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California's Troubles Deepen
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire —
With California facing a staggering budget deficit of $41 billion, the New York Times notes Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) budget woes far outweigh those of his predecessor, Gray David (D), "whom he drummed from office in a 2003 recall that stemmed from the state's fiscal problems at the time." In fact, with "its lawmakers intransigent and its governor apparently free of allies or influence," the state "appears headed off the fiscal rails."
Tuesday Morning Blues and News
The Democratic Daily —
... California for all intents and purposes is in the toilet economically speaking. Things have gone from bad to worse out there, as Governor Schwarzenegger is now preparing to send out ...
California on the Brink of Massive Fiscal Crisis While GOP Minority Blocks Much-Needed Tax Increases
Crooks and Liars —
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The California budget mess is rapidly turning into a full-blown crisis, thanks to being held hostage by some of the legislature's minority Republicans:
LOS ANGELES — The state of California — its deficits ballooning, its lawmakers intransigent and its governor apparently bereft of allies or influence — appears headed off the fiscal rails.
Since the fall, when lawmakers began trying to attack the gaps in the $143 billion budget that their earlier plan had not addressed, the state has fallen into deeper financial straits, with more bad ...
Schwarzenegger, Obama, and Cah-lee-foe-nee-ah
Corrente —
Via Krugman comes this sad tale of the state of California economics. It's bad, and some of us have been talking about how Schwarzenegger's charismatic way of selling shit to willing consumers was dangerous to the future of the state.
In my former life, I blogged a lot about Schwarzenegger and California. (Nah, I'm not gonna go into the details with self-serving links.) Here's one thing that makes CA a effed up state. Budgets require a super majority to pass rather than simply a 50%+1. Essential, it's like a filibuster proof majority in the US Senate. This allowed the GOP to screw over Gray Davis and make way for the ...
Quote of the Day
The Reaction —
... "Everyone should be paying attention to the political/fiscal catastrophe now unfolding in California. Years of neglect, followed by economic disaster — and with all reasonable responses blocked by a fanatical, irrational minority. This could be America next." -- Nobel winning economist ...
Hey California -- how's that recall election workin' for ya?
Brilliant at Breakfast —
... With Prop. 13 and the 2003 recall election, Californians resorted to the promise of quick fixes and the smooth talk of Republican politicians promising that lower taxes were the answer to all their problems, and here's where they find themselves now: ...
The Debate Over The Filibuster
Newshoggers.com —
By BJ
Steve Benen replied to my, (and others), post on the filibuster. He notes that our argument is somewhat narrowly focused:
When one likes the party is the majority, he/she hates the filibuster; when one's party is in the minority; he/she treasures it. This argument emphasizes the need to be ...
