Tuesday, May 19, 2009

People are Gullible (But There IS Hope)

In the late 1970's (during the Carter Administration), the people of California revolted. Not against big business or Republicans (typically among the favorite targets of the left), but against TAXES.

Seriously. Californians ACTUALLY said, "ENOUGH!!!", when it came to increasing taxes.

Amazing, I KNOW...

That period of revolt helped lead to the rise of Ronald Reagan to the presidency in 1980, and to nearly THIRTY years of economic growth and prosperity.

What amazes me is how events of the current day continually seem to mirror this period of our past. Remember those folks, myself included, who said Obama looked to be another Carter? Oh, if we could only be so lucky to have another Reagan around the corner. But I digress...

Today, Californians have been asked by their REPUBLICAN governor and DEMOCRAT-led assembly/senate to vote in favor 5 propositions which would increase taxes on ALL CITIZENS, divert funds, etc., in the hopes of closing a budget shortfall of AT LEAST 15 BILLION dollars. Without this money, it has been argued by the governor and his friends in Sacramento (via mob tactics no less...), that California will become a failed state unless we then cut police, fire, and education budgets. Funny how we never mention all that funding for FREE benefits for ILLEGAL ALIENS... Given how California typically votes, one would think that these propositions would likely pass by a landslide.

But a funny thing happened on the way to California becoming potentially a failed state... The people of California have apparently decided to have ANOTHER tax revolt!!! ALL FIVE appear to be on their way to defeat, but with a sixth proposition preventing state reps from voting themselves pay raises during years where there is a budget shortfall (interestingly, they have voted themselves pay raises TWICE in the last year, even though they couldn't vote to pass a STATE BUDGET).

SO, it appears that the state of California will have to go the rout of the everyday voter... Roll up their sleeves and see where we can afford to make cuts. Of course, the choices that will be made will be IDIOTIC (instead of cutting funding for illegals, sea otters, etc., they'll cut other funds), unless these morons realize that the next election will be for THEIR JOBS.

After last fall, I began to wonder about the common sense of many Americans. ESPECIALLY in California. Now, I have HOPE... No, not that kind of hope. We still have a long way to go, but at least there seems to be a light at our feet.

But, I've also found it interesting how other states are looking to increase revenues. Deleware recently became the 4th state to now allow legal sports betting. Other states are considering similar plans, and some include legalizing marijuana (Oregon, California and others) and even PROSITUTION... Of course, the goal is to TAX revenues from these newly legalized items and to also make money off of the "licenses" which will be needed to buy, produce, sell, etc...

So, I thought I'd offer my own sarcastic plan for California after these propostions fail...

1. Legalize Weed
2. Legalize Sports Betting
3. Legalize Prostitution

Then, open a chain of brothels which also house a sports book and a "head shop". In addition to the tax revenues flowing in from these houses of ill-repute, the state will see an increase in sales tax revenues from the skyrocketing sales of ice cream, tacos, and Pop-Tarts...

The sad part is, someone is Sacramento will probably think this is a GREAT idea...

Saturday, May 9, 2009

California: Failed State?

I have read something VERY similar to the following via numerous sources (thus, I am unable to list the ORIGINAL for reference purposes. I felt it important to post here, because of the popular saying: "As California goes..."

In some spots, I have inflected my own personal opinions...

California is a failed liberal experiment.

Liberalism, which clings to the childlike belief in the free lunch, has wrecked this once great state. California: the land of energy, agriculture, and a treasure trove of brilliant human capital is now collapsing in upon itself, straining under the weight of a staggering $40 billion+ deficit.

In Homage to Catalonia, a personal narrative of his participation in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell marveled at the ability of Marxists (aka: COMMUNISTS) to reduce to a state of filth and chaos any building which they occupied. And like Orwell, Americans may now marvel at the state of filth and fiscal chaos liberal Democrats reduce almost any state or municipality THEY occupy. From Detroit to Chicago, and from Massachusetts to California... Only liberalism could bring THE WORLDS' SIX LARGEST
ECONOMY (California) to it's knees in one generation.

As an unfortunate resident of California, I take no glee in pointing this out. California once embodied America and our optimistic, expansionist ideals. But no longer. This collapsed welfare state is exhibit A in the gallery of liberalisms failures. Of course, the New York Times and a yapping chorus of progressive apologists don't see things this way. So who's to blame, according to left? Why Republicans, of course! The following is from The New York Times, liberalisms toilet paper of record
:

"The roots of California’s inability to address its budget woes are statutory and political. The state, unlike most others, requires a two-thirds majority vote in the legislature to pass budgets and tax increases. And its process for creating voter initiatives hamstrings the budget process by directing money for some programs while depriving others of cash. "


For months Republicans in the California Assembly and Senate have vowed not to raise taxes. In California this means no increase in the sales, gasoline, cigarette, utilities, vehicle license, personal income tax, or and other the other myriad of "taxes".

The American Prospect pushes the liberal line even further: Proposition 13 (from the late 1970's) and the ensuing property tax hikes wrecked the state by raising the rate from 1% to 3.5%, a rate which devestated senior homeowners living on fixed incomes and led to an artificial housing crisis. So there we have it: A state completely run by free-spending liberal Democrats at every level collapses and the Republicans are to blame.

Wayne Allyn Root throws a bucket of cold water on this nonsense:

"The good news is that California leads the nation. The bad news is that California leads the nation in deficit, debt and the amount of residents escaping to other states."

Just a few ways in which California "leads" the nation...

*California leads the country in spending on government employees.

*California spends twice as much as the national average per student on education (with dismal results).

*California spends almost $200 million per year on free college educations for illegal immigrants (no, that's not a typo).

*California has the most draconian anti-business rules and regulations in the nation. That forces businesses to spend too much. The result is that California is the most costly place in America to do business (according to the Milken Institutes business cost index).

*California is heaven for trial lawyers and hell for small businesses. That could be why so many major employers have left the state (according to Investor's Business Daily).

*California has the second highest income tax rates in all of America. And it is among the nation's leaders in virtually every tax category possible- income taxes, business taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, taxes on real estate transactions, taxes on stock transactions, capital gains taxes, workers compensation taxes, the list is endless. Behold the Fruits of Rampant Liberalism!

* Record breaking debt and junk bond rating. Highest debt ever for any state in the history of the nation.

* Job growth 20% lower than the nation. But it's not just any jobs that California is losing. According to the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, the state has lost 440,000 high-wage jobs.

* 3rd highest unemployment rate in the nation, but many believe it will SOON be #1.

* Reverse Gold Rush: Last year, over 144,000 more people left California than moved in. That EASILY led the nation. This was the fourth straight year of "out-migration". Liberals can try to refute this, but the facts are clear, and Californian refugees are voting with their feet. That 144,000 number seems oddly familiar...

If President Obama and the liberal Democrats in Congress have their way, soon we'll be saying: We're all Californians now.