[Cousin Eddie]

The budget shortfall has very little to do with the Davis' energy mismanagement.

It's primarily driven on his (and the legislature's) spendthrift ways. Budgets in the last few years were growing at double digit rates while inflation remained in the 1-2% range. They basically counted on the capital gains tax receipts (from all of the dot.bomb zillianairs) to be a permanent fixture. Anyone with half a brain would know that it was unsustainable. Permanent expenditures should be based on permanent receipts. It's like the guy (making $50k per year) who wins $4,000 in Vegas going out and buying a house with a $4,000 per month mortgage payment. You're fine for the first month, but then what?

[Carry_Okie]

The budget shortfall has very little to do with the Davis' energy mismanagement.

True only in the short term. The interest on the bonds is significant and will only grow.

The biggie was the class size reduction mandated by the voters. It didn't work, exactly as predicted. What happened is that there were more openings in good schools and the good teachers from bad schools left to fill them. That left bad schools with a more unqualified teachers. Test performance barely improved and most of that was due to the end of bilingual education (which the union fought every step of the way).

Class size reduction screwed the poor, exactly like every other Slave Party program does. They won't need Democrats if they don't need State assistance. Workers won't need Democrats if they don't need State jobs.

That is the essence of indentured constituency.

[Gophack]

You're mostly right. Davis and the Democrats were like children in a candy-shop when they took over the Governorship in January of 1999. They spent and spent, racking up huge increases and no cry wolf when we need to go back. They call it a cut, but had they increased spending at the rate population increases (which I think has been 5% since he took office), we would have a SURPLUS!!!!!

However, Davis' failure during the energy crisis DID contribute to the shortfall of cash that the Controller had to take $7.5 billion in short-term loans in May to simply pay the state's bills.

Davis is a failure all the way around, and the Democrats in the Legislature have enabled him to drive our great state into financial ruin.

Dump Davis!