Mother Jones - Comments for "California Night Sweatin'"

We had our chance to at least partially fix things in March. . .

. . . not a perfect solution by any means but it was something.

The anti-tax folks had their way, however, and now those of us who work directly or indirectly for the State of California (disclosure: I work for the University of California but obviously don't speak for it) will probably have our pay cut by 8 percent for at least the next year. And what is that but a backward tax on a selected group of people?

When you can't pay your mortgage, thank a conservative.

California needs more

California needs more immigrants. That's what gives a state vitality. Immigrants are hard workers.

education

I go to community college in california and its very scary because so many classes are being cut. It is impossible to ignor that teachers are not allowed to make photocopies for our classes (at all: math exams must be given on one sheet of paper, chemistry professors are not allowed to give any hand outs, quizes are taken from the board. good to save paper, but scary if we cant afford to buy paper.) Also, a lot of student workers are being let go. Many california colleges and universities have closed for the summer. I go to a well-off community college but we will be closed for the next winter intercession. I was a member of a group of students which approached our schools' board of trustees to request that no core classes be cut. But oru request is impossible to meet because the state has delayed giving us the funding we depend on over the past four months. We were supposed to get money in june or july, now we are supposed to get money in october. Our school has never used loans and we must now in order to pay faculty and staff. Can the governor be fired? is that possible? Is it beneficial? What can a citizen do to improve this situation?

education

I got to community college in california and its very scary because so many classes are being cut. Another thing which is impossible to ignor is that teachers are not allowed to make photocopies for our classes (at all: math exams must be given on one sheet of paper, chemistry professors are not allowe to give any hand outs, quizes are taken from the board. which is all good saving paper, but scary because we cant afford to buy paper.) Also, a lot of student workers are being laid off. Many california colleges and universities have closed for the summer. I go to a more well off community college but we will be closing down for the next winter intercession. I was a memember of a group of students which approached our schools board of trustees to request that no core classes be cut. But it is impossible because the state has delayed giving us the funding we depend on over the past four months. We were supposed to get money in june or july, now we are supposed to get money in october. Our school has never used loans and we must now in order to pay faculty. Can the governor be fired? is that possible? Is it beneficial? What can a citizen do to improve this szituation?

Do we have to watch yet another Republican-made crisis?

Kevin, despite your gloom I thank you for writing these posts. Without them I wouldn't know what's happening out there on the Left coast. The housing crisis crept up on us from out there and now this. It is tragic.

I think Casey is right. THIS is the Republican strategy in the flesh. This is what they insanely wish on all of America.

Apparently the Republicans have decided politics is NOT the art of compromise, but the blunt weapon of "No".

California Budget

The current mess simply reinforces the notion that most Republicans subscribe to the Grover Nordquist philosophy of starving the beast. The Governor and his Republican lackies are doing a very good job of starving the beast and, given their lack of work to resolve the budget crisis, we Californians are in for a very bad number of years.

And so another nanny state

And so another nanny state has budget problems. Go figure. New York and New Jersey, two other states with quite large entitlement programs, are also in trouble.

Sigh.

When will they learn? You can't promise government goodies to everyone, especially in an economic recession. Some say "raise taxes," but do you really want to raise taxes and watch more people suffer, or worse, businesses shutter or leave?

Maryland tried to raise taxes on the wealthy and it just decreased revenue. The rich left the state.

Instead of raising taxes or handing out IOUs, maybe these liberal state governments should use their noggins and start cutting the budget.

Starving the Beast

This is about as close as it gets to starve the beast becoming a reality. As a Californian and a Dem, I am horrified. As a political observer, I am fascinated.

Worst Legislature? How so?

Worst Legislature? How so? While in California the legislators do nothing, here in NYS our legislators worked so hard that we had two senates!

Thank goodness our NYS political leaders have risen to the challenges of these trying times. Oh, and what kindergarten are they from? Oops - uncalled for snark. My daughter just graduated kindergarten and I know that she and her classmates are more mature than that.

Raise income taxes on everyone

John Hansen, I'd say raise income taxes on everyone, share the pain.

Hansen sez break the law?!

John Hansen,

Across the board cuts are simply not legal in CA. Are you suggesting they break the law?! I know the GOP is the party of simple-sounding answers but I never expected them to suggest breaking the law.

Shoot, if you want to open that door I suggest CA become the Amsterdam of North America and tax the hell out of pot tourism. A lot fewer people would get hurt doing that.

Tripp

No plan by the governor?

Schwarzenegger submitted a detailed plan to balance the budget to the Legislature. The cuts were, all agree, extreme, but so is the state's deficit. The Democrats rejected the governor's plan, and he's since offered other ideas, but the notion that the R's are just sitting around doing nothing does not square with the facts.

let Malibu burn

It would be nice if the people who supported the Arnold and deregulated utilities would suffer, but many of them are too wealthy to suffer any consequence from less state provided social services and lack of utilities regulation. The wild fire fighters are probably not members of the wealthy elite, so they should refuse to fight fires that threaten the 2nd or 3rd homes of California's wealthiest people. If California is to be destroyed, let Malibu be the first community put on its ash heap.

anandine, Raise taxes on

anandine,

Raise taxes on whom?
Do you want to see more businesses leave the state?

Just take across the board cuts. If the services cut are really missed, they will be voted back in. If it was just pay offs to too many workers doing not enough tasks, it won't be missed. But let's at least try that.

its simple. Take across the

its simple. Take across the board cuts now to fix the budget. Get the state back on track. Then do the hard work to straighten it out later.

Mother Jones - Comments for "California Night Sweatin&#039;"

We had our chance to at least partially fix things in March. . .

California needs more

education

education

Do we have to watch yet another Republican-made crisis?

California Budget

And so another nanny state

Starving the Beast

Worst Legislature? How so?

Raise income taxes on everyone

Hansen sez break the law?!

No plan by the governor?

let Malibu burn

anandine, Raise taxes on

its simple. Take across the

Mother Jones - Comments for "California Night Sweatin'"