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Gov. Schwarzenegger in one of his many budget related press conferences (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Since Californians overwhelmingly rejected his propositions last week in the special election, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released his latest budget plan detailing $5.5 billion in cuts from a deficit estimated to be $24.3 billion by July 1 (that's higher than the $21.3 billion that was touted in the last few weeks).
One of the programs would eliminate the state's welfare program, making California the only state in the country without such a service. "Every single first-world nation has a safety net program for children," said Will Lightbourne, Santa Clara County's social services director, to the Mercury News. "This would return us to the era of Dickens — you'd have to go back to the 19th century to find a comparable proposal."
Other program cuts include dropping 1 million poor children from health insurance, cutting off new grants for college students and shuting down 80 percent of state parks, according to the paper.
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Jesus. I don't even know what to say.
Man, this sucks. The California political machine sucks, and we're all getting sucked right down with it.
It kinda pains me to say it, but I don't blame Arnold for this mess.
Sometimes late at night, after everyone else has gone to sleep, if you listen very carefully, you can hear Gray Davis laughing his ass off.
We should start making him buttons that say "Miss Me Yet?"
are we finally allowed to consider a modest tax increase on top wage earners to close some of these budget gaps yet?
Also, please legalize and tax marijuna!!! WTF COME ON!
Recession = great time to get rid of welfare.
Is this one of his scare tactics like last year? "Come up with something better. I dare you, legislature."
I agree and also feel recession is also not a time to take away a recession friendly and healthy activity: state parks
Unfortunately Zack, State Parks are not a necessity, and should absolutely be one of the first things to go. People's healthcare etc, should come first.
I would say that encouraging exercise and fresh are can fall under the preventative medicine aspect of any healthcare initiative.
But I agree, GTH, something needs to give.
State parks don't encourage "exercise" and people can exercise without State Parks. They can walk around the block. Run on the beach. Do sit ups in their living room. But healthcare and welfare services need to stay. I'd even make cuts in higher education before I cut healthcare and welfare. Yes, things have to go, and they have to be prioritized in the order of importance that they will be cut. Basic human needs stay, and basic primary and secondary education stay. Anything that tangibly affects health and public safety stays. Everything else is fair game.
With out anyone to maintain the parks, what happens to wildfire abatement programs, clearing brush, keeping fire breaks clear. It sounds like this could be a disaster for any one who owns a home near a state park.
Last year Arnold wanted to close a bunch of state parks (temporarily) to close the budget gap, but a huge environmental campaign eventually flooded his office with emails and he announced he wouldn't. This year, I'm almost willing to let them go. (If it's anything like last year, they won't be sold - they'll just be closed, with staffing reduced, and only a bare minimum of maintenance will happen.)
absolutely - raise taxes, keep the parks open and let's build a $10 billion dollar high speed bike lane from lancaster to victorville.
Between Proposition 8 and this, California is a real embarrassment.
the problem isn't the revenue side of the equation - it is the yahoo's that are designing the spending and the folks that elected them...
California already has some of the highest personal income / sales taxes in the country - raising taxes AGAIN on the highest earners is not the solution - cutting spending is.
Bill Gates: please rescue us
still leaves 49 states in the union for people to go to to collect welfare
Please enlighten us as to how someone without a job or money is supposed to move out of state.
Also, you're aware that unemployment usually only pays out if you have worked IN that state for a certain period of time?
Agree with your first sentence.
Unemployment and welfare are 2 very different things, though.
Yes, but sometimes they work in tangent.
You mean "in tandem", right?
I am a mother of 4. My husband is on SSI. Two of my 4 children are disabled, one of them receiving SSI as well. I am on welfare and so is ONE of my 4 children. Two of my children are financially unaided. Cutting the welfare program for my state will mean that my children will not get shots, or medicine when they are sick. They will not get food since we survive (barely) on food stamps. We will not be able to pay our rent so we will be homeless. living in a car that we cannot put gas in, or pay the taxes and registration for. We will be starving, sick, and without bare basic essentials to help us survive. I am so very saddened by this. Are we not important? I can live with out my health coverage through medical. But my children cant. I have thyroid disease, tumors in my back, alas sever issues with my health in general. But i would chose to cut my care so that my children would be able to have medicine and food and a place to call home. doing this to our children is a shameful act and should not be allowed to pass. Why must the poor always pay with their lives and those they love. while the rich people sit pretty without a care in the world.
