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2009-05-22 Economy
Will the Feds take over California - force them to change their Constitution?
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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-05-22 12:45|| || Front Page|| [1 views ]  Top

#1 "Most important, President Obama should press California’s elected officials and its voters — 61 percent of whom supported him last November"

Karma.
Posted by USMC6743 2009-05-22 13:39||   2009-05-22 13:39|| Front Page Top

#2 Take away all our states' rights, let Bambi install his own obsequious little satraps all over the country to run the states instead of elected governors and legislators. Then stop calling it the United States of America and just call it the People's Republic of America.

Hmmm. I think it's better to let Kaliphornia's governor and legislators simmer in their own witch's brew until they can somehow muster the guts they need to make some cuts. The pressure's on now and they have to do something. It's gonna hurt but it needs to be done.
Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-05-22 13:43||   2009-05-22 13:43|| Front Page Top

#3 I recall 11 southern states got some federal oversight and some constitutional changes. Others may also refer to that event as a 'hostile takeover' which seems to be the norm in Washington these days. However, iirc, the states didn't have votes in Congress till the process was completed. If you're looking for precedent. If they can skirt the Constitution creating West Virgina out of Virginia, then if California is too big to fail, then it's too big.
Posted by Procopius2k 2009-05-22 14:22||   2009-05-22 14:22|| Front Page Top

#4 ...err..West Virginia..
Posted by Procopius2k 2009-05-22 14:24||   2009-05-22 14:24|| Front Page Top

#5 The issue is raising taxes (or borrowing money) vs cutting spending. The Democrats want to raise taxes, the people want to cut spending.

Unlike California, the feds can print money and avoid the issue*. Obama's pollsters are trying to figure out a way to shovel cash to California (and New York and New Jersey and Michigan and etc.) without a) pissing off every other state in the union and (b) pissing off Californians who want to cut spending.

TARP II for state and local governments would probably not pass. I suspect that there will be some additional "stimulus" bill passed to help all states maintain basic services (ie. keeping all SEIU members employed).


* The administration is operating under the implicit assumption that it can print and spend, and then deftly avoid inflation with future, unspecified, policy changes.
Posted by DoDo 2009-05-22 16:02||   2009-05-22 16:02|| Front Page Top

#6 ...I still say that a Federal court will impose new taxes and tax hikes to save California.

Mike
Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2009-05-22 19:05||   2009-05-22 19:05|| Front Page Top

#7 cuts are due. IIRC the state budget has increased 20% over the last 5 years, while population has barely increased (many are bailing to cheaper climes). The typical teacher makes 35% (a number I saw quoted this week) more than the national average. Our prison system and guard pay is a disgrace financially. I read that there are 120 paid State boards and commissions. There's fat to be cut. Time they found it. I would start with a part-time legislature like Texas's, to limit their time for mischief, and cut legislature pay and office staff
Posted by Frank G">Frank G  2009-05-22 19:12||   2009-05-22 19:12|| Front Page Top

#8 With a Federal budget deficit nearing $2,000 billion, siphoning off another $20 or 30 billion to California won't even be noticed.
Posted by ed 2009-05-22 19:18||   2009-05-22 19:18|| Front Page Top

#9 I would start with a part-time legislature like Texas's, to limit their time for mischief, and cut legislature pay and office staff

I'd dissolve the legislature but Frank's idea might be slightly more feasible.

Seriously, the only good laws we get are ballot propositions that the people have to vote for anyway. All the bad laws, wasteful spending and gaming of the system come from the legislature.
Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-05-22 19:23||   2009-05-22 19:23|| Front Page Top

#10 Ed - I don't want a Fed bail out. I want this state to clean its' act up on its' own. It will be painful, and the squealing will be leftish and high-pitched. I'll have to pay more for my youngest to attend San Diego State. Oh well.
Posted by Frank G">Frank G  2009-05-22 19:44||   2009-05-22 19:44|| Front Page Top

#11 Obama can't afford to have the CA electorate (at 12% of the nation) turn against the sitting government and Democratic Party the next election. He will do whatever required to placate them. If it requires he divert 0.5-1.0% of the Fed budget, then it's little effort for much political gain for him.
Posted by ed 2009-05-22 23:02||   2009-05-22 23:02|| Front Page Top

23:58 Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division
23:57 JosephMendiola
23:46 JosephMendiola
23:37 JosephMendiola
23:34 JosephMendiola
23:02 ed
22:34 Atomic Conspiracy
22:30 Atomic Conspiracy
21:54 Phil_B
21:50 Phil_B
21:48 JosephMendiola
21:43 JosephMendiola
21:40 JosephMendiola
21:39 Kofi Claitle6576
21:27 JosephMendiola
21:24 Frank G
21:15 Thing From Snowy Mountain
20:53 Procopius2k
20:48 SteveS
20:45 Barbara Skolaut
20:36 Barbara Skolaut
20:05 AzCat
20:00 Zhang Fei
19:49 Richard of Oregon









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