California: Failed State

Liberalism, which clings to the childlike belief in the free lunch, has wrecked the once great state of California

California, land of energy, agriculture and a treasure trove of brilliant human capital, is collapsing in upon itself, straining under the weight of a staggering $40 billion plus deficit.

In Homage to Catalonia, a personal narrative of his participation in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell marveled at the ability of Marxists to reduce to a state of filth and chaos any building they occupied.

Like Orwell, Americans may now marvel at the state of filth and fiscal chaos liberal Democrats reduce almost any state or municipality they occupy. Detroit, Chicago, Michigan, California... Only liberalism could bring the world's sixth largest economy to it's knees in one generation.

I take no glee in pointing this out. California once embodied America and our optimistic, expansionist ideals, but no longer. This collapsed welfare state is exhibit A in the gallery of liberalism's failures. Of course, the New York Times and a yapping chorus of progressive apologists don't see things this way. So who's to blame, according to left? Why Republicans, of course! This is from the NY Times, toilet paper of record:

The roots of California’s inability to address its budget woes are statutory and political. The state, unlike most others, requires a two-thirds majority vote in the legislature to pass budgets and tax increases. And its process for creating voter initiatives hamstrings the budget process by directing money for some programs while depriving others of cash.

For months Republicans have vowed not to raise taxes, which in California means no increase in either the sales, gas or personal income tax.

The American Prospect pushes the liberal line even further: Proposition 13 and the ensuing property tax cuts wrecked the state. So there we have it: A state completely run by free-spending liberal Democrats at every level collapses and the Republicans are to blame.

Wayne Allyn Root throws a bucket of cold water on this nonsense:

The good news is that California leads the nation. The bad news is that California leads the nation in deficit, debt and the amount of residents escaping to other states.

*California leads the country in spending on government employees.

*California spends twice as much as the national average on education (with dismal results).

*California spends almost $200 million per year on free college educations for illegal immigrants (no that's not a typo).

*California has the most draconian anti-business rules and regulations in the nation. That forces businesses to spend too much. The result is that California is the most costly place in America to do business (according to the Milken Institute's business cost index).

*California is heaven for trial lawyers and hell for small businesses. That could be why so many major employers have left the state (according to Investor's Business Daily).

*California has the second highest income tax rates in all of America. And it is among the nation's leaders in virtually every tax category possible- income taxes, business taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, taxes on real estate transactions, taxes on stock transactions, capital gains taxes, workers compensation taxes, the list is endless.

Behold the Fruits of Rampant Liberalism!

* Record breaking debt and junk bond rating. Highest debt ever for any state in the history of the nation.

* Job growth 20% lower than the nation. But it's not just any jobs that California is losing. According to the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, the state has lost 440,000 high-wage jobs.

* 3rd highest unemployment rate in the nation.

* Reverse Gold Rush. Last year, over 144,000 more people left California than moved in. That led the nation. This was the 4th straight year of out-migration.

Liberals can try to refute this, but the facts are clear, and Californian refugees are voting with their feet.

If President Obama and the liberal Democrats in Congress have their way, soon we'll be saying:

We're all Californians Now.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123431135774170619.html
http://www.rootforamerica.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090113-085202
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/us/17cali.html?_r=1&hphttp://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=failed_state
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/12/business/NA-GEN-US-California-No.-8-Economy.php
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/us_world/NATLCalifornias-Exodus.html