California: The state run by idiots

[anarky]

So, in California, there's no budget for the current fiscal year. We're something like three months into the year. The budget is supposed to be agreed upon well in advance. It wasn't. Despite the size of the CA economy, coupled with the insane amount of inefficiency and red tape in every department, Schwarzenhamandegger put forth a budget proposal that involved mostly cuts to things like schools and hospitals. You know, the folks who don't need money. Every school district in CA is scared shitless, and many had to lay off teachers.

Recently, Arnie eliminated thousands of government jobs and temporarily (until the budget is agreed upon, which, with the current deadlock, may be sometime next year) reduced pay on thousands more to minimum wage. These are people who were making $15 or so an hour, and are now making $6. They're supposed to get the difference in back pay, but who knows when that'll be? As a result of these cuts, services like the DMV are greatly restricted; the DMV in many areas is now only open three or four days a week, and only until noon or so on those days. Somehow, as governor, he can totally circumvent the other branches to do that.

His current proposal is to levy a temporay state sales tax, which likely would also impose sales taxes on items not currently taxed, like food.

Here's where it gets really fucking ridiculous. The Democrats refuse to agree to a proposal that cuts basic services. The Republicans refuse to agree to any proposal that involves increasing income or property taxes. They don't think it's fair to pass on the cost of running the state to the people who live here.

Yes, that's right. The Republicans don't think it's fair to pass on the cost of running the state to the people by way of income tax increases, though they are happy to increase sales tax and cut wages. So what happens? Only the government workers and people who can't afford to get their goods elsewhere will pay to run the state! And most folks will cut out unnecessary spending for the duration of the tax hike, which is going to royally fuck the economy and therefore the businesses the Republicans are purportedly trying to protect.

I really have nothing against Republicans in principle. It just pisses me off when they consistently, as most seem to do, go on and on about fiscal responsibility, but are so fucking irresponsible that they couldn't get even a goddamned savings account if they handled their personal finances this way.