Judgment Day: Broke California Faces Shutdown

reply to post by silent thunder


well.. if it's not as plain as the nose on the governors face what the problem is... i'm not sure what to say!

'naw.. don't mind the fences, they'll get repaired, or over spending and higher taxes will solve everything...that way the continuity of government can continue even though homeless are becoming rampant and tent cities abound but.. Hollywood... its doing GREAT !"

hmmm.. lets see .. thought i read about how this happened long ago, where the upper class were over run by the lower class because they got fed up with living conditions while the upper class had all the wealth.

I love the state of California and had the privilege of living there and I am disturbed about what is happening there. The problem seems so out of control that there is no silver bullet that is going to kill the problem. I think the governor is not fear mongering or using an act of fear for political leverage. I think he is truly serious about the predicament of the state at present. Seeing him on the television and one could ascertain that his mannerism are that of a defeated man with no idea how to fix the problem before him and the state.

What I see is a horrible scenario wide spread criminal activities, murders, rioting, large scale unemployment, and other social catastrophes. It is a very serious time in California but out of the darkness comes light. Sometimes bad things need to happen for good to triumph. Call the scenario in California a cleansing of the state and a release from the quasi socialist agenda that has plagued the state for the past 30 yrs.

I have faith in the hard working people of California and it is through them, and how they handle the imminent storm on the horizon; what the outcome of this will be. It can either be favorable or unfavorable. Good Luck and God Bless!

[edit on 14-6-2009 by Jakes51]

When we lost the aerospace industry to federal neglect, California suffered.

When the "DotCom" bubble burst, California was hurt.

When the drought and the (Enron-exploited) energy crisis hit, California began to bleed.

When the (sub-prime) housing boom went bust, California Flat-lined.



It's not the fault of the "illegals", most of them are working for wages the rest of us couldn't survive on. And They pay their taxes, usually on time (at least those who make enough to owe taxes).

It's the deadbeat parents who make-up most of the "underground", cash-only economy.

I know. I work for one of the State's tax agencies.


Even though I don't like the idea of California asking for a federal "bail-out" (I don't see how a bail-out would do anything but prolong the inevitable), the rest of the country should remember this; California contributes a HUGE amount of revenue to the federal government.

Far more than it recieves, proportionately, back from the Feds. The rest has historically been re-distributed to the the other 49 states by the federal goverment.


Hmmm. "From those who can produce (California), to those who need (the rest of the nation), for the Welfare of the Greater Society (the federal government).

Isn't That the basic creedo of ....?


As some one previously said, If California goes, we're going to take the rest of you down with us.

And there ain't nothing you can do to stop it.



We're California. We're Too Big NOT To Fail!

Hasn't there been stories like this every year?

How the world of CA is going to end, but it still keeps going.
It is sometimes best to let things fail and fall down, then you can learn and rebuild them better.

I just hope during this process that people don't suffer.

I live in Nevada, which is a much smaller state than California, which has a very bad budget issue. However our elected officials did their jobs. We are going to see a lot of reductions in services and increase in some taxes but our officials did their jobs. Our roads are still getting fixed, kids are still going to go to school and every one will pull up some slack and we here will make it work.

Here in Nevada we expect people to work for a living. "Don't have a job, the hay farm is hiring, if you don't like that the mines need people that can use a shovel or the casino needs some one to clean rooms." The idea that working for a living is more demeaning than getting a government check is just wrong.

Call for a recall election of all elected officials in California, vote out the do nothings and get some people in office that will do their jobs. The elected officials of California and the people that voted them into office are going to cause a major economic problem for the whole country and expecting the feds to bail them out is stupid. California quit whining, suck it up and grow a pair.

The monetary system is f'n stupid. If only more people knew how money works.. Stay classy California.

