Less than a month after the deal was finalized, the state Legislative Analyst published findings on 13 March (report) that the tax hike “will fall short of the assumptions in the budget package by $8 billion. Consequently, the Legislature and Governor will need to adopt billions of dollars in additional solutions in the coming months to bring the 2009–10 budget back into balance.”

“Solutions”? What does that mean, exactly? Well, according to that Austrian cretin Kennedy-Schwartzenegger, it means more taxes, stupid. What did you think it meant? Spending cuts?

Then on 27 March, some more cheery news here. Due to overly optimistic projections of California’s share of the Federal “stimulus” by our bonehead governor and other state officials – Treasurer Lockyer and state finance director Genest – on top of all of that, we’re yet another $1.8 billion short, so now there’ll be a personal income tax surcharge going into effect. According to the article, that last $1.8 billion will “cost a family of three making $80,000 about $100 more each year”, so do the math. Forty-two billion, plus $8 billion, plus that last (for now) $1.8 billion.

Oh, and I shouldn’t overlook the good news in that article: “Nearly $1billion in program cuts will also go forward.” Yippee! We’re $52 billion in the hole, but those bastards in Sacramento are going to actually cut one measly billion in spending! And, of course, what are the SOBs in Sacramento upset about? Those damned spending cuts, as picayune as they are: “Lockyer… said he was particularly troubled by the elimination of dental benefits and reduction of in-home workers' salaries.”

Well, boo-frikkin-hoo, you liberal moron.

We are the highest-taxed state in the nation, and as I’ve pointed out previously, any and all of the alleged “middle-class tax breaks” in the federal “stimulus” bill have been eaten up by this state tax increase, and then some.

What little discussion there’s been about cutting spending has centered around programs that actually benefit the state but have emotional impact with voters: cops, firefighters, libraries, etc.; all in a cynical attempt to make this Draconian tax increase less repugnant to the electorate.

NO discussion about cutting programs that help illegal aliens, nor that would roll back the crushing onus of the obligations to various state employee unions: SEIU, California Teachers’ Association, prison guards. These burdens are horrendous, but somehow sacrosanct, as if immune to renegotiation. We have the highest-paid teachers in the country, and the dropout rate in LA is through the roof. Makes me get all warm and fuzzy when I remember Reagan firing all the air traffic controllers.

The political hacks in Sacramento are obviously completely incapable of acting responsibly like adults. The only solution that I consider viable is for this state to file for bankruptcy in Federal court. That would allow a federal judge to duly restructure our financial burden and debt, including invalidating all extant union contracts with government workers. That alone would bring us back into solvency.

It wouldn’t be a violation of states’ rights, because the state itself would be initiating the action. Of course, that would take a realistic evaluation of the problem by the very same pinheads that created it in the first place, and an admission that they’re incompetent and/or venal.

During the election it became clear that McCain and Obama differed very little on the substance of their proposals, only really quibbling on details of execution. Both believe in the idea of “bailouts” and “stimuli” – McCain even “suspending” his campaign to skydive into DC to “save” the original pork-bloated “bailout” – as well as other major issues like amnesty, cap-and-trade, and some form of government “healthcare”.

This has become even clearer since the election as McCain has voiced his support for Obama’s various initiative proposals. Again, some minor quibbling about earmarks, but overall he supports Obama’s approach.

What does this tell us? First, that had McCain won we’d be going down pretty much the same road Obama’s taken: soaring taxes amidst a crumbling economy, skyrocketing financial commitments by the government, with massive deficits looming. With a Republican in the Oval Office and the Democrats controlling Congress, both parties would be taking their usual political cover by pointing at each other as being to blame for the problems.

Traditional conservatives would be getting even more disgusted with McCain – if that’s at all possible – and whatever support he had would be sinking like a stone. When these policies fail – as they inevitably will, either through economic failure or the complete transformation of the US into a Euro-trash socialist state or worse (fascist-style business takeovers and TASS-style American newspapers) – McCain, as President, would be the one viewed as being at fault, as all Presidents are. That’s simply in the nature of being President. The consequence is that the next Presidential election would result in a landslide win for the Democrat that took on McCain’s re-election bid.

