Washington declines to help California, at least for now

Los Angeles Times ^ | May 22, 2009 | Peter Nicholas and Richard Simon

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

The federal government won’t help a state that won’t help itself? Why not? They do it for individuals!

[DoughtyOne]

As a Californian, I say excellent!

Let California get it’s own house in order.

Keep Obama’s fingers out of my state.

[FormerACLUmember]

The polls say 60-70% “NO” to bailing out the California and its Public Unions.

[GOP Poet]

Exactly!

[Seruzawa]

What’s so hard? Budget 10% over? Cut everything and everyone by 10%. Problem solved. People who don’t like it can move elsewhere. (Just don’t move to Utah, please).

[N. Theknow]

Wow!

All that groveling, glad-handing and brown-nosing by Ah-nuld when he was "summoned" to the White House on the day Calli-forn-ya voted (When the President calls you, you go) was for naught?

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks. Heaven forbid!

[devistate one four]

Our study and experience shows that states are like car manufacturers and banks, they just keep commin’ and comin’

[sima_yi]

...weather a short-term cash crisis ...

It isn't a short-term cash crisis, it's a long-term, systemic problem. This mess didn't happen overnight.

[RobbyS]

Virtually impossible to cut 10% across the board, because so much money goes for facilities and to those at top dogs of the agency. Like cutting 10% of the White House budget. They’d have to get rid of most of the worker bees.

[ZULU]

Obama is holding out until the Gubermnator does what his skeletanous wife has probably been prodding him to do for years - join Spector in the Democrat ranks.

Hast la Vista Conan. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt as you leave.

[Tzimisce]

It’s too bad the Feds aren’t asking the state of Washington, they’re telling the state of Washington...

[utahagen]

“Even if the president were to make an exception for California, the aid would need to come on unattractive terms...” Translation: Obama WILL bailout California. he just wants CA to beg a bit more.

[Seruzawa]

That’s a problem?

Cut all pay by 10%. Cut all welfare checks by 10%. Food stamps, ditto. Every govt office gets 10% less money. It can be done. Govt employees who try to strike or retaliate in any fashion are immediately fired. There is no shortage of other people who would be glad to have those govt jobs at pay levels far lower than they are now since most govt jobs are just “show up and fill time”.

[aquila48]

“What’s so hard? Budget 10% over? Cut everything and everyone by 10%. Problem solved. People who don’t like it can move elsewhere. (Just don’t move to Utah, please).”

Couldn’t agree more!! They make it sound like cutting 10% is the end of the world! Companies do that all the time.

They were talking of cutting 5000 state jobs out of 250,000 and they made it sound like they were cutting their arms off. It’s only a f***ing 2%!!!!

[TSgt]

“Even if the president were to make an exception for California, the aid would need to come on unattractive terms...” Translation: Obama WILL bailout California. he just wants CA to beg a bit more.

The Federal Government would then own Mexifornia like it owns Chrysler and GM.

[briarbey b]

The gov. already pretty much owns and controls the states...the only reason for the previous bailouts was to gain control and ownership.

[RobbyS]

You were talking about a ten per cut in the budget. Someone has to handle the money and those who head the agency will let the worker bees take a hit but will guard the overhead that impacts on their interests. Just as in war it is better to be in a headquarters unit.

[HIDEK6]

And there's a limit to what the government can do.

Oh. Really?