Once, California was known as the “Golden State.” No more. It’s struggling with a fiscal crisis of epic proportions. And voters are so disgusted with the ineptitude and waste of a state legislature dominated by liberal Democrats that they are poised to vote down a $16 billion tax increase and a slew of propositions allegedly intended to beat back fiscal Armageddon.
If residents of the other 49 states haven’t focused on California’s plight yet, they should. In a real sense, California has become liberalism’s “canary in the coal mine.” It is an instructive – and frightening – warning of the toll exacted by the kind of leftism now in vogue in Washington, D.C..
Put simply, California is in desperate fiscal straits because it has become a place where government works for only two constituencies: Those who need public assistance, and unions. Sacramento is so busy responding to the needs of the one and the demands of the other that the legitimate expectations of regular, taxpaying citizens have been completely ignored.
For union members, life is good. California teachers earn 25% more than the national average, yet California’s students test out near the bottom of the national average… partly because California has not been able to get their illegal alien problems under control, even though some of the most incompetent, indifferent or downright dangerous of them cannot be fired because of concessions won by the teachers’ unions. The SEIU is so powerful that some of its members were able to listen in on a phone call between the Obama administration and the state – which resulted in the President’s threat to withhold stimulus money if the cash-strapped state made even modest cuts in the salaries of unionized home health care employees. In fact, state government is routinely held hostage by public employee unions; not surprising when one considers that
Similarly, if one is an illegal alien or in need of public aid,
How times change. Forty years ago, California’s roads and schools were the envy of the country. Now, of course, highways are jammed, and schools languish near the bottom of nationwide rankings. Hospitals are overcrowded, as are prisons. And contrary to the claims of those on the left, the problem isn’t inadequate “investment,” i.e., spending. Forty years ago, the state spent $1240 for every man, woman and child in the state, in today’s inflation-adjusted dollars. Now, it spends more than double that amount – $3200 per person – even as ordinary citizens’ quality of life has plummeted. No wonder voters are poised to reject the politicians’ propositions, which would require another $16 billion in tax increases!
What’s become apparent from the California debacle is that government is perhaps capable of doing a little bit for everyone, or everything for a few. But liberalism’s golden promise of an efficient government that does everything for everyone is nothing but a pipe dream – and an expensive, destructive one at that.
If Americans are smart, they’ll learn from California’s example. There’s something eerily familiar about President Obama’s close embrace of government employees and unions – along with his historically budget-busting “investments” in all manner of services – coupled with his call for higher taxes.
In California, we’ve seen it all before. And believe me, it isn’t pretty.
by Carol Platt Liebau - an attorney, political commentator and guest radio talk show host based near Los Angeles.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Sun Sets in California
CA is the canary! It will go into bankruptcy before the rest of the U.S. - but not long before, if Obama and the DNC-controlled Congress is not stopped. Forget the GOP - it lied, and then died. When do We the People decide to believe liars again? NEVER! And the Democrats are worse! Enough of the choice between worthless and useless!
We need a Conservative Party! Period. Go to the Constitution Party - it has an existing political party infrastructure - so We do not have to start from scratch! Take back Our Constitutional government! Better than open rebellion - although all options are on the table!
And warning to D.C. - don't mess with the First Amendment if you don't want to find out what the Second Amendment is for! We the People have not yet conducted military tribunals to accomplish justice, but We do not consider this a significant limitation on doing so, if necessary!
Hendry in Texas~
And then, let us not forget California’s greatest contribution to America’s nightmare… Nancy Pelosi…
Photos (Below) From the John and Ken Tax Revolt over the weekend
Related Articles:
Glenn Beck: California - let them fail
May 18, 2009 - 12:26 ET
 Glenn Beck is seen here on the Insider Webcam, an exclusive feature available only to Glenn Beck Insiders. Learn more... |
GLENN: I would just like to say California is the neighbor that we just want to move away. You know what I mean? We just want California and not all of you honestly. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love California. It's just that the majority of the people that are running California have wrecked it. But the good news is Californians themselves, I think it's just maybe and I'd like to hear from Californians. Maybe it's just that you get so worn down, you're like, "I can't take it, whatever." And you just let it go because you're just not going to fight it because you know you're not going to win... until moments like this when the tax is out of control, your state is going bankrupt and they come to you and they give you a bunch of proposals that they ask you to vote on and you're going to say no!
Full Transcript: Transcript
Posted: Knowledge Creates Power – 05.18.09
No comments:
Post a Comment