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California’s worsening financial condition

September 27, 2011

Nearly nine in ten Californians, say the state is in bad economic times and don’t see things improving any time soon, according to a September 27 Field Poll.

Half of California voters believe their financial condition is worse than last year,

It is the fourth straight year this has occurred, and the first time it has happened since Field began the polling a half century ago.

“Pretty gloomy stuff,” said Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo. “The length of these negative reports is now becoming historic.”

Not surprisingly, the poll found a huge majority – 91 percent – of voters consider California’s economy to be in bad shape. About half those think things will improve by next year, 30 percent say it will get worse, and 26 percent look for an improvement.

California’s revenues already have fallen short during the second quarter, according to the state’s Department of Finance.


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Q: What is the difference between the Titanic and California?


. . .


A: The people on the Titanic didn’t vote to hit the iceberg.


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matts mom

“difference between the Titanic and California” “The people on the Titanic didn’t vote to hit the iceberg”


EXCELLENT, I LOVE IT.


They didn’t have a choice of Captain either.

Interestingly the captain (of the Titanic) after departing port was temporparily interferred by a tug-boat.

After the tug boat cleared the path, the journey began.

Some speculated whether this temporary interference was an omen that things are not going to go well or a diverting curse timely causing the crash with the iceberb.

Others speculated that it was a failed blessing attempting to prevent the crash.

Not all good signs are good and not all bad signs are bad.


But for anyone trying to figure the woes of the economy from the President’s or Governor’s position would be like trying to figure out from all angles how the Roman Empire fell.

It is easier to see it from a city and county perspective.


From an individual’s perspective, this is the problem. Normally you have de-flation with a depression or recession. But we got a “protracted (maybe 10 years)” recession with a inflation in taxation, perishable, hard goods, and services. So what does that do to our (average joe – not government or corporation) lives for the next 10 years. For the young it limits the wonder years, for the middle age its slavery, for the old your finished and pray to God you don’t get hit with expensive medical bills.

In other words it will “still” get worst before it gets better or normal to American expectations. From what I remember in Economics 101, when things get bad, prices goes up with cost of living all around, then it continues and sales and liquidation occurs until recession forges deflation. Look at the various state government, it is in trouble “again” they all have to pay the loan from the Feds on October 1, 2011. This happens because of the same “kicking the can down the road, it comes back!


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FACT: the democrat has controlled the legislature and senate 40 of the last 41 years. FACT: Forty one years ago California was the sixth largest economy in the world. FACT Forty one years ago California’s educational system was 1st in national standing and is now 46th. jimmy_me hits the nail on the head but with one correction; the Los Osos non-sewer was shoved down your throat. There was never going to be a sewer jimmy. You were scammed by the green weenies. Here’s how to cure California’s ills.


Kick out the democrat

Stop subsidizing the irresponsible to breed indiscriminately.

Slash bureaucrat jobs, healthcare, and retirement

Deport all illegals


Now that wasn’t all that hard, now was it?


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Maxfusion

About 50 years ago, my dad and uncle urged and explained how important the Democrats were.

About 40 years ago, the same elders changed and urged how important and better the Republicans were.

They were all a different more innocent breed of people then, NOW they are ALL F-O-S or legal crooks.


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Fact, the people who don’t work and those in power to take from us the workers are finally afraid that they have borrowed, stolen, taxed us to death and now the pot is empty, the bank vault is full of worthless iou’s and we the working people have had enough.


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Reality has a way of eventually asserting itself, doesn’t it? People are finally waking up to the fact that we are in REAL trouble.


Living standards are dropping while the State attempts to make up for falling tax revenues by squeezing us even harder to maintain the flow of funds into the ever emptying coffers. Panic ensues on both the left and right as we head back towards a value-added private sector and financial sustainable public sector.


So where will you make the cuts? 3rd holiday to Disneyland off the cards? Paint your own nails? Learn how to cook for yourself? Let the season tickets lapse?


I can imagine the scenes now: School children walking to school, fruit and vegetable stalls being set up in towns to supply the ever growing demand for people who can no longer afford to buy ready meals, second cars flooding the market with people no longer commuting by themselves to shuffle paper around a desk.


Austerity is a GOOD thing. It preserves wealth. Greed and consumerism is a BAD thing, especially when it is financed with credit. We have become addicted to what we feel we are entitled to, instead of what we have actually earned. It’s not just the state benefit addicted sofa surfers who will be outraged when requested to actually contribute or lose their beer vouchers, but the “hard pressed Mums” who will no longer be able to sip skinny lattes while someone else looks after their children. I’m expecting riots when a Starbucks in Paso goes bust.


