It's Okay if you are a Republican, As Usual
How many times have we heard over the last couple of years that California's $18 billion dollar budget deficit was all the fault of those California Hippie liberals and their tax and spend ways? How many times have we been lectured to by Republicans telling us that this proves that the only way to run government is according to their conservative, teabagging rules?
I hardly need say that California's woebegone condition is in stark contrast to the healthy, Republican run State of Texas. Yes indeed, there they are running a very strong surplus of....wait, just let me check here...
WHAT? NOOOO! It can't be true! According to the Wall Street Journal, Texas is facing a deficit of....$18 BILLION DOLLARS!
Well, just forget that I said that. It means nothing.
I hardly need say that California's woebegone condition is in stark contrast to the healthy, Republican run State of Texas. Yes indeed, there they are running a very strong surplus of....wait, just let me check here...
WHAT? NOOOO! It can't be true! According to the Wall Street Journal, Texas is facing a deficit of....$18 BILLION DOLLARS!
Well, just forget that I said that. It means nothing.
Comments
http://www.texasobserver.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=17059:what-perry-and-white-must-talk-about&Itemid=1759
"Texas budget deficit may exceed California's...For months now, Rick Perry has tried to play down and hide the looming budget hole in Texas. Despite his best efforts, the truth his slowly starting to emerge. The Dallas Morning News reported on Monday that the deficit may be approaching $24 to $25 billion, a total "proportionately larger than the deficit California recently closed."
Or this one, from October 7th:
"Is the Real Texas Budget Deficit $25 Billion?
I realize Rick Perry barely acknowledges there is a budget deficit at all, but the number I've been hearing - from him - is $18 billion. Then, I saw this tweet from University of Houston President Renu Khator: RT@UHPres In Austin today for Chancellors meeting..overheard that state budget shortfall may be as high as $25 billion!"
Or this one, from September 11th:
"Watch Rick Perry spin his $18 Billion Budget Deficit"
Or this one, from September 21st:
"As the single biggest consumer of state money, the Texas public education system stands to lose millions of dollars as the state grapples with a looming budget shortfall.
Gov. Rick Perry's "budgetary policies are wrecking the public schools and jeopardizing our children's future," said Rita Haecker, president of the Texas State Teachers Association. "The governor can talk all he wants about school savings ... but most districts and educators are already stretched so thin, there is little, if anything, left to save."
Or this one, from September 21st:
"Bill White, the Democrat who is running for governor, wants the man who has held that job for almost 10 years to say exactly how deep the ditch is.
It's very deep, says Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
Not good enough, says White, we need to know exactly how deep. A lot of people say it's somewhere around $18 billion worth of deep, but White points to other legislative experts who say it may be $21 billion.
Or this one, from August 31st:
"You may have heard that the state of Texas has a shortfall in the State budget. The deficit is estimated at $18 Billion."
Those were all in the first two pages of my Google search for "Texas Budget Deficit." And there were plenty more. Satisfied?
A deficit isn't the whole story. California has a frightening structural debt problem that makes Greece look like a haven of fiscal sanity.
http://www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/asset-sale-asset-sales-california-first/10/19/2010/id/30656
http://www.lao.ca.gov/2009/bud/fiscal_outlook/fiscal_outlook_111809.aspx
Of all the jobs added to the economy since the crash, half were added in Texas.
Texas is attracting productive working people--California is bleeding them out.
A final difference: Texas is an economic powerhouse. As the economy improves, revenue will bounce back. California has killed off it industry, so it will not see a comparable revenue increase.
The oil business is still (but for how long?) supporting the Texas economy. Other than that, what you have to say is just typical conservative cant, including the endless claims that California is so anti-business, which are not only false, but solely motivated by the unending campaign by businesses to evade paying their fair share of taxes. Cut my taxes, in the end, all you guys care about, and you will say and "believe" anything to advance that agenda.
By the way, your whole reply was an evasion of the issue that the holy empire of Texas is in as bad a hole as California. I think I made my point, and I will stand by the obvious conclusion.
Its not my fault you don't know the difference between a deficit and structural debt.
Once again you prove one of Green Eagle's fundamental laws of life: Conservatives can never admit they are wrong about anything.
I'm not going to spoon feed you. Go look at how many outstanding bonds California has issued versus Texas. Next look at unfunded mandates for things like pensions for each state and you'll see what I am talking about.
You are a great example of one who simply reads the side of an issue that you agree with and then regurgitate it.