Posted on 01/12/2009 1:14:39 PM PST by SmithL
Under the Capitol dome in Sacramento, Democratic and Republican lawmakers battle in a state budget quagmire, trading charges of obstruction or constitutional end runs. The fed-up governor warns of a financial "Armageddon."
But in Huntington Beach, Molly Logan has more pressing problems.
Her sales at Logan Surfboards took a 30 percent wipeout from 2007 to 2008. She is undercut by imports from Vietnam and Thailand, "where they have no environmental regulations and cheap labor."
While lawmakers fight over a proposed sales tax hike to bail California out of billions in debt, Logan said, "I'm much more concerned about my Roth IRA plummeting. I'm more concerned with the national economy. Right now, it's frightening, frightening."
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is to deliver his State of the State message Thursday in hopes of galvanizing public opinion to pressure lawmakers to agree on a budget to keep California's government from going broke.
But his challenge comes as many Californians are too busy and too worried about effects of the larger national economic calamity to be consumed with details of budget wrangling in Sacramento.
Sacramento lobbyists, state worker unions and advocates for health, education and welfare may think of little more than the state's financial mess. Yet the Capitol isn't being overwhelmed by calls or letters from average Californians demanding a budget.
In Sacramento, the action movie-star governor furiously warns of the costs of inaction on a budget deficit that could reach $40 billion over 18 months. Lawmakers fight over taxes, state worker furloughs and slashing cuts for schools and services.
Outside the capital, they will draw little notice – or scrutiny – until they actually make decisions and act or let state government go belly-up.
"Certainly voters are aware of the (state budget) problem," said California Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo. "But it hasn't...
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Me too when I was a kid in Cocoa Beach in the 60’s. I heard Clark got shut down by em.
I discovered this idiocy years ago when my car that couldn't pass Calif emissions standards was wholesaled to Mexico when I traded it in. Now THAT makes a lot of sense.
By and large the only part of the government most people want to keep functioning is the mail. So a government shut down that won’t stop the mail isn’t something we really care about.
Sort of like the OJ jury and the DNA evidence--"wha'd I care 'bout all dem zeroes!". Hmm. Yes, that was California too.
State government is always crying poor, so people are just tuning it out.
“I heard Clark got shut down by em.”
Did you hear why?
Stop supporting illegals and the budget problem will be solved.
They might as well ban gasoline as well.
Chemical “emissions”. Dunno. I do not know if they are still making blanks or where. I got a McTavish original last year but don’t know what kine blank. Where did you make boards at?
We had a two man shop in Greenville, NC. We built boards for people around Atlantic Beach, Cape Hatteras, Bogue Inlet and other places. Both of us were in HS at the time.
A couple of summers we loaded up a van with boards and took a road trip up the coast. Stopping and surfing everywhere that looked good, and selling boards to the locals. Last point on the trip was Montauk Point, New York.
Those were GOOD times!
“Toluene Diisocynate, that is why.”
Ah. Not EPA approved foam. Probably the same chemical that was used in the foam that covered the Shuttle fuel tank. They changed that to be “green”. They killed some astronauts with that decision.
Cool memories. I had a lot of friends in Va. Beach. We did the same kene of tour starting in Miami and ending in Long Island. I was a rep for the old Walker Foam Co. and my pard worked for O’neil. We were livin life I tell ya.
Cool memories. I had a lot of friends in Va. Beach. We did the same kene of tour starting in Miami and ending in Long Island. I was a rep for the old Walker Foam Co. and my pard worked for O’neil. We were livin life I tell ya.
“We did the same kene of tour starting in Miami and ending in Long Island.”
Just never know who you’re going to run into on FR.
Kowabunga!
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