We are where we are because Politicians believed the banks who offered limitless growth using money they invented. What better device to bribe the electorate with than their own money, not yet earned? The very same Politicians now attacking the banks for lending them all this free money that has yet to exist, yet refusing to destroy what the endless money allowed them to build. The behemoth they control. The ever growing bloated tumour of “Government”


If the very least we can expect is a drop in living standards for the utter chaos caused by decades of stupidity, we will have got off very lightly indeed.


Our exalted leaders are struggling in the quicksand they created. More so, they are pleading to stand on our shoulders. Having plundered our money, they are hiring thousands of new tax inspectors to hunt down the last few remaining morsels of other peoples money and still, they refuse to stare into the abyss that faces us. Our money, our earnings, our labour has been subjected to a brutal assault at the hands of Politicians and public sector employees and unions. Propaganda floods the airwaves telling us to “pay our fair share” of a cake I didn’t order and have no appetite for, and in the background, the Generals of the banks belly laugh at us.


Personally speaking, I am prepared for economic war. I have kept my powder dry and learned my craft. I am no mindless drone slaving away to own an iPad in the hope it will bring me happiness. I’ll look after my own pension, my own health and my own wealth thanks. There will be no drop in my living standards, I already live within my means and I’m damned if I’m paying off the profligate spending ambitions of corrupt Politicians.


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Well said….but obviously copied and pasted from some commonwealth author.

Have the courtesy and decency to credit the source.


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Wasn’t there a movie all about this? Didn’t someone say that there were better days ahead?


Ya Gotta Have HOPE!


All Sing along!:


Hmm, hmm, hmm


Sohovic:

So it’s 3 years over due!


All:

Hoo, hoo, hoo.

We’ve got HOPE!

Miles and miles and miles of HOPE!

Oh it’s fine to be a genius of course, but keep that old horse before the cart!


Smokey:

So what the heck’s the use of cryin’?


Coach:

Why should we curse?


Sohovic:

We’ve got to get better……


Rocky:

….’cause we can’t get worse!


All:

And to add to it; we’ve got HOPE!

We’ve got HOPE!

We’ve got HOPE!


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Not that it will but “it could” get worst


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Yes it could and if the right does’t start working with the left then it will get worse.


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Yes, because it has been “the right” that has been in control of California for years. Yes. Sure. Typo, the day you step back and realize that “right” and “left” are nothing more than patsies, will be painful indeed.


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As I said in another post, the governer has a lot of power. We still can’t get the rich to pay their fair share in this state because of 4 repubs. So although we have the majority the repubs still have some power in this state.


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I look at the left and moreso the rights described in Proverb 26:21

Which goes like this:

“As charcoal to buring coal, wood to fire, so are the contentious to kindle strife”


Not saying things will get worst, just saying “it could”


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Wrong, why would you compromise with a failed narrative? Why would you continue to repeat past mistakes anticipating different results? We’ve endured 40 years with power in the hands of utopian moonbats. The days of playing herd the unicorns with lefties is over. No compromise, scorched earth only, and no prisoners. We’re through funding your insanity.


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Why compromise,,geez,,,because it’s better to get a little bit done then nothing at all. That was the problem with Bush, he had no concept of diplomacy and it seems to have become a constant with those on the extreme right. ‘we want it our way or no way’. I would rather have half of the pie then no pie at all. What you are saying is what’s leading this country down the toilet. You sound like a spoiled brat.


“No compromise, scorched earth only, and no prisoners.”


That’s all you know, you people only know how to scorch and destroy the earth and as evident at the GOP debate you enjoy killing the prisoners. Thank God I’m not like you and hopefully most people aren’t. None of you have a clue regarding compromise. You are a prime example of the failure of Reagan’s ‘No Child Left Behind’ policy. Thank goodness that intelligence will win over ignorance. We will overcome this hatred.


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rogerfreberg


Hope is a resultant that follows love and faith, and it’s NOT there!


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But, but, according to the talking heads, the economy has turned around and there are 2.4 million new jobs…


BS, the facts are today, the unemployment rate in CA is now 12.1% and we are still hemmoraging businesses out of state. So, I would agree with this article, in that it brings up what the mainscream media will not. Things have gotten worse in the last 3.5years not better…

And IMHO, the only growth and job security in this state(especially in this county) are in the government sector…


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Only in the administrative government sector. Cops, firefighters and corrections haven’t been so lucky.


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“And IMHO, the only growth and job security in this state(especially in this county) are in the government sector…”


Tell that to the employees at the Grover Beach court house or the laid off prison staff or the many laid off teachers. Even the local Santa Maria IRS has cut back (boo hoo). No one is safe.


But on the other hand as usual I’m in the minority. My business is better this year than it was last year and so are family members businesses that are also self employed. But our business isn’t as good as it was 10 years ago, not by a long shot. One of my family members has been having her/his busiest quarters ever. The difference is that business is unpredictable. Months that used to be our busiest are now our slowest and visa versa, very hard to plan.