But what are we seeing now? The Democrats own all of this; lock, stock, and both smoking barrels!

There is no political cover to be had. The current manufactured “outrage” over the AIG bonuses is simply a government-led lynch mob; an effort to try to redirect the people’s anger away from the government incompetence and malfeasance that’s created this mess, and toward straw men. The Democrats can’t use their usual whipping boys – Republicans – so they’re trying to find new targets instead. Granted, the Republicans are just as much at fault for bringing this crisis around, but they’re pretty useless as cover because at this point they are completely out of power. Worthless as camouflage. Even liberal bastions like the LA Times, NY Times, and Washington Post are starting to criticize Obama for essentially poor performance or poor leadership or lack of follow-through or not living up to his campaign promises. Many have noted his propensity to rush out of DC to the hustings to spout hollow and meaningless platitudes whenever anything controversial looms on the political horizon. His poll numbers are starting to sink and he’s barely sixty DAYS into his administration.

THAT is the best thing about McCain’s loss. It brings us absolute clarity about the flaws of liberalism by eliminating the confusion of hiding behind party labels.

We were going to have a liberal in the White House regardless of who won, but this way the liberalism is clearly attached where it truly belongs, to the Democrat Party and Obama.

It’s up to the GOP to make note of this and adjust their strategy accordingly. If they learn the painfully obvious lesson here, and run a candidate next time with real conservative chops, they’re positioned to win by a landslide as these chickens come home to roost in Obama’s shed.

But if they continue the wastrel ways they’ve been following in recent years, and put forward more “moderate” – read that as “not conservative” – candidates, not only are they dooming themselves to perpetual minority status, but they’re taking the country right over the cliff with them.

And by “conservative”, I mean the Real Deal; not yet another bunch of pathetic, mealy-mouthed, unprincipled, lying, cynical, compromising, and disgustingly and falsely self-styled “Reaganesque” poseurs like McCain, Giuliani, Schwartzenegger, McConnell, Steele, Specter, Snowe, Collins and FAR too many others to name individually without maxing out my hard drive.

One of my favorite movies – “Tombstone” – opens with a scene in which the Cowboys, led by Curly Bill Brocious (played with gusto by Powers Boothe) gun down a wedding party for a Mexican Federale. Because, as Curly Bill states, “Y’all killed two Cowboys.” A massacre ensues in which the Federales are wiped out with the exception of the bride, groom and officiating priest.

Federale Groom (to Curly Bill): “You go to hell!”

Curly Bill (calmly): “You first.”

At which point Curly Bill draws his gun and blasts the Federale Groom. The Bride is dragged off to obvious mass rape, and the priest is killed by Johnny Ringo.

That’s how I feel about all the apologists who keep harping on how we conservatives “have” to vote for whatever dolt the GOP nominates, or WE are responsible for the “downfall of the country”.

If the country’s going to hell… “You first”.

I was particularly struck by a couple of quotes from the article:

“Besides Haas' home, protesters on Saturday also visited the Fairfield home of AIG executive Douglas Poling. They were met both times by security guards. They left letters that acknowledged some executives, including Haas and Poling, are giving up the money but that asked them to support higher taxes on families earning more than $500,000 a year.

"Afterward, the group protested at the office of AIG's financial products division in Wilton, where they waved signs and chanted, 'Money for the needy, not for the greedy!'"

Well... call me John Galt!

"Needy, not...greedy"?

Maybe they wouldn't BE so "needy" if they'd spent the time getting the education and busting their butts to get ahead that the "greedy" had done!

Instead, they want to use the governmental bludgeon to impose a $500K limit -- FOR NOW -- as being an acceptable ceiling on unpunished earnings.