Maybe we will knock on your doors to ask for food to feed our children or camp in your front yards so we will have a place to sleep. How does that sound to you?
Wow, I'm so sorry.
Your situation makes a statement in favor of single payer healthcare. Sheila Kuehl's SB840 would have provided that. It got all the way to the Governor's desk before it was vetoed.
Arnie says we just can't have any 'o that "Socilaized Medicine"!
I came from a mother like you, one who couldn't take care of herself or her children. Fortunately I worked my ass off and am a selfmade, very wealthy young woman with three children. I pay for their health insurance MYSELF, their food MYSELF. I do not RELY on my husband, so even though he contributes a lot, my kids will always be well taken care of because I made sure I was financially ready to have them. Welfare, free health care, these are programs for selfish people who don't plan properly to take care of their OWN CHILDREN--they are your responsibility, not mine. Stop trying to take my hard-earned money to take care of you and your entitled family.
selfmade
did you know that your ancestors stole everything from these poor people, and that is why you are what you are, because of lies, deceit, theft, and every other sin. so enjoy bitch, a lot of indigenous people were killed so you can have your little good life!
you might be interested to know that I am part native american and never ACCEPTED A DIME FROM THE GOVERNMENT despite their attempts to give me free money for NOTHING, you dumbass
I came from a mother like you, one who couldn't take care of herself or her children. Fortunately I worked my ass off and am a selfmade, very wealthy young woman with three children. I pay for their health insurance MYSELF, their food MYSELF. I do not RELY on my husband, so even though he contributes a lot, my kids will always be well taken care of because I made sure I was financially ready to have them. Welfare, free health care, these are programs for selfish people who don't plan properly to take care of their OWN CHILDREN--they are your responsibility, not mine. Stop trying to take my hard-earned money to take care of you and your entitled family.
You my dear, are a complete moron. "selfmade"
Just because i dont have money doesnt mean i dont care for my children. How dare you say "a mother like you, who couldnt take care of her kids" You know NOTHING about me other than i need some government assistance. I am a very good mother, people like you make me sick. Get off your high horse and stop acting like its your god given right to be an inconsiderate Bitch. When you have no way to get a job because your health is so bad people literally say " how do you expect to work here when your always sick ?...THEN maybe you can open your fat trap until then shut the hell up. Stop wasting your time on the internet putting down the poor and go volunteer for some charity somewhere with your high and mighty, superior self. Just FYI your little delusions that you are better than me in anyway is exactly that, delusional.
Hey, china. I've got some weeds in my lawn you and your kids can pull. And my toilet needs cleaned, too. I will pay you a working wage. Oh, but you don't want that, do you....want to keep sucking off the system and stealing from OTHER people's children. Selfish you know what and shame on you. Get your ass to work.
Maybe you can learn to grow your own food and learn to be self sufficient. BTW my ancestors were poor immigrants from Scotland who WORKED in factories. That's WORKed, china. You sold out your dignity to the Fascist State, who took your soul and the soul of your children in exchange for your vote. You are stupid and ignorant to expect others to support you in exchange for sharing the air with your foul existence. Do everyone who WORKs a favor and tie your tubes. Now.
When did i say that i would not work? Are you illiterate? Can you read clearly? I never said i would NOT work. I have actually been in management for over 10 years. However, i do have health issues to the extent that i am most often times in and out of the hospital and on bed rest. Maybe you should learn to read before offering a idiotic statement. If you dont like the way the government works then maybe you should move your communist ass to china! Especially with the offer to make my CHILDREN all under 7 work for you? I guess you dont realize we have child labor laws that protect children from people like you dumbass... I would really like to know how it is that the completely incompetent rejects are the ones who have all the money? (such as yourself, and selfmade) You and little miss rich should get all of the other spineless communists and make a new country. "Self important assholes united" Let me know how that works out for ya.
Seem Arnold wants to make California into Calcutta.
This way the Democratic candidate is sure become the next governor. Then the GOP will start complaining about how the economy isn't working and it's the Democrat's fault.
