Hey buddy, can you spare a dime??

Stop govt spending on welfare. Part of Californias problem is that its welfare system is so pimp people from other states come to CA just to get on welfare.

There is a way to vote "none of the above." It's called voting a third party.

/voted for Camejo

Jjorsett

It takes a two thirds majority to vote a tax increase in. The republicans are ignoring the fact that it is needed and are playing their partisan roles in spite of the fact that something is needed.

It is against california's constitution to borrow money, it's easier to change that than to reason with republicans it seems.

The only thing the republicans have offered is a petition to impeach Davis but have offered no alternative, other than that idiot Bill Simon.

California has more people than any other state and the world's 7th largest economy, it's gonna be just fine.

I'll float 'em a loan. And secure the financing for it with my Enron stock.

The US government has so willingly bailed out the airlines. You think that they would be willing to do the same for the "Land of Fruits and Nuts"!

/ducks

Ghare:

The poor cost far more than they contribute. Ay, there's the rub.

I'm sure California will just put in some nice regressive gas, liquor, tobacco and automobile taxes to shore things up.

Been to Vegas lately, take a walk through the parking buildings, 99% of the plates are californian.

Go ahead Nevada, play hardball, watch cali change it's gambling laws and keep the money stateside.

They should just tax everyone entering or leaving LA. Between rich gang members, gangsta rappers, former dot.com weasels, and the generally rich and famous, LA could probably prop up the entire Western Hemisphere.

Gray Davis is a moron, absolutely....

But at least he's not Satan's little nephew, Bill Simon.

As bad as things are right now, they could be a lot worse.

Upright
Hypocrite, my lilly white ass. I don't expect anyone to bail out Oregon, except Oregonians. As far as the schools go, your correct. They are broke and neglected. That is why my kids go to private school.

Xtremehkr:

"Been to Vegas lately, take a walk through the parking buildings, 99% of the plates are californian.

Go ahead Nevada, play hardball, watch cali change it's gambling laws and keep the money stateside."

I never thought of that...that would be sweet!

The Democrats hold just under two-thirds of both legislative houses and every single state-wide office. Anyone trying to attribute one iota of this mess to Republicans is delusional or dishonest. Those of you in other states, let California serve as an example: if you let Democrats attain this level of control, you're going the same way California has gone.

It would save a drive that gets worse and worse every year as well, you think with all of that money Nevada could have widened the interstate some.

Props to Benstyle

The Republicans scewed up by not nominating Richard Riordan as their candidate for governor. He would have won but the die hard conservatives wouldn't allow it.

Bobbjoo, that's why the Davis campaign spent so much time and money smearing Riordan. They knew Simon was no threat.

Being a NorCal guy myself, I voted for Davis due to him being the least evil by far. True democracy.

Now if you are really into it, you can blame the feds for cal's empty pockets. After all, good ol' Cheney played us for about 12 billion by having the power companies create a false power crisis. Man o man I want to be first in line to kick Cheney in the nuts.

Like anything would change if mr. "I got indeited for fraud on multiple occasions" simon was governor.

Jjorsett:

I think there's more to it than that. Massachusetts' legislature is even more than 2/3rds Democratic, so they can override their "Republican" (that term always in quotes in the Northeast, BTW) governor's vetoes, and they're not teetering on the verge of collapse.

When you combine fiscal liberalism, bum-coddling, and immigrants using social services, it's a recipe for disaster. Another problem: there are tons of immigrants who *are* busting ass, but I bet many of them aren't reporting that income becuase they're outside the system.

Millay
Another problem: there are tons of immigrants who *are* busting ass, but I bet many of them aren't reporting that income becuase they're outside the system.

Equal blame for that lies with the immigrants and those who employ them.

Seeing the current state of affairs in California actually makes me glad to live in Florida.

Y'know, it kinda strikes me as odd that the only person who is pointed out specifically as Republican or Democrat is the former governor, in this quote:

Confidence in Davis mimics that of 10 years ago, during the last budget crisis when Republican Pete Wilson was governor.

Kind of odd. You don't think KFWB is... biased?

I_Can't_Believe_It's_Not_Smegma

Why is it what Canada always gets turned into one big state by various Americans? Wouldn't be a little weird if you had one state bigger than the rest of the country put together? How many Congressmen would we get? Wouldn;t we then control Washington?

I'm just askin'...

I voted for Camejo, too. First time I ever voted for the Green Party, but I was sick of the mudslinging between Davis and Simon. Okay, I'm registered Democrat, but I haven't always voted that way. I go by who the best candidate was.

A recall will do nothing at this point. Perhaps replacing the entire legislature with chimps might help. They have a higher IQ.

This reminds me of a SF Chronicle politcal cartoon about the governor's race two elections ago. It was titled "He's wet, slippery and has no sense of direction - Humphrey for Governor". (This was in reference to Humphrey the Whale, the famous whale who was navigating SF bay for a while some years back, for those who don't get the joke)

"I totally remember sending that check last week."
-Bart Simpson

Considering "the Gov" locked the state into billions of dollars of long-term power contracts a few years ago at the highest prices, I can't say I'm surprised. Maybe they should take out a nice, big insurance policy and hope for "The Big One" and collect the proceeds.

Ask Nevada for money?

Because of the damn Mexicans and double-diget litters flooding into here, we have no money for schools, cops, trauma centers, libraries, or much of anything else. I haven't had a cost-of-living increase since 1999 because the casinos aren't able to give us low-cost health care AND raises because of the influx of reconquistas!