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How ironic. A business of one will can do well… how? By cutting out all the CRAP that is imposed on businesses when they hire people. Since when is it my employers responsibility to ensure that me and my family are taken care of every which way?


I think it is too late, but I am pessimistic when it comes to the government and the economy. OK, when it comes to the government and pretty much everything they do.


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How do you know how many people I employee? I do have local family members that are fairly large small business employers though. ‘Large small business sounds kinda funny but what I mean is that they hire of local people, at least a few hundred, but they are small businesses as compared to Walmart or some big corp like that. Personally I don’t have to shell out medical insurance as my business is too small but I do have a few employees.


People need to be covered with medical coverage and if the govt. has to force it then so be it. I get it r0y, I heard Ron Paul during the debate when he was asked what we should do if someone gets really sick and doesn’t have insurance, should we just let him die. Paul basically said, well that’s his problem. I get it r0y. Your party has become the party that claps and cheers when a Gov. brags about executing over 200 people and when another candidate says ‘it’s his problem if he dies’ and when your people boo a soldier fighting a war for them simply because he’s gay, that’s your people r0y, they have no heart, I get it.


Okay r0y I got a bit carried away with you, that last paragraph is more general and related to all the cons on this site not just you. As a matter of fact you are a bit more compassionate than many of ‘your people’ (as I like to call them) but you are still way over on the dark side.


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Just to be clear, I have NO PARTY affiliation. None. But I get your point. Unfortunately, the sad reality of life (Darwinism) is: he’s dying, that’s his problem. We can’t have it both ways. That always struck me as the greatest irony of life: liberals often side with Darwinism, but want to elevate man; conservatives generally are religious (elevating man), but enjoy survival of the fittest. If that doesn’t strike you as odd, I don’t know what does.


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Right…forgot about teachers too in my post.


If you actually deliver a public service to the community or state, your job is not safe. If you are a manager aka overhead, you are safe…in fact we’re hiring!


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What the Hell did you expect? You brought back Jerry Brown as Governor last year- remember?


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…. and re-elected a Democrat state senate and assembly. That’s what Democrats do- they destroy things when you elect them, and then make things worse when you re-elect them. What’s the big mystery here?


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R U Kidding?


This disaster was already in place under Swartzneggar who was nore interested in diddeling has maid behind his wifes back than fixing the economy and dirty gov.


At least Brown has been going after crooked stuff like realing in many of the RDAs who have breaking the rules.


Go, Jerry, Go!


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Talk about R U Kidding me!!!! Nice spin. Arnold, doesn’t write the laws, he just signs them. Hmm now who has controlled the state Senate and House for at least the last twenty years?


Also wasn’t it Arnold that tried to cut and Govern to the right, then got beat over the head, so that he moved to the middle to appease the left?? Again nice rewriting of the truth.


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Curious if you take that same reasoned approach that the executive branch “just signs them” with Obama? If so, then good for you. If not then do you see a hypocrisy and / or partisanship there?


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Great point gomez. Hypocrisy is the name of the game on the right.


Jerry does have a degree of power. He can veto bad bills and he can suggest and approve and has approved drastic spending cuts, which for some reason the cons are never able to do. The only thing they can do is help the wealthy make record profits which in turn only hurts the rest of us. How many times do they have to be told that we are in this mess because of the right before they get it. In part though we can’t completely blame the state politicians for this mess, not even Arnie. The world is in a finical mess, not just us.


One of the biggest road blocks that Jerry’s run into is the typical right wingers wanting to make the rich richer. He tried to extend taxes on the wealthy along with budget cuts but as usual was blocked by four Repubs. With tax issues you need more than a simple majority so even though they are the minority once again the wealthy cons are holding us all hostage as they manipulate their pawns (the middle and lower income cons).


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If this isn’t a typical lib whining I don’t know what is. If it wasn’t so serious I would have to laugh…

The current Dem re run goveror is leading the same dem led legislature that has been in power for several decades. So you can try and spin it as the past governors fault or even GWBs fault but that ain’t gonna fly. Just ask obama.

Moonbeam and the dem led legislature have been absolutely at fault and completely ineffective since they teamed up again.

Where are the jobs, where is the booming economy we once had, why is the legislature unable to have a budget in hand on time in any year, and why has the out of control spending continued…


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I would like to see how long it would take you to recover if you lost your job, your home, someone charged up your credit card etc.. How long would it take you fix those problems? You expect a governer and prez to fix a state and the country in less time than it would a regular person to fix thier budget and get on their feet. At least you would have help, the dems get absolutely no help from the right as matter fact we have to constantly fight the right instead of getting the important work done. I guess you really do expect dems to walk on water, we’re good but sorry we can’t perform miracles.


