The State of California

posted at 10:46 am on May 4, 2009 by Rovin

The people of California have had their fill of higher taxes and big government spending.

There’s a saying that “as California goes, so goes the nation”.  For decades the Golden State has been a test state for much of the fiscal and social policies that have eventually become laws in other states, and in some cases, national referendums.  There are two powerful regions in this state that control these policies; Los Angeles County and the Bay Area of San Francisco. Together, they share an ideology that contradicts the state’s welfare and general principals of a free market enterprise. It should be alarming that these two regions have so much influence and control over its people while dictating social policy and controlling the purse strings through special interest and powerful unions.  These two densely populated areas control the dialogue through their left-wing media, and re-districting practices while the balance of the state remains voiceless.  I wonder how many know that in 2004 George W. Bush won the county by county race, (32-26), against John Kerry, and yet, because of the popular vote (6,745,485 to 5,509,826) Kerry won the states 55 electoral votes.  If you look at the map here of the entire state you will see that California is still predominately red, and yet liberal Democrats have dominated the State Legislature for decades.

For over thirty years, this liberal legislature has been in control of the Assembly and the State Senate.  Financially, the Golden State has maintained its upside down status since Gray Davis experimented with putting state holdings into a volatile stock market.  Arnold Schwarzenegger made a feeble attempt to rein in spending, but folded under the pressure of the unions and special interest that own these legislators.

Current status:

Assembly—-27 Republicans and 50 Democrats

Senate——–15 Republicans and 24 Democrats (with one vacancy)

Only the two-thirds rule, (that the citizens of the state passed by proposition), that states “any tax increase passed in the legislature must be by two thirds and NOT a simple majority,” has prevented this state from putting a tremendous tax burden on its people.  At 8.25%, California has the highest state sales tax, which can total up to 10.25% with local sales tax included.  When the state legislature recently passed their current budget, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the budget package passed by state lawmakers is “the perfect medicine for our ailing economy.”  At the time of its signing, California was attempting to close a $42 billion deficit.

Now the state wants to provide more medicine in a May 19^th STATEWIDE SPECIAL ELECTION.  The only thing getting “elected” in this wasteful ballot measure is Mr. Tax Increase and Mr. Borrow more.  Every proposition is designed to shift money into an already bloated government, with the exception of Prop 1F, that freeze’s legislator’s pay raises when the state is running a deficit.  This is the only proposition that is currently winning in the polling data, (71% in favor), while the other five are losing 60% to 40%.  The most obnoxious measure is Prop 1C, “the lottery modernization act”, that allows the state to borrow/steal $5 billion in future lottery sales receipts to help balance the 2009-10 budgets, and only 32% are in favor.  The last line in Prop 1C spells out the lunacy of the measure:  “Debt-service payments on this borrowing and higher payments to education would likely make it more difficult to balance future state budgets.”  Sound familiar?

California’s liberal Democrats are even getting “sneakier” with how they plan to keep Schwarzenegger’s signature attached to the $16 billion February tax increases to extend all the way to 2013 by producing Prop 1A, the “RAINY DAY” BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND:

“Changes the budget process. Could limit future deficits and spending by increasing the size of the state “rainy day” fund and requiring above average revenues to be deposited into it, for use during economic downturns and other purposes.  Fiscal Impact: Higher state tax revenues of roughly $16 billion from 2010-11 through 2012-13. Over time, increased amounts of money in state rainy day reserve and potentially less ups and downs in state spending.”

When a proposition is written with the word “could” at the beginning, I immediately see red flags waving in my face.

So, how are our two favorite regions (mentioned at the top) shaping the debate?  No surprises:

Special election: The Chronicle recommends:  YES ON EVERY PROPOSITION.

And the LA Times, (so far), are sharing the San Francisco rhetoric here and here.  (Caution: you must read between the lines in both of these articles to clearly see the “advocates” agenda.)

This time the rhetoric is falling on defiant ears.

Last months grass roots tea parties in this state included many conservative democrats and moderates, (along with conservative Republicans), that have sent a message to their representatives that they have had enough of special interest and unions feeding the pig with higher taxes and bigger government that refuses to rein in spending.  Apparently, the message has failed to sink into these belligerent buffoons.  But, barring a momentous turn around in the sentiment of today’s electorate, when this wasteful attempt to expand the size and scope of an out of control state government goes down to an embarrassing defeat, the hope is that this message will resonate throughout this nation and all the way to the Washington D.C.  The message should be simple for President Obama and his liberal socialist contingency to understand.  STOP SPENDING OR PLAN ON FINDING ANOTHER LINE OF WORK.

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