Tax
Spend
Repeat

California spend less than 25% of its budget on Health and Human Services. Find another strawman.

Xtremehkr: It takes a two thirds majority to vote a tax increase in. The republicans are ignoring the fact that it is needed and are playing their partisan roles in spite of the fact that something is needed.

The deficit is 36 billion and growing. The Democrats have proposed exactly 3.3 billion in cuts. They expect to make up the difference in tax hikes, creative borrowing, and as-yet-unspecified"savings." Guess which comes first?

It is against california's constitution to borrow money, it's easier to change that than to reason with republicans it seems.

No it isn't. The requirement is that the budget be balanced. Period. That can be achieved by many means, including borrowing, and that's been done in the past and will likely be done this time. They're talking about borrowing money to make the next payments to the pension funds. Davis wants to issue revenue anticiaption bonds for the tobacco settlement money the state will get over the next 20 years (a scheme that has been at least temporarily derailed by Phillip Morris facing bankruptcy due to a $12 billion judgement).

The only thing the republicans have offered is a petition to impeach Davis but have offered no alternative, other than that idiot Bill Simon.

They've offered an alternative, but I presume you're buying into the lie that that "the Republicans are offering nothing!" that the Democrats are trying to sell. Among its proposals is a freeze in state spending at present levels (no "draconian cuts"), and the elimination of planned spending increases for things like employee salaries, pension benefits, etc.

As for Bill Simon: so we didn't get a successful businessman and retained a corrupt, demonstrably incompetent and indecisive chief executive. Maybe you consider that a happy outcome, but about 70% (and growing) of the electorate think your guy is a disaster.

Wh0mprat:

"Why is it what Canada always gets turned into one big state by various Americans? Wouldn't be a little weird if you had one state bigger than the rest of the country put together? How many Congressmen would we get? Wouldn;t we then control Washington?

I'm just askin'..."

Canada has about 30,000,000 people, Cali 33,000,000*. So Canada would get about 50 Congressmen and the same two Senators all the states get. So add about 50 Congressmen to the about 430 we have, for a total of about 480, and the Maple Leaf/Bear Flag coalition would by itself have about 42% of a majority in Congress.

Thank God for the Senate.

*Yeah, my atlas is old, I know.

Jjorsett

Where would you make the cuts, the republicans offered no better ideas in the cuts department than did the democrats.

Bill Simon successful? Inherited millions, invested in "PAY PHONES" recently and lost his ass. In today's world, who on earth would think it wise to invest in Pay Phones.

Bill Simon also wants to privatise the Freeway system, wouldn't that be great.

Gray Davis has made plenty of mistakes and more than likely ended his own career, he is no more corrupt than any california republican you can think of.

If the republicans had any ideas on what is best for this state they would not have been beaten so badly in November. Worst loss since 1862!

Coelacanth

Ask Nevada for money?

Because of the damn Mexicans and double-diget litters flooding into here, we have no money for schools, cops, trauma centers, libraries, or much of anything else. I haven't had a cost-of-living increase since 1999 because the casinos aren't able to give us low-cost health care AND raises because of the influx of reconquistas!

What a bunch of drivel. Your bosses at the casinos would seize ANY reason to not give you health care or raises. They run CASINOS! They're not exactly looking out for you, buddy!

Oh, so Mexico's located nearby? Oh, so easy! Blame the brown people du jour!

Give me a fvcking break.

we have no money for schools, cops, trauma centers, libraries, or much of anything else.

For having no money, Nevada sure can build up some nice highway overpasses whenever a new casino opens and quickly.

If anybody remembers the whole I-5/91 project and how long it took to complete, then check out how many roads were repaved/built in Las Vegas during that time...you know what I mean.

"Tax and Spend"

sounds right, what should be done....

"Tax and Gamble".... no
"Tax and Fly"..... no
"Tax and Dance".... no
"Tax and Sing".... no

Gee, if you are going to tax it makes sense to spend it.

Jjorsett,

I agree with a lot of what you say. Wilson is incompetent, some of the proposed solutions will help. But Simon wasn't a solution. Given that California is so liberal, the republican party made a terrible decision in chosing to run Simon. His abortion stance alone guaranteed he wouldn't win.

They could have done better.

Xtremehkr:

"Bill Simon also wants to privatise the Freeway system, wouldn't that be great."

I'm surprised an unholy alliance of treehuggers and rich elitists hasn't agitated for that yet. It solves two problems: car usage and proletarians blocking the freeways, thus impeding the free flow of Lexuses. (Lexii?)

Maybe PeTA could give them some money to change their name to "We Love Animals".

Xtremehkr:

Pres. Lisa: "We can't call it a 'tax increase'."
Milhouse: "How about 'collosal salary grab'?"

they'll just double our dmv fees.

we'll be out of this mess this time next year.

nice price to pay for the weather eh?

Scarey good point Millay, it would take a lot for that to happen though thankfully.

Pres. Lisa: "We can't call it a 'tax increase'."
Milhouse: "How about 'collosal salary grab'?"

I like the idea of a "temporary refund adjustment" myself.

Wait, I haven't seen enough freakin' stereotypes! Quick! I'm losing faith in the FARK moron! Oh wait, stereotype. My bad. I'm heading to the coast, don't wait up!