s Democratic leaders should take Republican Steve Hilton’s advancement in the gubernatorial race and Spencer Pratt’s (R) unexpectedly strong showing in the Los Angeles mayoral race as clear warning signs that Californians are getting tired of their leadership.

“California Democrats will be tempted to dismiss all of this as a sideshow, but the frustration is real and justified,” Zakaria said.

He continued:

California is one of the most dynamic places on the planet. It has Silicon Valley, Hollywood, world class universities, extraordinary agriculture, ports, talent and natural beauty. But it is a case study in how a rich society can spend more and more while producing less and less of what its ordinary citizens need. The paradox of California today is a successful economy attached to a failing model of governance.”

Zakaria then rattled off a list of problems plaguing California. He pointed out the state’s population has grown about 15% since 2000, but the state’s spending has increased by more than 200%. He said California now spends about $6,300 per person, up from $2,300 per person in Y2K.

“Does anyone think that California government and its benefits have gotten 200% better in the last 25 years?” Zakaria asked.

He then called out several other issues, like the state’s worsening education scores despite higher taxes, as well as the homeless crisis that has rocked major cities like LA and San Francisco.

Zakaria argued California’s “central failure” has been on housing. He said there isn’t enough of it and that the state’s Democratic leaders have too much red tape that gets in the way of construction. Zakaria said the state’s whiff on building new homes has made the state unaffordable for middle class families.

He did not mention California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) or any other Democratic leaders by name.

“People are leaving. Over the past seven years, the state has lost a net 1.9 million people through domestic migration,” Zakaria said. “For generations, people moved to California to pursue the future. Now, many middle class people are leaving because they can’t afford one.

Watch above.

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