[odegaard]

...Winston Churchill stated the govt has no greater responsibility than the care for the citizens and I agree with him...

European social welfare / "Safety Nets" is much more generous compared to what the USA has but despite this social welfare cannot guarantee food on the table.
do NOT click if you are a Liberal
The evidence is undeniable.

Social welfare is a failure.

[deMolay]

Things appear to worsen as Vendors put California Forestry Firefighting on a Cash or Credit Card only basis. Some vendors have not been paid since last year. http://www.howestreet.com/articles/inde ... e_id=10132

[eastbay]

...Winston Churchill stated the govt has no greater responsibility than the care for the citizens and I agree with him...

European social welfare / "Safety Nets" is much more generous compared to what the USA has but despite this social welfare cannot guarantee food on the table.
do NOT click if you are a Liberal
The evidence is undeniable.

Social welfare is a failure.

They do not appear underfed. They appear obese.

[deMolay]

Yah they should all be put on a Joe Stalin Ukrainian Diet or Chairman Mao Special Diet. Seems to be the in thing now with Old Commies and Young Socialist Fools. Just like Mass Murderer Che Teeshirts.

[rangerone314]

Here's a really stupid idea from me: when a state or city's revenue goes from amount X to amount Y, why don't they go back to the budget they had in a given year when their revenue was also amount Y?

Is it just me or is that too obvious of a solution?

[eastbay]

I think it's somewhat like someone losing their well paying job but continuing to insist they can maintain their earlier standard of living. We all know people like that. They use credit cards, burn through 401k's, bank accounts, home equity... anything to keep the illusion and dream alive.

That's what California tried to do these past few years. The pre 2005 era will never return, but California lived these past four years as if the housing bubble, $147 oil, and recent bank crisis hadn't occurred. But at some point the well dries up.... heh... and that's apparently happened here.

And that's why they failed to trim the budget earlier leaving this disaster.

[rangerone314]

The Governator should have State Troopers come and padlock the doors (including the bathroom doors) to force the California legislators to agree to the budget cuts and taxes.

[Ferretlover]

Well, so far, California has not collapsed, but Arnold did.