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well, exercise of Democracy by Republicans anyway ;)

I have to say I’ve looked at Dems as a group as complete dingbats, but I’ve never considered my fellow citizens ‘terrorists’. How Rude! Crude! and Socially Unacceptable!

Were it not for Napolitano’s redacted (but still out there propaganda wise) ‘terrorist’ report, and Iran’s mullahs categorizing their own protestors as ‘terrorists’ maybe it would just have gone over my head and I wouldn’t have noticed the comment at all, but it makes me wonder....what’s going on!?

In the article she does fairly point out that the budget problem is due in large part to ballot initiatives that voters have voted for.

The politicians are afraid to cut where they can and she makes the point that people want other areas of government cut but, not the ones that affect them.

She also and in my opinion accurately describes the mentality of people who are dependent on government services and that the typical voter doesn't want to pay for service.

I think what she is saying is that most people don't understand the government of California does not produce money out of thin air. They derive their funds from taxation and fees. They have no decision in monetary policy and are dependent on the American Dollar.

With this basic lack of understanding most people say “let the government pay for it”. Never realizing that taxes on property, gas, food, computers, etc are where the government get its money.

That's right, you are paying certain state taxes so essentially you are funding these services. However, when revenue is reduced through tax collection do to a downturn in the economy and a reduction in spending, there necessarily needs to be a reduction in services.

As I said before the government doesn't manufacture money they tax you to acquire it.

As Californians, we should be adults in this process, as Ms. Bass has declared. That means saying to your representatives “Cut services and we accept that you will also cut services we are dependent on”. An adult would come to that logical conclusion.

Finally, it can be reasoned that since we are cutting services, including those directly affecting us, we should absolutely gut many of the other programs while looking for new resources that will deliver resources.

Cut programs that we simply cannot afford. Here I am talking about the marine biology programs, coastal commission, guards for so called state parks, etc. For new sources of revenue we must develop our natural resources such as oil, offshore and land based, natural gas and provide tax incentives that are friendly to business, while reducing the onerous paperwork required to operate in California.