Posted on 11/22/2009 10:28:01 AM PST by NormsRevenge
In the new movie "2012," whose video trailers were bombarding television airwaves last week, the world as we know it gives way three years hence under a siege of floods, eruptions, undulating continents and earthquakes. In other words, it's not much different from what is happening in California, fiscally speaking, except that the state will be lucky to hang on that long.
To recap: the state's chief budget analyst reported last week that California faces a $21-billion deficit through the next fiscal year. For the two budget years after that, deficits will total $44 billion more, the analyst said. Those are not updates on the budget deficits that California twice faced earlier this year; these are new projections. We are getting to the point when, if you take a long nap, you're at risk of missing the next dire pronouncement.
There were positive economic signs this week, if you looked hard enough. Housing prices in Southern California went up a bit in October, propelled by a federal tax credit for home purchases. But foreclosures remain rampant. The state added almost 26,000 new jobs last month. But unemployment stood at a shattering 12.5%, the highest rate since World War II.
Into this yawning gap, not much in the way of leadership strode. As the budget deficit numbers were released, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a call to harness "the power of regional and local governments to drive change." He issued it not from Modesto or Murrieta but from Milan, Italy, where the governor had traveled for a climate change and green jobs forum.
...
Standing apart from the pack, as usual, was Republican candidate Tom Campbell, who has talked of nothing but the state's budget woes as he mounts his long-shot campaign for governor.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Meanwhile,, Gubinor Global von Varmer is off on another “trade mission” or photo op... and Maria is on the cell phone in traffic. ;-)
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
Exactly. Even if you have an “R” beside your name, you are automatically a RINO except for Duncan Hunter.
No sweatie-da. The great zero will bail you out.
You know what they say: so goes California....
I know that but with Meg top dog poll-wise of late.. a little chaff couldn’t hurt.. still a long way to go still to the primary and lots can happen.
I’m waiting for Bruce Willis or James Wood .. just our luck we’ll get Ashton Kutchner or Pippy the Magic Pony instead. :-)
No one in California has the political will to tackle the state’s fiscal condition.
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at this point, one should seriesly question the motives of anyone who does want to be Gub in the gathering sh*tstorm ahead.
I agree 100%, but it ain’t gonna happen.
What Reagan do?
Raise taxes and make everyone realize the folly of borrowing money to grow government.
But politicians are in a Catch 22. If they cut expenditures, they get voted out of office. If they raise taxes, they get voted out of office.
This is why Democracy ultimately fails without constitutional restrictions of the ability of government to spend money.
The producers are gone and have been replaced by the non-producers, and very few of them speak English. It's a problem. I don't envy them, and it would behoove all the BO lovers to get a good look at what results from poorly-enforced immigration law and generous welfare and state-sponsored health insurance.
My 25-year old nephew decided it would be "fun" to move across the country to California and look for a job. All he found was part-time work. About a month later he developed appendicitis and needed surgery. There were complications, and it got VERY expensive. California state insurance paid his entire bill, even though he had only lived there short time. His parents are very well-off people who own a condo in Cabo, Mexico, and take several cruises every year. But, since he was legally an adult, they could not be held accountable for his medical bills. My sister and her husband were pretty thrilled he happened to be in California when he got sick!
I have been trying to make this point earlier (in other forums). California already has Universal Health Care, in which everyone else pays for the uninsured through higher health care prices, taxes, and higher premiums.
$21B in debt. Indeed, so goes California..............
I don’t know much about Tom Campbell. Why do you think he is a RINO?
Tom Campbell is representative of those “fiscally conservative/socially liberal” oxymorons. He was my congressional rep for a while.
If he is one thing, he is an honest man, unlike most in politics. I don’t like him, but I respect him.
California once had them, the Gann spending limits. They were both watered down by initiative: first via prop 111 (which Deukmejian endorsed), and then prop 58 brought to you by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold was literally promising to "cut up the credit cards" while simultaneously erasing spending limits.
If he is one thing, he is an honest man, unlike most in politics. I don’t like him, but I respect him.
He was my rep too. I don't like his social policy preferences, but he will listen and will give you a forthright and thoughtful opinion.
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