Today’s LA Times and OC Register have stories on the Republican budget proposal. Ackerman’s plan effectively cuts the budget at the expense of children on welfare who have parents that don’t comply with work requirements. It also eliminates programs Republicans have detested for years (the elimination of the Labor Institute which educates labor leaders; you know how much Republicans hate unions).
The GOP plan targets families that do not meet minimum work requirements in the state’s CalWORKS program, as well as families that have been receiving benefits for more than five years. It eliminates safety net cash grants that are intended to keep children whose parents do not meet work requirements from becoming homeless. Children of illegals also lose assistance. Under this plan, the kids are not OK.
Over at the Flash Report, Senator Tom McClintock, who hasn’t voted for a budget in several years, posts a list of cut-off-your-nose-to-spite-your face cuts that prove he doesn’t have a heart (good luck in future campaigns Senator).
My favorite is cutting the Chief Information Officier’s funding from the budget; cutting the CIO, those professionals who make computer networks hum, is pennywise and pound foolish. The state’s IT systems are very fragmented and a CIO will likely save the state more money over the long haul than the cost of cutting. And this from the party that insists government can run like a business is making an unwise business decision.
And Jon Fleischman chimes in with this nugget: “Speaking as a long-time GOP activist myself, and as an elected officer of the California Republican Party, I couldn’t be more proud of Senate Republican right now. The liberal Democrats in the legislature, aided by the left-wing editorial writers of major main stream newspapers (and a good number of liberally-biased reporters) will now take up the cause of trying to bash Ackerman and his colleagues for having the audacity to say “enough is enough” when it comes to California government routinely spending more than it takes in. For saying “enough is enough” when it comes to funding so many programs that are just beyond the scope of what any normal, rational person would say, “that is what my taxes are supposed to pay for.”
What most normal and rational people want to know is how the fringe minority of far right mouthbreathers can hold the state budget hostage and why they want to cut programs that help the poorest among us. The poor won’t going to cut a check for Republican candidates or vote for Republicans on election day, so screw ’em. Watch for an increase in homelessness and an increase in crime rates is these proposals go through.
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OK, we should all know this by now. Republicans don’t know how to budget. Whether they’re in DC ratcheting up our debt as they spend like drunken sailors on failed wars and tax cuts for those who don’t need them, or they’re in Sacramento cutting services for those in need while preserving tax loopholes for those NOT in need, or they’re in Santa Ana wasting our tax dollars on lavish furniture and a “district office” in Little Saigon while cutting benefits for our hardworking public servants, these Reeps just can’t get their priorities straight. They want to enrich themselves and their corporate sugar daddies, and they want to do it on our dime while shortchanging us. So much for the GOP as the “fiscally responsible” party!
Some of us believe Dan that we have to live within our means. I know that is a shocking concept for liberals. Make cuts across the board until we achieve balance. And since I know you’re going to say…”well what about Bush & DC Republicans, they’ve been over spending”. To that I say shame on them. Businesses & families have to live withing their means and so should the state.
Allan — credit card debt among the middle class is soaring and savings by the middle class is diminishing as the cost of living, housing and energy continues to skyrocket due to the poor economic policies set forth by Republican lawmakers. Many people are spedning beyond their means.
Do you realy think these draconian cuts are going to win more votes for Republicans?
This is about a small minority of small minded inviduals more interested in the party than in the interests of the majority of citizens of the state.
credit card debt among the middle class is soaring and savings by the middle class is diminishing as the cost of living, housing and energy continues to skyrocket due to the poor economic policies set forth by Republican lawmakers. Many people are spending beyond their means
You’re absolutely right Dan about the cost of living going through the roof. We can thank the Federal Reserve for that. Our politicians of both parties continue to let the Fed inflate our money supply. Until this policy is changed, the cost of living will continue to increase. The purchasing power of the dollar has dropped by over half in the last few years because of this policy. The most insidious thing about this inflation tax is that it hits poor and middle class families disproportionately.
All while cutting taxers for the uber-rich. And who has been in charge for the last 6 years? Mmmmmm