I lived in CA for 12+ years. I came back to TX 8 years ago. I love CA and loved the scenery, beaches, mountains and the progressive attitudes. The state income tax in CA was 6% when I lived there. There is no state income tax in TX, however, our property taxes are astronomical, highest in the US I believe. So one makes up for the other, no state income tax=high property tax.

I would have to put a lot of the blame on the welfare state in CA, in SF, homeless people were given $600 a month + all kinds of perks like free hotel rooms, free food etc. Most "professional" welfare recipients in other states dream of moving to CA, where they receive benefits galore. And the illegals in CA were mostly on this expensive welfare system plus free medical care, free schooling etc. While I understand this is not the only reason CA is bankrupt, it certainly has to be the top reasons as this expenditure is $60 billion annually (not $30 billion as arnie stated).

I see this bankruptcy happening in other states in the near future, where the illegals have taken over, like in TX. If any of you who live in the north or east where to visit most areas in TX, for sure from Dallas south, you would think you were in Mexico, or some other third world country.

Until we address the illegal alien issue, these fiscal issues will continue grow and destroy our country.

FYI, I do not hate illegal aliens, I don't blame them for coming to our once great country, I do blame our government for allowing this huge immigration of illegals into our country the past 25+ YEARS.

Hello NORTH AMERICAN UNION!

The unsustainable large government and its social programs in California should stand (or fall) as an important warning to the Obama administration and their majority ruled congress now seeking to grow government and increase spending on pet projects, social programs and reckless agendas during a time of economic collapse and declining revenues.

Big government is doomed to fail.

The only way out of this for both California and the federal government is through fiscal responsibility.

Governments can and will fail, and the bigger they are the harder they will fall.

[edit on 14-6-2009 by Walkswithfish]

reply to post by silent thunder


The question to ask is then who has walked away with all the money?

Very interesting post - starred and flagged.

Also it is very true, watch how California goes and that is usually how the rest of the country will go.

The rich are getting richer and to hell with the rest of us. Most of "us" still have our eyes wide shut.

[edit on 14-6-2009 by ofhumandescent]

reply to post by RenDMC
Good post.

Well American people idolize the rich, famous and beautiful and not brains and moral.

We get exactly what we vote for.

california been saying they were going broke for like 8 months and it never happened.

california needs to legalize marijuana, and cut government spending almost completely, and there you have it: surplus.

isn't that hard stop making it out to be like your a victim

you guys are wild liberals who have no accountability but you always wan't help when you mess up and spend out of ur behind.

you guys are worse than europe. imo. *shakes head in disgust*

reply to post by octaviameister
Excellent post.

Our government looks out for the major Corporations (Mexicans have drummed us out of the job market and given Corporations a large amount of almost free (slave) labor).

Our government does not look out for THE PEOPLE, but the large corporations.

Until THE PEOPLE wake the fu*k up and take back our country things are going to get worse.

The few owners and heads of Corporations are walking away with 75% of the pie leaving the 25% to the rest of us to split like starving dogs at the kings table.

We are a country run by the large Corporations and not the people.

What is happening in California is only the beginning.

reply to post by silent thunder


man this sucks. i dont know if anybody on ats has been to San Diego but it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. hopefully they can figure out their financial mess.

Actually, this is what happens when a legally elected Governor is unseated and replaced with the "Terminator"
with the belief that he would somehow pull out a Hollywood ending. Never mind that the state was in shambles after Enron was allowed to nearly bankrupt it with a manufactured energy crisis, then exempted
by the Bush administration from having to pay restitution to the state
for the economic devastation they unleashed.
The economic drain of the illegal immigration problem is huge too.
Billions of dollars being spent annually to birth, feed, educate, and house the children of illegals while NO tax dollars are being paid by their
parents to contribute to the state having to birth, feed, educate, and house them.

