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2009-12-07 Economy

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-12-07 06:02|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 "The recession put almost all states in a bind," the study observed, "but California, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin have a history of persistent shortfalls."

Certainly something for the pattern detection crowd to ponder, at least for a few seconds.

Posted by Besoeker 2009-12-07 07:16|| 2009-12-07 07:16|| Front Page Top

#2 Huge public-employee pension and health care liabilities weren't even among the factors considered

WTF?

OK, so a "study" of CA's fiscal sit-rep is even worth looking at if it doesn't factor in, uh, one of the largest problems wrecking the state. Gotcha. Sort of like attempting to model and forecast global average temperature without considering, uh, the SUN. Oh, wait .....

Once again, the disappearance of anything resembling a press is key here. Ask most Kahleefornians, about the fiscal problem, and they'll robotically mention something about Prop 13. Not a clue as to how to measure fiscal burden in an apples-to-apples fashion over time (state spending and taxes per capita, state employee headcount per capita, rates of increase, etc.). Not. A. Clue. Of course, they are rarely taught or encouraged to think for themselves, and then they're fed this nonsense about revenue restrictions.

This is absolutely characteristic of the broader collapse of national common sense and astonishing level of ignorance or misunderstanding (again, mostly attributable to the lack of a professional, intelligent, serious press). A friend back in NY reporrts that many in his circle robotically list Prop 13 as a major cause of fiscal troubles here. When he corrects them by pointing out that CA has seen a gigantic increase in revenue - by every measure -since '78, they just sit there not knowing what to think.

Posted by Verlaine 2009-12-07 12:22|| 2009-12-07 12:22|| Front Page Top

#3 there's a petition floating for signatures to get an initiative on the CA ballot next year - to switch the State legislature to part-time (like Texas) and cut their pay in half; both in order to get rid of professional pols and to minimize the damage they do with their mischief. (If you're in CA and want to circulate it just note it has to print out on legal size paper)

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2009-12-07 12:45|| 2009-12-07 12:45|| Front Page Top

#4 Put illegals in the mix and California's budget has the glide profile of a brick.

Posted by DarthVader 2009-12-07 13:24|| 2009-12-07 13:24|| Front Page Top

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