Up next…The Federal Takeover of California

posted at 8:48 pm on May 8, 2009 by RedDotRedState
[ ACORN Watch ]   

It widely known that California has moths in it’s pockets. The state is virtually bankrupt, even after receiving almost $7 billion in stimulus money from the American taxpayer. Last year, everyone knew the state was in trouble, but it took until February for Governor Schwarzenegger and the State Legislators to agree on a new budget which closed a $42 billion spending gap.

Part of the new budget involved $13 billion in new or higher taxes, and $15 billion in total spending cuts, including $8.6 billion in cuts to public education. $1.4 billion was also cut from state payroll costs. Part of that budget was to go into effect immediately, while other sections had to wait until July 1st. Just as an aside, last time I checked, $13 billion plus $15 billion did not equal $42 billion – I’m just saying.

With the state’s coffers in such need of filling, the $7 billion in stimulus spending dangled by Il Duce was happily received – strings, hooks, and all. The money replaced a proposed $0.12 per gallon tax hike, which I’m sure most Californian’s were happy to see left out of the budget. But then the other shoe dropped.

In a show of what can only be described as Brass Balls, yesterday President Obama jerked on the stimulus money, setting the hook, which will now allow him to control the state’s budget. Specifically, $74 million dollar budget cuts to the pay of unionized home healthcare workers. As reported in the L.A. Times,

Schwarzenegger’s office was advised this week by federal health officials that the wage reduction, which will save California $74 million, violates provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Failure to revoke the scheduled wage cut before it takes effect July 1 could cost California $6.8 billion in stimulus money, according to state officials.

In other words, Obama is doing the same thing to California that he is doing to the auto and banking industries. Do what we want, because we gave you money. You took money, therefore we own you. The citizens of California are unimportant. The projects that would be paid for with the $7 billion, also not important. The taxpayers, many yet to be born, that are paying for the stimulus cash, definitely not important. The home health care union workers, who I’m sure would rather take a pay cut than lose their jobs, they’re important.

However, they are important only to a certain extent. The workers belong to SEIU, which is a branch of ACORN. As reported in the L.A. Times, but probably never in the MSM,

The workers, who collectively contribute millions of dollars in dues each month to the influential Service Employees International Union and the United Domestic Workers…

This is an ACORN payoff, plain and simple. ACORN is in large part responsible for the election of Barack Obama, and he owes them big. The state might very well be out of cash by June, so for Obama to put a political ally ahead of they needs of millions of citizens (which, ironically, voted for him in large numbers) is narrow minded, supercilious, and narcissistic.

Sorry California, you just got punk’d by a nut.

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