California's Reckoning—and Ours

Newsweek ^ | Aug 3, 2009 | Robert J. Samuelson

[NormsRevenge]

Elect moderates and finish the state off already.

[RC2]

Yup....California taxes companies and the working stiff and gives it away to the immigrants and those that won’t work. Either our government learned from California or the reverse.

[Da Coyote]

Interesting listing of cost-cutting measures.

But, there’s something wrong with my computer...nowhere could I find the term “illegal aliens” in the article.

I’m calling IT now to fix the problem.

Sarc switch now being turned to “off”

[Kartographer]

The NEW ballad of Jed Clampett

Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed
Poor oil entrepreneur barely kept his family fed
Then one day he was working for some food,
And up through the crowd come a bumbling fool
(Arnold that is, RINO gold, more taxes please)

Well the first thing you know old Jed's taxes are to much to bear,
Kin folk said Jed move away from there!
Said California is no place for you to be
So they loaded up the truck and they moved from Beverly
(go’n back to the Hills they are, fish’n holes, country and western stars)

Well now it's time to say goodbye to Jed and all his kin
They would like to thank you folks for kindly dropping in
You're all invited back again to their new locality
To have a heaping helping of their hospitality
(Redneck Hillbillies, is what the press call 'em now, Clingers of bibles and guns and to Obama no bow! Nice folks Y'all come back now, ya hear?)

[freedumb2003]

1 billion below expectations already.

Could it be capital and the eeevil wealthy are fleeing the state and taking their tax dollars with them? (I will soon be with them, once I know I can sell my home)

So, naturally the legislature wants to increase taxes even more to entice those people and businesses back. That works, right?

liberal thinking...

[Steely Tom]

California's not collecting enough taxes. That's the whole problem. Thanks Time.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFLMAO!....

[BertWheeler]

California is no longer the bellweather for the U.S. I love California but those guys out there have got to get over themselves.

Big government reigns supreme in California.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Actually this is from Newsweek...I messed up the source...link works ok...asking for a correction.

[Ev Reeman]

California’s problems have been around for decades and mostly can be attributed to the fact that the state legislature has been completely monopolized by tax and spend liberals. They’ve never met a tax they didn’t like and only cloud the issue by using the euphemism of “fees” to excuse their spendthrift ways. Then adding insult to injury, they also pile on the insane government regulations that every single business, large and small, must meet or pay outrageous penalties for even as these businesses are leaving the state for more lucrative states. These are the same problems that face other states such as Michigan, Illinois and New Jersey just to name a few. California is not an exception because of these policies and the American people are getting angrier by the day over these job killing morons and idiots in state and federal government.

[Graybeard58]

Did Newsweek get one right?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

NO...I think the essence of the editorial is that itis the Bellweather...think what the big Healthcare reform will do for us....prime example of wishful thinking.

[SoDak]

This is happening worldwide. It’s like a total breakdown of human math comprehension.

[NormsRevenge]

A lot of the powers that be here are Northeasterners and products of illegals giving birth here.

It is still a beautiful state but it may well take a ‘Big One’ to reset the game out here. It’s really sad that Moonbeam , a forerunner of the green movement, is now leading future Gubinor polls and he hasn’t been announced.

My gut feeel is he may well not run , fully realizing how sad a shape the state is in and how precariously it is perched on the edge of an abyss that will swallow what is left of the state’s busisesses.

[ntmxx]

The failure here and across America, is the lessons of history, common sense and economics 101. What we have too much of is corrupt political behavior, illegal activities and ignorance. Now ask the question of how this is fixed? Everyone knows the answer, yet, because of political expediency the status quo will be maintained as long as the politically corrupt, illegal and ignorant have someone else pay costs, the system will continue to exist as a parasite.

[truthguy]

California’s problems have been around for decades and mostly can be attributed to the fact that the state legislature has been completely monopolized by tax and spend liberals.

Very succinct! 100% agreement. But what caused these people to be elected to state legislatures? It was the voting patterns of the California electorate. We have cultivated a culture of quick and easy money and instant wealth. You can see it the the TV shows that are produced. You can see it in the attitudes of the young people. We are a culture that has short term expectations. There's no will to sacrifice. Then when you add the millions of immigrants (illegal and legal) that expect goodies from government you have a recipe for disaster.

We have fools for state legislators. We (I live in CA) have a fool and a buffoon for a governor who hasn't a clue about how economic systems function. He might have made big money in Hollywood but so have a lot of other intellectual lightweights.

No the best way to summarize California is from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar;

"...the fault, dear Brutus lies not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are their underlings..."

Will the liberal politicians learn anything form this. No, I doubt it. They are beyond redemption.

[Grampa Dave]

A little truthful editing here:

“That’s true of California, where illegals and their children have increased pressures for more government services as soon as they come into California illegally.”

[RC2]

You got that right. If the State cut back on business taxes and personal taxes, people would flock to the state. But nooooooooo, they can’t seem to figure that one out.

[Marine_Uncle]

Indeed, ROLF. It don’t get much better then that.