I'm falling in love with Gordon Gecko all over again.

BTW, the thought occurs: how come they're not chanting in front of the homes of mega-bucks sports figures or rappers or Hollyweird superstars?

From the article:

"Mary Huguley, of Hartford, said AIG executives should share their wealth with people like her sister, who is facing foreclosure."

Hmmmm……

Maybe what we can do is set aside a designated day as "Adopt-a-poor-person day".

Everyone would be required to take on the financial burdens of someone two to three steps or more below them on the earnings scale. We could have "poor person pounds", like animal shelters, where people who've managed to greedily sock it away could go to browse various poor people and listen to their sob stories, and then maybe "adopt" them. The cutest and cuddliest would probably go first; we could maybe euthanize the others. Humanely, of course.

Naturally, spaying and/or neutering of adopted pets... er, uh, I mean ADOPTEES... would be required.

Well, over the decades I’ve been a dependable foot soldier and activist for – and contributor to – the Elephant Party, AKA the GOP, and their fundraisers (at least) can’t seem to forget that. I campaigned for Nixon’s re-election in Daley’s Chicago. I held my nose and voted for Bush pere’s re-election, “Viagra Bob” Dole, and our recently termed-out and unlamented Bush 2.

Not a week goes by that I don’t receive at least one phone call or letter – and generally much more than that – asking me to part with my hard-earned bucks to support the GOP in one form or another: the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Republican Governors Campaign Committee, the Republican National Committee, the Republican Policy Committee, whatever. These guys have more “Committees” than China has tea. You’d think somewhere in there would be a “Republican Get Back on Track Committee”, but sadly, no.

However, I digress.

The other day I received a letter from one of these innumerable “committees” that, in “recognition” of my sterling history as a GOP stalwart, offered me the opportunity and “tremendous honor” of becoming a member of the “Republican Senatorial Inner Circle”, a “select group” of “advisors” to poo-bahs in DC. What a signal honor, I’m sure.

FOR FRITZ (an update):

 

Me, in flying regalia (admittedly, some years ago)

 

A year ago, just before flying an FA/18 sim.

 

 

 

 

In my opinion, we have reached the same point in our national body politic, and in many cases at the state level also, particularly here in Leftifornia.

On the national level we had just enough votes – three from the Republican Senators – to pass the “stimulus” bill proposed by Obama. Is that a coincidence, or what? The exact number of GOPer defections necessary to bleed us for the next generation or so.

Hmmmm… I wonder if the rest of the GOPers were hiding behind those three despicable Quislings? What do you think? Three willing martyrs ready to fall on their swords?

Meanwhile, here in Leftifornia, the Assembly went through a lot of angst – joined in spirit by our vaunted Governor Ah-Nuld Schwarzenegger – in an effort to address our budget shortfall of $42+ Billion Dollars!

Needless to say, the Governator spent all of his time – when he wasn’t contemplating changing parties – chastising “fellow” Republicans (who showed remarkable solidarity until their OWN martyr - Abel Maldonado - ate his gun) for standing against tax increases. This in spite of the fact that the Austrian Poseur based both of his campaigns on a “no tax increase” pledge. Even MORE ironic is that when he spoke on many occasions last year in support of McCain’s campaign he ridiculed Obama’s proposals for tax increases in an imploding economy.

Further, it’s important to remember how this lying SOB originally gained office: during a recall election involving Gray Davis, who was voted out of office for exponentially LESS offensive problems than we’ve had under Schwarzenegger.

But… again… that was only the campaign, right? It had nothing to do with actually governing… right? Ah-nuld actually said PRECISELY that to Matt Lauer a week ago. The only thing really amazing about that statement is its unusual candor, frankly. We all know politicians lie, but they don’t usually just blurt it out in admissions like that.

Bear in mind the old saying: as goes California, so goes the country. So, is this what you want for yourself?

