California failed state: A Case Study in Progressive Governance

[Taco John]

This is probably really politically geeky, but last night while working on bills and tidying up the office I listened to this really great podcast on the challenges that California was facing. It's like a slap upside the head because when you listen to the podcast and get the full picture of what California is facing, you can see that the problems are very similar to what the entire US Federal Government is facing as well.

I highly recommend this podcast. You get a full picture of why progressive governance, while seemingly beneficial on the face, turns into a nightmare of budget mess and ultimately a disconnected society who are in it for themselves, not for the greater common good.

It's a quality listen. You'll learn a lot:
http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201002252001/a

[InterestedParticipant]

This is probably really politically geeky, but last night while working on bills and tidying up the office I listened to this really great podcast on the challenges that California was facing. It's like a slap upside the head because when you listen to the podcast and get the full picture of what California is facing, you can see that the problems are very similar to what the entire US Federal Government is facing as well.

I highly recommend this podcast. You get a full picture of why progressive governance, while seemingly beneficial on the face, turns into a nightmare of budget mess and ultimately a disconnected society who are in it for themselves, not for the greater common good.

It's a quality listen. You'll learn a lot:
http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201002252001/a
Can you tell me if there is any mention at all of California's Consolidated Annual Financial Report (CAFR), where it shows that CA has Billions of dollars in net assets tucked away in various funds?

No, given it is the CaliforniaReport, I would imagine they left out that small little detail. No reason to upset the sheeple with information that counters the daily rhetoric. I mean, after decades of wealth creation, we wouldn't want anyone to question where all those assets are now, as they supposedly just disappeared overnight. I mean, democracy is supposed to be a failure, so that World Gov't can save the day, right?

People here need to invest 10 minutes and learn how to read a balance sheet. You'll be amazed how much money is on the books. What I can't figure out is, how are they going to steel or pilfer all that cash, for its not like the phony derivative scam in the financial markets, for this money is not centralized in NYC.

[Promontorium]

It's hard to point the blame in any other direction (though they certainly try) than the government.

California has abundant resources. It has at least 4 major industries (entertainment, agriculture, wine, computers). California has plenty of room, and plenty of diversity. Money wasn't a problem. And it is one of the most desirable tourist destinations on the planet, many times over (San Francisco, L.A., San Diego, ski resorts, wine country, beaches, beaches, maybe Yosemite).

Yet, the entertainment industry is runing away to Canada. The computer businesses have retreated into Asia (and that's where the educated employees are now coming from). Small businesses have been destroyed, enterprise is being strangled. Ridiculously high unemployment (my town is about 20%). Wine is so thoroughly taxed when it leaves the state, a $5 bottle of wine in California costs $50 in Japan. Cost of living is absurd. Even as the housing market has hit California harder than anywhere else, in multiple counties, even as crime is worse in many places in California than anywhere else, still it costs more to live here.

Progressivism has enabled the people to cripple the government, and make it non-functioning. While every once in a while we get something liberating like the medical marijuana law, most initiatives are just commands on who to tax, and where that money must go. The government is bound by these initiatives, they have to tax, and they have to spend it in certain places, so that even if the people they tax can't take it anymore, even if the government wants to balance the budget, they can't.

This was a good audio. Some of the commenters made the same points I was making. But is California failed? I think it can continue to feed on the federal government's nipple for as long as it needs. And I see nothing indicating its system will be fixed.