Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking the federal government for $8 Billion or else... Or else he'll impose massive cuts in the California state budget. What does this really translate into? He wants the taxpayers of 49 other states to incur more debt so that he won't have to break his promise not to raise taxes on California's tax payers. This is absurd and it indicates the hypocrisy and intellectual bankruptcy of today's Republicans - even "moderates" like Schwarzenegger. He knows the cuts will be at best unpopular and at worst genuinely disastrous. But rather than return the tax rate to where it was before the series of tax cuts in the go-go 90s, he's gone begging to the federal government. In effect he's trying to force the rest of the country to balance his budget for him.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Schwarzenegger And Republican Welfare
He's not the only Republican to do this. Alaska is the worst offender and Sarah Palin is their prophet. But the states that are most dependent on federal spending tend to be dominated by "conservatives" and Republicans. It's no secret that the South receives much more from the Feds than they contribute in taxes to the Federal coffers. Now Schwarzenegger wants to head down that path for the largest state in the country.
Republican policies, are simply unsustainable. It is impossible for every state in the country to work this way. Of course, it is possible (albeit hypocritical) for a handfull of small states to do so. But the country would be in real distress if California and other traditional contributor states start doing this too.
Posted by Raised By Republicans at 5:42 AM
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5 comments:
Schwarzenegger believes that nothing is worse than raising taxes on wealthy Californians. No program, no matter how important - including housing inmates - is worth raising taxes. Very sad.
But I'd rather he threaten the feds than just do nothing. CA needs the money one way or another.
But, LTG, I hope you can see how as a tax payer who no longer benefits from California's public services, I'd rather not pay for the difference.
He is raising taxes with this proposal, just spreading the burden out among the entire country. It's an awful way to run a government and it's typical of the way Republicans at the state level operate. It's their secret formula for keeping state taxes low.
I blame the plurality of Californians who voted for Schwarzenegger thinking that because he was a movie tough guy that somehow made him a leader.
I am reminded of the story of the hikers who came upon a grizzly bear. As they were fleeing, one said to the other, "I don't see how we can outrun the bear!" His companion responded, "I don't have to - i only have to outrun you." Well, Arnold didn't have to be great, he just had to beat out Davis and Angelides, which was no contest at all.
RBR, another thing. I think the feds should bail out all states rather than require states to raise taxes or slash spending. Having states do the equivalent of anti-stimulus bills will mute the effectiveness (note I said mute, not moot) of the federal stimulus bill.
A better solution would be for the states to be allow to deficit spend on their own and then be responsible for their own debts.
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