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What would the right do with out the left or what remains of or passes as the left ?

Capitalism is supposed to be delivering the goods, it isn’t,it is delivering the bads. this is not good.

let a real honest economist explain the systemic ills in simple plain language


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I’ve forgotten, why is Socialism supposed to be so bad?


I’ve read bits and pieces by that economist before, I’m so glad that you reminded me about him. That guy is spot on.


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so is this


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Heeeeelarious that just a question gets downvoted.


I thought comment sections were for debates, and like any debate I asked the poster to defend their position.


Booooooooo


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Sorry it took awhile to get back to this. Do I blame Obama. No, no more than Bush was to blame. I blame the Democratic controled congress of ’06-’08 and their spending binge.


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who has controlled the state Senate and House for at least the last twenty years?

the dominant business and economic force’s lobbyist duh…. money,


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Jerry is honest, to a fault, Jerry is frugal flies coach, Jerry lives in a cool little house rather than the Governor mansion, a zen jesuit much better than the money grubbing social climber we had representing us. Arnold did better than I expected but he used the office as a stepping stone to advance his career Jerry is not there for himself History will be kind to him.


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How long has Jerry been in office?


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Too long.


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I see that you guys are giving Jerry the same chance to succeed that you gave Obama. Cantor said that his main goal was to make Obama a one term pres you guys are doing the same with Jerry. Not hey, lets see what we can do to help, lets work together, nope, the main goal is to get rid of dems not to help the country.


Brown has a great record but you people won’t change, just get rid of him and bring back another Arnie or Bush. How’d that work for ya?


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How many years should we give him?

I’m waiting for him to just one thing right…

We conservatives don’t have to do a thing to make moonbeam and obama one termers, they are doing it all to themselves…


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Who got Osama? Who rescued the boat captain from the pirates? Theres more but that’s enough right there to skunk Bush’s record Obama had more accomplishments in two years than Bush had in 8. What gov. has been better since Brown was gov. before? We were in GREAT shape when Jerry was our gov.. This country ran at it best when Clinton was in office and this state performed at it’s best when Jerry was in office. And those are the cold hard facts easy.


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Oh yeah! who took the most vacations? huh?


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Bush.


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The brave men of Seal Team 6 “got Osama.” The credit goes to THEM. THEY risked their lives. THEY are amazingly well-trained and dedicated. THEY are patriotic Americans. THEY are competent and humble. THEY are the true heroes who “got Osama.”


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Well said pasoparent,

Never before in my life have I heard a group do so much to give accolades to an elected politician for things he did not do.


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You and easy are aware that Obama is the commander In charge, the chief etc. right? Why didn’t the Seals get Osama when Bush was in? Who gave the order to get him, who went over the plans? You need to read up on it. He could have said just bomb the compound, Obama had alternatives that he and Hillary had to choose from, same with the pirate issue. Obama was on the phone and gave the order, he’s the one that made it a mission to get Osama. You people wouldn’t even be happy if Obama stuck a knife between his teeth, scaled Osama’s compound walls and hand brought him in, you’d still find a way to not give him credit.


Bush 7 years tens of thousands of innocent people dead= no Osama, Obama 2 year= Osama dead. You people and your non grounded hatred for Obama is simply pathetic, it’s just unbelievable. This is either a prime example of the dumbing down of this country or pure racism. I hate to throw the race card but the hatred makes no sense it has to be either stupidity or/and racism.


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Which decade?


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You brought back Jerry Brown as Governor last year —– to replace the guy who left us in the same budget position as the Gray guy we recalled a decade ago.

I doubt Jerry will step on our face as leaves office like his predecessor


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No surprise is it? the state isn’t the only one goin broke as grocery prices and basic goods prices have, and continue to rise weekly it seems.. What ever happened to shipping our jobs overseas to cut production costs etc and allow for cheaper merchandise?… Oh foolish me, it was to boost profit margins only for bean counters. Hope it still does the job for you bean counters as your imported goods are both junk and over priced now.


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He’s right. The best thing we can do for ourselves as a community is to buy local whenever possible. We can that way keep our own community vibrant, our markets open, and our people working.


Well, if it is 50% cheaper on Amazon, then buy at Amazon. If it maybe only 10% more expensive, then buy local.


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Actually, no, that is NOT the best thing we can do. At the very BEST, buying and “keeping it local” will be a NET-ZERO effect. Why? Because we do not print currency. Unless we move to a barter system (or try that silver/gold backed thing that the feds busted a few years ago) we will not prosper.


Instead, we need to EXPORT goods and services, thus bringing money INTO our community. Do that ON TOP OF buying local, and we’ll REALLY recover.


As some leaders clearly do not understand, THAT is basic math.


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No surprise here. Thanks for shoving the Los Osos sewer down my throat.


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