On the Contrary

California has “solved” their budget crisis with lots of cuts and no spending increases.  Actually they solved it with 31 bills, which according to the Sacramento Bee, stitched “together a multibillion-dollar patch for the state budget consisting of deep cuts in nearly every government program, tricky accounting maneuvers and big and small reforms in the way California does business.”  In other words, they fixed nothing and it is a cautionary tale about attempting to tweak a failed system instead of replacing it altogether.  Worse yet, they may have crippled California for years to come.

When the deal was complete there was a picture of the Governor and state legislators beaming brightly and I thought how appropriate.  They are celebrating on their own graves.  It is a reflection of how out of touch we are as a people when we celebrate any agreement, even a bad one, as a win.  Here is a sampling of some of their gimmicks:

• They cut $5.7 billion from elementary, high schools, and community colleges – Fantastic!  We are already 43rd in the nation for student spending.  Now some third world nations are surging ahead of us.  Oh, and don’t worry, we will pay it all back again when we are flush.  I guess today’s kids are throw-aways.

• They cut $2.8 billion from state colleges and Universities.  They directed a 1-day furlough each month for the professors and asked the professors not to have that a teaching day.  Perfect!  California has been a leader in R&D and now we are undercutting the very basis of our economy.  Good professors will simply migrate to where they can earn a decent wage in a very competitive business.

• State workers continue to be furloughed 3-days per month (that’s a 15% pay cut).  Recently there was a toxic waste spill on the highway and it took 12 hours to locate a crew to clean it up because they were all on furlough.  Every wonder why state workers must cough up 15% of their wages, but the rest of us get to ride on their backs?

• They cut health programs and social services by $2.4 billion just when people are losing their jobs and need a safety net.

• They sold their soul like other coastal states by allowing drilling offshore and putting at risk the very thing that makes California so beautiful.  If California gets dependent on offshore drilling like other states, think we will make any hard decisions about reducing our use of oil and gas to save the climate?

• They “borrowed” money from local governments as though these institutions don’t need the money they get from the state to perform their functions.  Once again, though, not to worry, it will be paid back sometime.

• They reduced money to prisons, but refused to release non-violent offenders so this ought to work out well.  Our prisons are already a cesspool and our policy to throw people in jail forever has come back to haunt us in cost we can’t afford, but why address that problem now?

On sure there were a few good things in there like getting rid of some of the high paid commissions California established as playgrounds for term limited pols.  But all in all it is a disaster.  They kept tweaking a failed system instead of ripping out the guts of the system and doing real reform.  As always the Republicans got their way with no tax or revenue increases and the budget crisis was solved on the backs of the poor, our children, and of course government workers.

But the last laugh may be on those who think we can solve this like we have solve so many other problems, on the backs of the powerless.  Our conservative friends have not asked for one sacrifice from their minions who think government is just wasteful and taxes are bad.  Note they asked state workers to take a 15% pay cut but would be shocked, shocked, shocked if they were asked to anti up 15% to help solve the problem.  But their comeuppance is not far around the corner.  The impact of all these cuts on the economy in California, both in the short term, and in the long term will be catastrophic.  In the short term with all the decreased spending, they will see their business shrivel up.  In the long term, their failure to invest both in our children’s education and our infrastructure will further advance California’s decline.

What needed to be done was a real overhaul of our financial system with an eye to the long term.  Step one would have been to throw out the State’s constitution with its over 400 amendments and start over.  Then face the reality that we need to pay for what we ask for, and pay for what we need.  This crisis should have been solved with a shared sacrifice and the dedication to plan for our future even if paying for that future costs us today.  Instead, like everything else we have done in this nation, we look for the free ride and never ask ourselves for sacrifice.  So let’s continue down this feel good road where we continually kick the can down the road and our children’s future is jeopardized by our selfishness today.

By the way, health care reform anyone?  I am sure we can do it the same way California balanced their budget – smoke and mirrors and no real sacrifice from those who can afford to sacrifice.  Let our children worry about tomorrow.  I want to go to the lake and water ski.  I wonder why the boat ramp is falling apart?  What the hell is wrong with those Parks people that they let this area get into such a state?