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Posted By jovial 6 months, 2 weeks ago in News

California is in crisis. The state is $24bn short of balancing its books this year - and it may run out of cash to pay its bills in a matter of weeks.

It is a local story with global implications. California's economy is the largest in the US and the eighth largest in the world - as big as Brazil and three times the size of Saudi Arabia.

If California fails, the shock waves of this economic crisis will be felt around the globe.

Enter the Hollywood action hero. In his final year as governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has a radical plan.

He is trying to balance the budget entirely by slashing government spending - mostly programmes for the poor.

Millions of Californians would lose welfare and health care benefits, thousands of teachers and state workers would be fired. State prisoners would be dumped into county jails.

Avi Lewis travels to South Central Los Angeles to learn about the political causes and the human impact of shock therapy, California style - and gets a glimpse of how the next chapter of the global economic crisis is likely to unfold.

Read Full Story at therealnews.com »

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  • 75%
    jovial6 months, 2 weeks ago

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    California is in big trouble. If California fails as some would like to see, the ramifications will be felt worldwide. This situation is very important to watch. If these service cuts go through, we will see what happens if conservatives were allowed this to happen on a countrywide basis.

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      quackpot6 months, 2 weeks ago

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      A good part of California's economy is based on the scam of giving tax incentives to wealthy real estate developers to pave huge areas for even more shopping malls so as to increase sales tax revenue. A pyramid scheme that has collapsed.

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        splitrch6 months, 2 weeks ago

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        Not to worry! People have short memories. It will come back. In the meantime the developers will build apartment buildings instead of single family homes. When it is advantageous to go the other way they will.

        I live in a solid Republican district in Northern L.A. County. The city I live in has forced out many old, well established businesses in a poorer part of town to pave the way for more expensive shops and businesses. Tax revenue is king regardless of which party is in power. I wonder where all of the less well to do families will be forced to move?

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          nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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          Never mind that CA spends over $10 billion/year on benefits for illegals, right Quack?

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            quackpot6 months, 2 weeks ago

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            Your search for one cause of a very complex problem while being able to accept only the one cause that jives with your pre-conceived political notion is doomed to failure.

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          mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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          As long as the idiots think Mexico is a race and not an invading army, California is just the beginning, as Mexico reclaims "occupied land"!!

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            epiphannyy6 months, 2 weeks ago

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            Actually, this is what happens when a legally elected Governor is unseated and replaced with the "Terminator" with the belief that he would somehow pull out a Hollywood ending. Never mind that the state was in shambles after Enron was allowed to nearly bankrupt it with a manufactured energy crisis, then exempted by the Bush administration from having to pay restitution to the state for the economic devastation they unleashed. The economic drain of the illegal immigration problem is huge too. Billions of dollars being spent annually to birth, feed, educate, and house the children of illegals while NO tax dollars are being paid by their parents to contribute to the state having to birth, feed, educate, and house them. When Reagan opened the floodgates in the 1980's to the illegals by offering amnesty started that mess in California. It only took 30years for the rest of the country to wake up to what California has been facing for decades. But now that they've become entrenched, and the welfare system which subsidizes them has become generational, how will it ever end? It won't. California will never deny illegals these unearned benefits, but they'll fire or demote every state employee, cut or eliminate pensions, close parks and libraries, etc, until there is nothing left to the state of California but an extension of Tijuana north of the Mexican border. Why do you think so many native Californians (like me) have moved east? It's a sinking ship folks. It's only a matter of time before it entirely collapses and Mexico reclaims it.

            And as much as the conservatives want to blame it on the "liberals" they really can't. Reagan (the Hollywood actor-turned-God of the conservative party) opened the floodgates with amnesty. Enron, under the protection of the Bush administration, brought the state to the brink of economic collapse with the fake energy crisis. Gray Davis, the democrat, was "impeached" and replaced with the republican "Terminator" (another actor in republican's clothing) with no real experience to oversee the full collapse of largest economy in the country. That's the time line of the collapse and most all of California knows it. What's scary is that the country will soon follow wherever California goes and right now it looks like its going to hell in a hand basket, fast.

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              Natureboy6 months, 2 weeks ago

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              "Billions of dollars being spent annually to birth, feed, educate, and house the children of illegals while NO tax dollars are being paid by their parents to contribute to the state having to birth, feed, educate, and house them."

              False, racist and ridiculous.

              Immigrants, documented or otherwise, typically work their asses off at jobs you really would not want to do. They pay sales tax and property tax just like you. Most, because they are working under false SS numbers, have payroll taxes deducted which they can never get back out, so they actually are buoying the Social Security and Medicare programs.