Okay, maybe you’re a liberal. None of this sounds too bad. Think of this: all of the Obama “Tax Break For The Middle Class” has been absorbed here in California by the tax INCREASES in the latest state budget, PLUS some.

Additionally, it’s a regressive tax, as the sales tax increase and vehicle tax increase both are imposed categorically. Therefore, the poorer one is, the more those taxes affect their financial situation. Don’t liberals hate regressive solutions? I guess not.

See, that’s the problem with dogmatic liberalism: it spouts “principles” that don’t work in the real world, and the innocent bystanders who have to “suffer” and “sacrifice” are simply... written off. Because in the Real World there are consequences for Real Actions, and Real People have to suffer those Real Consequences – good or bad – for such policies.

Meanwhile, the economy keeps tanking, with no end in sight, and Obama & Company keep proposing bigger and bigger policy proposals and power grabs with ever-spiraling costs. Jobs are disappearing faster than liquor in Ted Kennedy’s house.

Are the American people going to put up with this? This is the key question and philosophical battle we’ve been edging toward for a long time, and in my opinion, this is a great time to have it out. This conflict has been unavoidable, because it pits two radically opposing philosophies against each other and casts the issues in a clear light.

By this happening on such a grand scale, with such far-reaching consequences clear for any and all to see, it’s engaging average Americans on a scale not seen since at least the Vietnam War; and on a gut-emotional level, too, since few are unaffected by the current economic situation.

In the midst of all this turmoil, in a great example of why our politicians seem so ridiculously out of touch and to lack any perspective, the LA County Board of Supervisors is taking up the issue of declaring a “No Cussing Week” for the county. I’m not joking; read the full article here. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. Truth is stranger than fiction. Apparently, in this era, no matter is too large OR too small to escape the attention of government.

And that is exactly the problem.

We reached a pinnacle of governmental common sense with Reagan, and we’ve been spiraling downward ever since, with the exception of a brief respite with the 1994 “Contract with America”, which turned out to be ephemeral in nature. The Democrat party charges Left, and the GOP charges along right after them, yelling “Me, too! Just a little less!”

I believe this has brought us to a real crossroads in our history, and the decision of which path we follow is going to determine the future of this country for at least generations to come. If we don’t radically change directions, we are doomed to becoming just another Euro-trash socialist country. The Fat Lady will have sung, and the lights are being turned off.

As I wrote in my “Bread and Circuses” essay a year ago, we’re following the historical arc of the Western Roman Empire towards total dissolution and decay. The one positive note I’m seeing is that there seems to be a groundswell of rebellion forming. Will it be enough? Will it be sustained, and grow? I don’t know, frankly.

But it’s time for us to be at this crossroads, and make that final determination of what our future will be. Enough of this sneaky creep to the left, with its slow but steady erosion of our rights. It’s time to face this head-on, boldly, and have that confrontation.

Neither of the major political parties is on the right side of this problem. Therefore, the only hope lies in the hands of the people themselves. They can keep expressing their outrage, and hopefully ignite some fear in the hearts of the political class. There are signs that this may be having some effect, as the GOP seems to be stiffening its political spine, and even some Democrats are starting to question Obama’s push to “redefine” America. The outrage of the people blocked the two recent scamnesty efforts.

The other requirement is that the GOP either redefines itself back to the party of small-government, fiscally responsible conservatism; or be replaced by another party that adheres to those principles. As it stands right now, it’s a party that doesn’t deserve one iota of support – either in votes or donations – from traditional conservatives.

Viewed in that light, the election of Obama, and his attempts to effectuate radical societal change, are actually GOOD things. Because they force us to have this confrontation, and attempt to stop the continued incrementalist changes to our society that are slowly bleeding our liberties and bank accounts. His election paints the problem in bold colors, impossible to miss. It allows a clarity to the debate that would be impossible if the liberal Republican McCain were sitting in the White House acting like Schwarzenegger.

A house can be so damaged in an earthquake that the only option is to tear it down and build anew. To set the fire of rebirth.