Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 10:09 am
Was thinking about things, freely associating, as I do.
Was thinking about how Greece is a bit of a canary in the coal mine when it comes to European economics and politics... there, they have a culture that spends more than they make in order to ensure the liberal, barely-work, retire-early lifestyle. Additionally, Greeks as a culture don't seem to care about paying their taxes in the first place. Last I heard, Germany was keeping Greece afloat until the next vote when Greece will not fix their problems.
That got me to thinking about California, which admittedly, has a larger economy than a great majority of countries on the entire planet. But, they are also voting themselves into a hole lined with free candy. Border security is a facade, they work to reward millions of illegals who got in and stayed, and they never met a new social program they didn't like in spite of the cost. In defiance of the cost, it seems at times.
And obviously the USA as a whole is having some spending problems. I don't need to reiterate them... it would be racist of me to suggest that it isn't wise to spend more than one can afford.
So, that gets me wondering... perhaps as goes California, so goes the country. CA politicans no longer have the will to try to defy the population of the greater San Francisco area, just as the east and west coasts don't seem to care at all about fiscal responsibility of the country. Worst of all, there is absolutely no fiscally responsible party left in this country with a chance of getting elected to enough seats to make a difference. There is absolutely no hope of fixing the economic problems of the country in the foreseeable future... something bad is going to have to happen before anything changes.
So.... I figure California will drop first.
Let's use this thread to post all of the suicidal things California is doing.
I'll start.
California schools owe $1 billion on $100 million in loans they've taken.
This is close to home for me... my local school district also tore down a perfectly good school built of stone and brick in the post WW2 era in order to qualify for millions in federal loans to build a new school. Now the economy is tanked, and they are talking about laying off teachers and increasing class sizes in order to pay the bills. Thanks, assholes!
Edited By GORDON on 1355238682
Was thinking about how Greece is a bit of a canary in the coal mine when it comes to European economics and politics... there, they have a culture that spends more than they make in order to ensure the liberal, barely-work, retire-early lifestyle. Additionally, Greeks as a culture don't seem to care about paying their taxes in the first place. Last I heard, Germany was keeping Greece afloat until the next vote when Greece will not fix their problems.
That got me to thinking about California, which admittedly, has a larger economy than a great majority of countries on the entire planet. But, they are also voting themselves into a hole lined with free candy. Border security is a facade, they work to reward millions of illegals who got in and stayed, and they never met a new social program they didn't like in spite of the cost. In defiance of the cost, it seems at times.
And obviously the USA as a whole is having some spending problems. I don't need to reiterate them... it would be racist of me to suggest that it isn't wise to spend more than one can afford.
So, that gets me wondering... perhaps as goes California, so goes the country. CA politicans no longer have the will to try to defy the population of the greater San Francisco area, just as the east and west coasts don't seem to care at all about fiscal responsibility of the country. Worst of all, there is absolutely no fiscally responsible party left in this country with a chance of getting elected to enough seats to make a difference. There is absolutely no hope of fixing the economic problems of the country in the foreseeable future... something bad is going to have to happen before anything changes.
So.... I figure California will drop first.
Let's use this thread to post all of the suicidal things California is doing.
I'll start.
California schools owe $1 billion on $100 million in loans they've taken.
This is close to home for me... my local school district also tore down a perfectly good school built of stone and brick in the post WW2 era in order to qualify for millions in federal loans to build a new school. Now the economy is tanked, and they are talking about laying off teachers and increasing class sizes in order to pay the bills. Thanks, assholes!
Edited By GORDON on 1355238682