              Let the immigrants go home. California's economy really WOULD collapse, and quickly, too.

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              HOOSIERPATRIOT6 months, 2 weeks ago

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              JOVIAL, THE DEMS RUN CALIFORNIA AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE. LET YOUR RICH
              PERVERTS IN HOLYWOOD BAIL YOU OUT. OH I FORGOT, DEMOCRATS DON'T PAY TAXES.

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                epiphannyy6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                lol you need to do a little reading before making such statements as "the dems run California and they always have." WRONG. And you want to talk about Hollywood? The two worst things to happen to California were the REPUBLICAN Hollywood "actors" who tried to play governor at the state's expense.

                This one isn't "the dems" fault...lol sorry to break in with some reality here.

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            • 67%
              Spadecaller6 months, 2 weeks ago

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              It will be sad to see what will happen to the poorest and most vulnerable people of California, but this is the conservative's approach to balancing the budget; slash public education, welfare, and health care for the poor.

              Of course, legalizing marijuana and taxing it as liquor would be too radical for the terminator. The amount of revenue from that one source alone would yield far more revenue for the state than firing teachers and abandoning the poor.

              In addition, it would create jobs, establish small businesses, reduce illegal immigration, and Mexican drug smuggling. Though this would not please the rich drug cartels and the corrupt U.S. officials who routinely take payoffs by South American drug lords, it would at least spread opportunity and greatly reduce drug related crime.

              Well, I guess, if Arnold has his way, the nation will get a chance to see what "compassionate conservatism" will do to Californians.

              To bad Californians were stupid enough to elect another conservative Hollywood star as their governor.

              When crime goes up as a result of abandoning the poor and sending them to the streets in desperation, the cost that Arnold thought he would save will be lost on litigating crimes perpetrated by more high school drop outs and the increase in crimes related to drug addiction and alcoholism.

              Yes, here's a fine example of compassionate conservatism in action; attack the most vulnerable to free up revenue.

              "The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough to those who have little." ~FDR

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                Spadecaller6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                All I can see is that libshater2dmax posted a comment directly below mine as a reply; I have libs comments blocked. I can only imagine it is the usual trash and personal attacks.

                So many of us are now blocking this lunatic. Hey, it must be getting lonely hanging upside down from the top of that cave. At least the bugs can hear ya. Ha.

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                • 86%
                  jovial6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                  No surprises. Don't unblock.

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                  • 86%
                    beavith16 months, 2 weeks ago

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                    the intellectual equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and singing real loud?

                    wow. how old are you?

                    folks. this is supposed to be a discussion.

                    but while i'm typing, how in the world can anyone accuse the CA republicans of having anything to do with this current problem? Ahnold is only nominally republican working closely with the democratic house and senate.

                    you can shake your head and disagree until the cows come home, but this is democratic gov't gone to its logical conclusion.

                    rule 1: gov't can't do everything.

                    rule 2: nor should they try.

                    rule 3: if confused, see rule 1

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                      jovial6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                      I said at the beginning of this story that we as a nation need to look at the situation as it unfolds. California is like 13% of our country's GNP. This is a model of conservative policies of small government, no or low taxes, and severe cuts or elimination of social programs. There's enough blame to go around. But the main obstructionists right now to passing a budget are the Republicans. Maybe that's just a coincidence, but I think not.

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                    nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                    Spade
                    Please explain to me how a state can stop a Federal program like welfare?

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                      Spadecaller6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                      Welfare consists of both Federal and State funds in each state. Why don't you learn more about the subject before asking for explanations that are basic knowledge readily available to anyone...

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                        nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                        And with the passage of the stimulus bill the Feds pay 80%

                        So again I ask
                        How can a state STOP welfare?

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                        Natureboy6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                        "Welfare" or Title 19 of the Social Security Act is jointly funded by the State and Federal governments. The federal law mandates a bare-bones minimum, but state plans can and normally do cover populations and services in excess of the minimum. That is where the cutbacks can occur. You are right in that a state cannot simply drop welfare, but I don't think anyone said that was the plan.

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                          nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                          But "cutbacks" aren't stopping the program and causing people to be thrown is the street are they?

                          Daily Kos: Panic Grows In Ca As Welfare Checks Set To Stop

                          California to Suspend Welfare Checks

                          Broke California May Do Away With Welfare

                          Oh now I see
                          It is all fear mongering on the part of California, right?

