Posted on 07/09/2009 7:49:55 AM PDT by SmithL
SACRAMENTO — On the stump, as he tries to sell his deficit-cutting plan to voters, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has tried to show a softer side toward those who will get hit hardest, often returning to a variation of a line he rolled out in an address to the Legislature in May: "I see the pain in their eyes and hear the fear in their voice."
But every once in a while, the megamillionaire and movie star reveals himself as somewhat detached from the struggles of the poor. Last weekend, in a New York Times Magazine article, he spoke of getting into his Jacuzzi to "lay back" with a "stogie," refusing to get depressed by the harsh choices he's had to make.
That came a few weeks after he'd sent Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, a metallic sculpture of bull testicles, telling him he needs to toughen up to make deeper cuts. Last year, Schwarzenegger waved a wad of dollar bills when asked whether the state would run out of cash, saying he was doing fine.
Now, critics are saying Schwarzenegger is rolling out standard Republican demagoguery on welfare by making accusations over fraud in social services programs such as CalWorks and In Home Social Services.
"I've never liked when people pick on the poor because they haven't got the ability to fight back," said John Burton, the state Democratic Party chairman and former Senate leader known as a fierce advocate for the poor. "It's a Republican syndrome. It isn't tough for Republicans to beat up on poor people.
(Excerpt) Read more at contracostatimes.com ...
Right out of the liberal playbook. Creating more “victims” as usual. A must for liberal survival.
Democrats won’t let him cut services for the poor or state workers. Those are the biggest parts of the budget. All he’s left with is nickel diming here and there which won’t do it.
Democrats are holding out for a massive tax increase, which won’t do it either.
We hear this claim whenever an attempt at fiscal sanity is made but you never hear it said that idiotic spending schemes are done on the “back of the poor”. The salaries of useless bureaucrats are taken out of the hides of the poor but statists will never admit it.
“But every once in a while, the megamillionaire and movie star reveals himself as somewhat detached from the struggles of the poor”
Earth to Contra Costa, the days of wine and roses are over for Ca. You’re all poor!
We don't beat up poor people, we have pity for them like anyone else. I've been poor, been there and done that. The difference is, I dug myself out of it by hard work and the grace of God. The Lord helps those who help themselves.
As a conservative, we believe in creating an environment that alleviates poverty, not in cutting a check to somebody because we feel sorry for them. Teach a man to fish.....
The liberls need to have those people on welfare. Without that need they have no power. How many of the people looking for a handout, would have made it 100 yrs ago? NONE!!!
Note there has been no audit of the CA state government to find the graft, corruption, and duplication of agencies and services. Note there has been no crack down of illegals receiving benefits from the taxpayers of California.
The figures are, of course, just for illustration, but this is how it works..................
Hey.... This is REAL!!!!!!
Alive and growing in every state... Especially CA...
Joe Legal vs. Jose Illegal
Here is an example of why hiring illegal aliens is not productive for the State of California, or for anybody else for that matter...
You have 2 families...”Joe Legal” and “Jose Illegal”. Both families have 2 parents, 2 children and live in California.
“Joe Legal” works in construction, has a Social Security Number, and makes $25.00 per hour with payroll taxes deducted....”Jose Illegal” also works in construction, has “NO” Social Security Number, and gets paid $15..00 cash “under the table”.
Joe Legal...$25.00 per hour x 40 hours $1000.00 per week, $52,000 per year...
Now take 30% away for state & federal tax
Joe Legal now has $31,231.00
Jose Illegal....$15.00 per hour x 40 hours $600.00 per week, $31,200.00 per year
Jose Illegal pays no taxes...
Jose Illegal now has $31,200.00
Joe Legal pays Medical and Dental Insurance with limited coverage
$1000.00 per month.
$12,000.00 per year
Joe Legal now has $19,231.00
Jose Illegal has full Medical and Dental coverage through the state and local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year.
Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00
Joe Legal makes too much money is not eligible for Food Stamps or welfare.
Joe Legal pays for food
$1,000.00 per month
$12,000.00 per year
Joe Legal now has $ 7,231.00
Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for Food Stamps and Welfare.
Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00
Joe Legal pays rent of
$1,000.00 per month
$12,000.00 per year
Joe Legal is now in the hole
Minus (-) $4,769.00
Jose Illegal receives a $500 per month Federal rent subsidy.
Jose Illegal pays rent
$500.00 per month
$6,000.00 per year
Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00
Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after work.
Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.
Joe Legal’s and Jose Illegal’s children both attend the same school. Joe Legal pays for his children’s lunches while Jose Illegal’s children get a government sponsored lunch.
Jose Illegal’s children have an after school ESL program. Joe Legal’s children go home.
Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same Police and Fire Services, but Joe paid for them and Jose did not pay.
Jose Illegal sends a lot of his money to Mexico via Western Union down at the local WalMart.
Joe Legal doesn’t send any money to anybody except what he sends to his government via payroll confiscation.
Serious recommendation: Don’t vote/support any politician that supports illegal aliens...Check their voting records.......
Its PAST time to take a stand for America!
Boy that's a hoot considering he is loath to name the invasion as causal for any of the issues surrounding the whole debacle.
Nearly all of the billions of dollars in cuts the administration has proposed would affect programs for poor Californians...
“Government doesn’t provide services to rich people,” Mike Genest, the state’s finance director, said on a conference call with reporters on Friday. “It doesn’t even really provide services to the middle class.” He added: “You have to cut where the money is.”
Exactly right! The Dems are running the perfect scam, using the poor. They box the poor into poverty and dependence on Dems (fighting anything -- like school choice, "enterprise zones," etc., -- that might actually help, while they beat the Republicans (who are pathetic at fighting back) over the head with being mean and selfish.
Meanwhile, they shove money at all kinds of stupid schemes (AGW being only the latest), assuring that no high-level dem or faithful bureaucrat will ever know want! They've perfected Three-Card Monte!
The “poor” he is most worried about are state and local employees. They don’t want that extra day off: It might become obvious they are not needed. But I can see employees spending more time away from their desks, just to prove to the public that the extra hands are needed.
The stupid philosphy of Enviromental Materialism is crashing and burning. With it the highly paid racket of social worker goes with it, these political clowns cannot stop this process.
He is a fierce advocate of the social workers whose union funds his campaigns, well that ponzi scheme is coming to an end.
he should go for the tax increase,resign and during his resignation speech announce hes moving out of the state and anyone able to should as well. leaving the dems with a big stinking pile of manure like that might knock some sense into some other states.
The Legislature needs to delete unnecessary agencies and
programs, help small businesses, encourage offshore
drilling. Yet, with a totally democrat Legislature, these
things are not going to happen!
Ya know, its sad but true, the “poor” don’t do much for the economy and are net tax consumers. So, logically, that IS the place to balance the budget, right after you finish booting out all the “spoils” hires and deadwood in the government bureaucracies.
Once you have business going again there are opportunities for the “poor” and the fired bureaucrats.
To bad they won’t pursue this course. The PRK deserves its fate.
You said it! BUT,the politicians in CA are too entrenched in giveaways to cut back. They don’t even know which agencies are duplicates or do nothing much. I wonder if they know much at all.
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