California Near Financial Disaster [hours away]

Washington Post ^ | June 30, 2003 | Rene Sanchez

[AntiGuv]

This is life in California, on the brink of a fiscal disaster.

The nation's most populous state, home to one of the world's largest economies, has been staring in disbelief at the same dire predicament for months: a $38 billion deficit, the largest shortfall in its history and an extreme example of the budget woes afflicting many states. But now it has only hours left to solve the problem.

State lawmakers have until midnight to reach a compromise with Gov. Gray Davis (D) on a budget that would wipe out the enormous deficit, but the odds of that happening appear slim. And without a deal, the state will be bound by law to begin cutting off billions of dollars in payments to its agencies and its contractors in July -- and could run out of money by August.

"It looks bleak," said Perry Kenny, president of the California State Employees Association, which represents more than 100,000 government workers. "This is the biggest hole we've ever been in, and no one can seem to find a way out. We're all sweating bullets here."

[sarcasm]

Are the people that are being inundated by hundreds of thousands of illegal alien parasites in Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee. New Jersey, NY, Colorado, Utah, Illinois etc, is it all their own problems too?

Your forgot Indiana

[Thorondir]

They're everywhere, man! They're frickin' EVERYWHERE! Millions of 'em, coming in endless waves! Set phasers on disintegrate!

[Publius6961]

Since when did I ask for anyone outside of California to pay for our state's budget crisis?

Since you suggested that federal spending and other "help" in and for California is all play money, I guess.
See post 13.

[Thorondir]

Just how dare you launch that egregious ad hominem attack... against what he said... yeah... the person of what he said... or something... well... either that or something else... "MOMMY!"

[JNB]

The Census in 2000 reported about 35K Latinos in the Indianapolis area, and that included some illegeal aliens, the 2000 census was very agresive in trying to count Latinos. My guess is some of the numbers are quite inflated by a Clintonised Census dept. At the same time, it is intresting that almost half of the Latino immigrants in the US plan to return to their home countries. Also the number of Hispanics varies from season to season.

That said, the GOP better be careful that a well funded, articulate 3rd party canidate doesnt come alone at some point and rail against immigration and globalisation., that would take more than half of the GOP base.

[Thorondir]

...that would take more than half of the GOP base.

True, and insure a commielib Demoncrap victory... instead of a commielib RINO victory.

(sigh)

[sarcasm]

That said, the GOP better be careful that a well funded, articulate 3rd party canidate doesnt come alone at some point and rail against immigration and globalisation., that would take more than half of the GOP base.

A large portion of the base may just decide to stay home come election day.

[Iwo Jima]

speaking as someone who regularly interacts with the soccer moms, .... 3. They're getting tired of having their reservist husbands on active deployment for so long....

The WH is screwing with California politics by having Pendleton guys on active deployment in Iraq for nearly nine months now. Bring 'em home!

Leaving aside the questionable assertion that a wife of a reservist husband often qualifies as a "soccer mom," I object to making national defense decisions based on what is politically popular in California. If the deployment from Camp Pendleton is causing your state so much grief, then we should close Pendleton (there are other valid reasons for doing so), move the units to a base in Texas or elsewhere, and make everybody happy.

California could do much to solve its financial woes by allowing offshore drilling and the building of new refineries. The national economy would also be enormously improved. If CA won't do this and reduce their spending, they deserve their very ominous fate of financial ruin. The illlegal alien problem is just a red herring.

I take no real pleasure in seeing CA crash and burn, but it is a fact which is going to happen even if the federal government goes broke(r) pouring money down a rathole. I fear that other states will follow, either due to their own financial woes or as a spillover effect. We all have our own battles to fight, and you honestly can't expect non-Californians to care very much about what happens to people who paid more than 10X what a house was possibly worth when economic reality sets in as it inevitably does.

[backhoe]

[Iwo Jima]

Since when does the POTUS have the ability to look the largest, most populous, and most economically productive state in these United States and ignore us?

Get a grip, man! And some facts.

California is the most populous state (for now), but it is certainly not the largest (Alaska and Texas are larger) and hardly the most productive. And as more and more people and jobs exit CA for a saner world elsewhere (such as HewlettPackard transferring jobs to its Texas facilities acquired in its purchase of Compaq), CA will perhaps cease to be the most populous state, losing congressional representation and electoral college votes. And that's a good thing.

[Iwo Jima]

It seems to me that the state of California could easily guard its relatively small border with Mexico. That's a much easier thing to do for CA than for either Texas or Arizona because the borders there are so much longer and remote.

However, I don't think that the illegals by and large come to CA via the Mexican border. I think that more come across into Texas or Arizona and make thier way to CA because the welfare benefits are greater there, among other reasons. So, CA could go a long way towards alleviating its illegal alien problem by cutting off welfare.

[joesnuffy]

when it collapses all the illegals and govt beneficiaries will come running for the nearest next liberal state to destroy...
Ca ought to be fenced off...quickly

[tm22721]

Let the state burn.

Then collect the insurance.

BUMP

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

[Aeronaut]

...which represents more than 100,000 government workers.

<sarcasm>They need to hire some consultants.</sarcasm>

[jrlc]

California -- call your friend Klintoon, maybe he can give back some of the pardon money.

[Fraulein]

I'm not in favor of a bailout. And yet if we can give away billions to every other country and continent on the planet -- Pakistan, Turkey, Africa, etc. -- then you'd think that we could at least help out one of our own states here at home. Of course, it would just be a bandaid that wouldn't at all treat the real underlying problems, which is the rub...

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

One of the largest factors in California's budget crisis is the Congress, the Senate, and the past 7 presidents, including the one that is occupying the White House currently. They have allowed *millions* of illegal alien parasites to invade our land.

Wake up Thorondir, the fish stinks from the head, and it's the GD Federal Government's sworn responsibility AND duty to protect our federal borders and our sovereignty. I don't give a fat baboon's butt what some clueless, leftist state governor does or says.

It's your Federal Government that has allowed this epic invasion of millions to be parasites on the taxpayers of California, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois, etc etc..........IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY, AND DUTY TO PROTECT THE BORDERS!

The fish stinks from the head.... Hello, anyone home?

You are correct. You have told the exact truth. The companies employing illegals are paying off politicians from BOTH sides. However, blind loyalties to both parties cause the ignorant, asisine comments you read earlier. No one wants to know the truth, everyone wants the truth presented from their perspective.

[ErnBatavia]

...Take away their new state cars and give um ol jackasses to ride to work.....

And close down the "Taj Mahal", Desert Sands Unified Skool District headquarters...(you can tell it from the various skools, because it's yard isn't stuffed with trailer/classrooms)

[Jonathon Spectre]

I believe if I lived in CA I might have to get my hammer and head out to the San Andreas and start pounding away. I probably wouldn't help hasten its inevitable and welcome slide into the ocean, but I might. Even a chance is worth something.