Posted on 05/23/2009 7:59:24 PM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON – Congress left town on Friday for its annual weeklong Memorial Day break, in no rush to respond to California's simmering financial crisis.
Indeed, while the state has more clout than any other on Capitol Hill, there are no signs that it will translate into financial help anytime soon.
As Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders prepare to make drastic cuts to erase what is now estimated to be a $24.3 billion budget deficit, the response from Democrats who control Congress has been tepid.
Consider the statements coming out of congressional offices:
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco: "The speaker has been in discussions with the delegation, the governor, the treasurer, the House Financial Services Committee chairman and the treasury secretary to determine available options," said her spokesman, Drew Hammill. "The speaker plans to continue this dialogue, and hopes that the governor and the Legislature will come together to address this problem."
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein: "Senator Feinstein is deeply concerned about the budget crisis in California, but the borrowing proposal that has been discussed does not appear workable … State leaders must put forward a clear, detailed plan. The state is going to have to make some very painful cuts, but the failure of the budget-related proposals in this week's special election makes this unavoidable," said her spokesman, Gil Duran.
• Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento: "I am working with Chairman (Barney) Frank, who held a hearing this week on the municipal bond market, and others in Congress on the appropriate federal government response to California's budget crisis, and I hope the governor and Legislature will work together to address the budget issues as well."
Republican Rep. Dan Lungren of Gold River said he's not surprised by the relative quiet.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Keep it that way! No enabling!
AAaayup!
Quick Arnold, switch sides. Free money!
I just bought a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag and and “Unite or Die” flag.
I am going to fly these at my home.
The appropriate Federal response?
That would be - nothing.
sounds like early retirement for Arnie to me
Gee, ya think if Cali didn’t roll out the $$red carpet$$ for millions of illegals, that might have helped?
Yep.
I think.
And.......how about all of those agencies we Just Can’t Do Without!
They can start saving immediately by moving the Feinsteins out of their taxpayer subsidized mansion in Pacific Heights to a motel in the Tenderloin.
He already did.
That’s ok, neither does California.
The only “growth industry” is govt. THink mebbe there’s a connection to the budget crisis?
Nah, couldn’t be that.
Do you remember seeing the list of Gov agencies in this state?
Someone posted them on a thread...IF you run across it again, will you be so kind as to ping me?
I’d LOVE to send that out mass-email.
And I HAVE TO get going on buying your book!!!!!!
There’s probably not enough bandwidth here to post that list! You’ll love the new book, BTW.
I recently heard from an inside source that the big Democrat donors have cut Obama off and will turn to congress instead.
And I presume one of their provisos to keep the campaign funds flowing is no more irresponsible spending and taxing and attacking the rich businessfolks who put him into office.
So if congress says “no” to California, that’s good news.
Robert Heinlein
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