My adult son was disabled a few years ago by illness. He received about $750 a month. The fucking State of California just cut $37 out of his monthly check. Why are we trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and sick? We need to increase taxes on wealthy people who can afford it - and sin taxes on ciggerettes and booze. And legalize pot. THIS CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT IS PATHETIC!
With the bankrupt state having 3 million illegal aliens in it that use $15 billion in services, it is the poorest of Californians who suffer the most.
Yeah that makes alot of sense. Tax the higher income earners even more. They are already pulling most of the weight. What some people still don't get is they are the ones creating the jobs. If you haven't heard they are moving out of California in droves because it is too expensive to run businesses here when you can move out of state and run a company for a whole lot less. Better yet they can move out of the country and save even more. Why don't we elect leaders that will manage our money better first. People should also realize that nothing is free. Every election people vote new propositions in to law that cost millions if not billions of dollars to support. Before you vote yes on any proposition please know the cost. It may not seem like alot at the time but every proposition adds up to lots of $$. California is broke and so goes the country. Obama just doesn't get it. It's fine to want to make the country to go green and to have universal health care but when the country is broke, when this recession is just killing people and people are way overburdened with debt, he decides everything has to be done right now no matter what it costs. Never mind that we have to print it and borrow it from China. He is tearing this country apart piece by piece. So what if all these trillions he's spending turns the economy around for a few years? It's going to take decades and decades to pay off all the debt. What if we have another recession in 5 years? Then what? Obama may sound reassuring and make you feel all fuzzy inside but he lacks common sense.
I think every state has an Arnold! We must bring our jobs back to the USA. No work no taxes, we have given away so much to worthless people who would not work in a pie factory,that our entire country is broke. I worked at some jobs I didn't like to take care of my children but I never ask for welfare. Make them get off their butts and off of welfare!
It's about time to fire the legislature.
The big spenders of our money have bankrupted CA with their
'goodies' for all the special interests.
---We need a part time legis. like Texas has.
Throw out 50% of the worthless state employees.
Bro, don't hate the state employees,we didn't do this be mad at the people in Sac.If you think we have it so good you could feel out an application too.
and it isnt obama that caused all this, actually thats why he was elected, because the powers that be knew it would be all fucked up, what a better time to elect a black man, blame the colored guy, what a set up!, you really didnt think that this country would elect a black man did you! they elected a patsy, someone to take the blame for all the greedy white men who sold you out, including george bush! and arnold is a joke! stop welfare, yeah right! where the fuck is he from! California is broke because arnold cant stand up to the special interest, and he wont! so fuck arnold, and everything he stands for (communist fuck)
I agree with selfmade,I'm sick of free loaders in California.Who get to sit home with the air condition on watching cable all day crying poor me.I work for the state I pay the high taxes and on top of that Arnold is taking 15% of my check.
Whats funny is Arnold keeps saying everyone needs to tighten their belts.I don't see any of the legislatures taking a pay cut to help out.They voted themselves,a raise,must be nice.
Our State increased the number of programs for the poor, sick and frail during the "dot-com" boom. There is no dot com boom any more, yet the programs remain. It is wise and necessary to cut a percentage of funding from ALL programs and salaries! But to skip around and cut with a butcher knife to some programs and a butter knife to others is ridiculous. You need to ask yourself why-- well to be super pessimistic and suspicious. The poor and sick don't have much say. They don't vote in big numbers and they don't contribute large amounts to anyone's campaign. Besides, if we cut enough from healthcare programs, a percentage of people will die. Then we don't have to support them at all. Hidious? Horrifying? You bet. Make your voice heard, fax or mail letters to your legislators. If we act in numbers, our voices will be heard. Apathy is no longer a choice.
It does seem that realistically a 100% cut in state aid to local counties and cities should be the first and possibly only step.
Voters made it clear that at a state level they will not tolerate increased taxation. This cut of state aid to localities would allow each city or county to determine what level of taxation is desired to reach what level of services.
Or am I missing something? I guess cities and counties are limited in their options to raise revenue?
Highest paid legislators in the country! Highest paid teachers! Highest state income tax! Highest car tax!
Too many illegal aliens sucking off the system and filling our jails.
We people who work are tired of paying for all the bullshit.