(12-19-2013 11:04 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  Jerry Brown has righted the ship in California.

OK, you just go with that.

(12-19-2013 11:04 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  Jerry Brown has righted the ship in California.

So California is what you think a righted ship looks like?

If you don't dig deeper it does appear that Gov. Brown has done some great things for the state of California. One of the big things he has done: plan a surplus for the state's budget. Obviously, the legislature had to pass the budget but the plan came from Brown's office.

However, the surplus has some silver linings:

Quote:The growth in revenue is powered in part by Proposition 30's increases in sales and income taxes, which are only temporary. And income tax revenue is notoriously volatile, in part because so much of it depends on the stock market and capital gains. Nevertheless, these projections will tempt Democratic lawmakers to restore some of the programs and services cut during the recession or to launch new ones, while fueling Republican demands to cut the state's highest-in-the-nation income tax rates.

But the state still faces real fiscal challenges, including the debt it amassed by issuing bonds and dipping into funds reserved for schools, mental health programs and other special purposes in order to make ends meet. Even more threatening are the huge unfunded liabilities in state pension funds such as the teacher retirement system, which holds about $70 billion less in assets than it owes to future retirees.

From: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorial...z2nwcfnKwX

Looks like some of California's more underlying problems (pensions, etc.) are still quite prevalent.

Plus, California appears to be a very unique state because most states would not be to hold their industry (tourism, technology) when the tax rates increase or stay high for long. Perhaps the tourism insulates from the effects of the high taxes? I'm afraid that I do not know if CA's industries are leaving the state but that might be occurring with high tax levels.

(12-18-2013 11:31 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  I don't think the GOP will be quite as fractured this time. Either Cruz or Paul will run, which will completely shut out the Newts, Santorums, Huckabees and Gingriches this time. It will be Cruz or Paul against either Bush or Christie. Rubio could get in there as well, but if Cruz or Paul run, they'll get the conservative vote. The problem the last 2 times is there was nobody to rally behind.

Man what do you have against Newt Gingrich?

(12-19-2013 12:43 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(12-19-2013 11:04 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  Jerry Brown has righted the ship in California.

So California is what you think a righted ship looks like?

The fact that more people are leaving the state than entering the state seems emblamatic of a sinking ship, not a ship that has been righted.

(12-19-2013 12:43 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(12-19-2013 11:04 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  Jerry Brown has righted the ship in California.

So California is what you think a righted ship looks like?

Of course California is a righted ship and the good news is Brown will do the same thing for the whole country. Don't we need illegals to have driver's licenses and the right to vote in local elections? Or how about additional locker rooms and bathrooms for those who can't figure out if they're supposed to sit or stand when they pee? Or maybe you'd like to share the only blend of gas allowed to be sold in California which makes it so costly? Or how about giving unions an exceptional amount of political clout and power? And wouldn't you want your leader to go to court and fight against constitutional amendments approved by the majority of voters?

(12-19-2013 01:10 PM)Murray007 Wrote:  Looks like some of California's more underlying problems (pensions, etc.) are still quite prevalent.

All the fixes are temporary... ironically, some of the fixes are things that conservatives propose on a national level that the National Democrats oppose

1. The state workforce contracted by more than 30,000 positions.

Nationally: the only major area that is hiring nationally is the federal workforce.

2. Spending on schools plummeted to $47.3 billion last year, down from $56.6 billion four years earlier.

Cut Education? the Left would go apocalyptic.

Then the BIG one... (IMO)

3. The state limited the time adults could receive welfare cash assistance to as little as 24 months, down from 60 months.

The Federal govt. just approved another 99 weeks of unemployment insurance... and some of the democratic posters on here called many of us heartless for wanting to cut welfare.

I think there's some questiony numbers in the report from CNNMoney.

Quote:its unemployment rate is now around 9.8%, down from 12.4% in October 2010

.

This number i seriously have questions about, as they do the same thing the federal govt does, and they simply take people who quit looking for jobs out of the Unemployment numbers.

Quote:Another risk is that lawmakers will want to restore many of the services and funding that were slashed during the Great Recession and its brutal aftermath. Brown has pledged continued fiscal constraint, but that can be difficult to accomplish politically.

This is the one IMO that has this on a bubble... name a lawmaker that doesnt' see a surplus and want to spend it immediately.

Quote:If legislators don't approve certain measures in Brown's budget proposal, such as the continuation of some fees and taxes, the state could dip back into the red at the end of its 2013-14 fiscal year.

So basically, if the state doesn't keep up the high taxes they go negative again?

Then at the bottom they hit the KEY LINE...

Quote:And like many states, California has yet to deal with its longer-term problems. The big whammies there include unfunded liabilities associated with the teachers' retirement system and state retiree health benefits.

So wait a minute, they're in the positive, because they have not paid liabilities they OWE? That's a surplus? We owe money, but because we're not paying it, we're in the red... I wonder if I could get that to work with my mortgage and car payments?

(12-19-2013 12:43 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(12-19-2013 11:04 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  Jerry Brown has righted the ship in California.

So California is what you think a righted ship looks like?

Far be it from me to speak on behalf of Tom in Lazybrook, but for many people: yes, the fiscal/budgetary madness in California is not just "a righted ship" but an example to which other states (like Texas) should aspire.

California went from a $27 billion deficit to a $2 billion surplus under Brown. Whether or not you think that means the ship has been righted, it at least means the ship isn't sinking anymore.

(12-20-2013 01:05 AM)UM2001GRAD Wrote:  California went from a $27 billion deficit to a $2 billion surplus under Brown. Whether or not you think that means the ship has been righted, it at least means the ship isn't sinking anymore.

It's more of a... "not sinking as fast", but it's still sinking, UM. Again, that $2B surplus is GONE as soon as those unpaid pensions (that the state hasn't agreed to wipe out, because they can't) come into play.

They plugged one hole in the boat, but that iceberg is coming and they've done nothing yet to get out of it's way.

So 'Moonbeam' Brown is running for President again? Yeah, because it worked out so well for him the 1st time.