When Reagan opened the floodgates in the 1980's to the illegals by offering amnesty started that mess in California.
It only took 30years for the rest of the country to wake up to what California has been facing for decades. But now that they've become entrenched, and the welfare system which subsidizes them has become generational, how will it ever end? It won't. California will never deny illegals these unearned benefits, but they'll fire or demote every state employee, cut or eliminate pensions, close parks and libraries, etc, until there is nothing left to the state of California but an extension of Tijuana north of the Mexican border.
Why do you think so many native Californians have moved east?
It's a sinking ship folks. It's only a matter of time before it entirely collapses and Mexico reclaims it.

And as much as the conservatives want to blame it on the "liberals" they really can't. Reagan
(the Hollywood actor-turned-God of the conservative party) opened the floodgates with amnesty. Enron, under the protection of the Bush administration, brought the state to the brink of economic collapse with the fake energy crisis.
Gray Davis, the democrat, was "impeached" and replaced with the republican "Terminator" (another actor in republican's clothing) with no real experience to oversee the full collapse of largest economy in the country. That's the time line of the collapse and most all of California knows it.
What's scary is that the country will soon follow wherever California goes and right now it looks like its going to hell in a hand basket, fast.

Originally posted by Memysabu
The govenor has nothing to do with settings the majority of laws and budget in the state. You need to get an education.

Your right. California has a very large entitlement program that covers a lot of stuff, not to mention illegal aliens. Lawmakers might have to make some difficult decisions soon. I think they're waiting for the FED to bail them out. Not sure that's going to happen.
Many state's are having the same problems. In my county that I live, the local ding-a-lings didn't set aside some money when they were rolling in assesments from increaed property taxes. They just added new programs and entitlements. Now , they don't have the money to pay for it. Sound familiar????
this problem is going to continue, and the states will have to cut things, or shut down things. No easy answers. seems to me they all need to get some people in the governments that can save some money in good times, in order to weather the stoms of the bad times. Easier said than done, but is do-able.

There is enough wealth in OC to bail out this state several times over. Gimme a break. CA is a joke. There is so much f'ing money out here. I live in Orange County and the amount of wealth is crazy. If every millionaire gave up a few thousand dollars to the state and people that made them filthy rich they'd be fine. Oh poor Californians may not be able to drive all those Benz and Bentleys!

If GM was too big to fail, Fannie Mae too big to fail, Freddie Mac too big to fail. . . .

You see what I'm getting at?

Obama will bail out California with all of our tax dollars, wiping out the 10th ammendment for California, federalizing all of state and local government.
PROC (Peoples Republic of California)

I wonder if they'll put his face on the new state flag?

California. Can anyone think of a greater example of liberalism in action? Obama better take heed - his socialist leanings are taking the fed govt in the same direction.

Had dinner last night with a friend who is a Calif state historian - she works in preservation and conservation of historical sites and state parks. She has been told that the offices are closing in 3 weeks.

She broke down in tears saying that it takes so much work and money to maintain the state parks - her main concern is the Redwoods and Sequoias - the amount of people that go through there with trash or trying to live there in tents leaving trash or digging trenches to use as a bathroom - and the enormous work it takes to eliminate the marijauna farms that keep getting planted there... (people come in with chemical fertilizers and dig up the forest undergrowth). Now there will be just a gate to stop people, and that won't work. It is a constant battle to keep people out of there, and nobody will be there to do it now. She said she doesn't really care what happens to her, but that she is devastated by the effect this will have on what is left of the Redwoods and Sequoias-- the oldest trees left.

She said that the beaches will no longer have lifeguards. Imagine.... just imagine that. As we move into the summer season, I imagine we will start hearing about people drowning right off shore that could have been saved otherwise. Then imagine the law suits.

It was so awful to hear all this, and it brought a new horrible reality to this situation. It isn't just about the cities... this reminded me of what is really at stake.

[edit on 6/14/2009 by Tadarida]

Originally posted by slicobacon
California. Can anyone think of a greater example of liberalism in action? Obama better take heed - his socialist leanings are taking the fed govt in the same direction.

Tell me how he is a socialist, please.