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                            Natureboy6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                            No, they are cutting what they can -

                            Get past the headlines and read the stories. They are not "ending welfare" but they are, for example, cutting off benefits for blind and disabled people who do not qualify for SSI.

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                              Spadecaller6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                              Nastalgia does not appear to want a logical and accurate answer.

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                      Social-Sciences6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                      Part One of Three: (Replied to own posts)

                      Do be careful of specifically stating groups when speaking of things that are based around the American country and political associate as a whole and not just one state.

                      The events leading into the election of Gov. Schwarzenegger are not so cut and dry as any who have done proper research on the prior economic conditions, American thought processes and general history of the less than efficient parties and their election policies.

                      What you need to understand is that people in the political parties are not so far-sighted when it comes to picking who will govern them, but purely by the party in which they are claimed to associate with. This may be obvious, but there is an obvious lack of notation regarding this in your recent comment when it blames Californians and conservatives in general. People in every state tend to vote for their representative regardless of the issues or topics at hand when it comes to them being their future leader; they just want their party in and rarely do they ever think of how it will be shortly thereafter.

                      This is true with every state and is shown en mass on presidential elections as well. What occurred in the state of California was what the vast majority of Americans of every state would have done; they have an inefficient leader, took him out, and replaced him with another. This was done during the Clinton Administration to some degree as well, just to give a more recent example on a country basis.

                      California is and has been a Democratic dominated state for a very long time. Before the current GOV. took over the mess that was passed down to it, it was indeed a lead by a Democratic official as well. Though this was not the cause of a Republican being elected but a mix of opinion regarding what democrat would be the next pick as the government leader of the state.

                      Democrats were split in their decision on who they wanted to appoint as the Republicans knew they had virtual no chance of winning without being 100% united, which has happened few times to either party in history. When it looked like the new seat would be taken by a democrat, as it usual was expected to be such, a new person stepped up that was recognizable, charismatic due to preconceived images and an obvious choice for any who was educated in American History or at least past election processes.

                      Schwarzenegger was not picked with the people thinking that he was able or capable of fixing any problems - in fact it is completely ignorant to think of such as some of the posts here claim is the case. He was picked because history has shown that the charismatic and different always wins out to the dull or "overused"; if one represents or is believed to represent a past government and a new person arrives on the scene that has something obviously different about him, he becomes a beacon of votes for a party to ensure it's victory.

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                        Social-Sciences6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                        Part 2:

                        This was done by the Republicans who knew that if they wanted to up their party into the position of leadership they would need to be united where the democrats were divided between two choices, neither of which would back down.

                        This is also an example of our latest presidential elections, though it is still too soon to decide whether or not it was a wise decision by the voting populace. However, if it turns out to be a disaster then all of this will start over again; the opposing party not in power will use it against the party in power, and tides will turn, and both sides will once again become hypocrites as they were saying the exact opposite things just years prior.

                        In short, it is an American mindset to pick the charismatic (take for example when the Television first came out; what you heard on the radio during the 1960s election was much different than what you saw on TV due to one party looking more charismatic in person to the other in person, and the radio telling who was clearly more suited to answer the questions despite looking incredibly nervous in person) idol when picking who they want as a leader, boss, friend, partner and even spokesperson in general.

                        In short, both parties are incredibly flawed, attack each other at every opportunity and typically just want to be in power; if they aren't then they try to sabotage the other in some way and it ends up making things worse. It isn't a matter of who can do what in most cases, but who is in control and what damage control they are able to implement to protect their image while the other hounds them with criticism and media attention where there should be none; there are much more things that should have such attention, such as the starving and the homeless children in the country that are losing their homes.

                        We focus on them for weeks, feel sorry for them, then some political issue comes up, brought on by the opposing faction, and people forget about that to address anger to this new development.

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                          Social-Sciences6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                          Part 3:

                          The only thing that you can count on when a party is in power is that the party that is not is typically more to blame for troubles during that administration than the administration itself (I.E. If democrats are in power republicans cause most of the trouble and democrats are blamed, if republicans are in power democrats cause most of the trouble and the republicans are blamed). To cause disunity and keep on attacking those in powers gives the world something to laugh about and shun us for. It is human to error and each administration will do such; though they have to spend vast amounts of money and time to protect themselves from attacks from the opposing party and the people that blindly follow it and state influenced opinions and spark up civil unrest among the common populace.

                          What occurred in the election of Gov. Schwarzenegger is what would have in any state; in fact it has several times in various states and even in the presidential office. There have been several actors as government officials and presidents if memory serves me correctly.

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                    • 92%
                      jordan116 months, 2 weeks ago

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                      What a mess. I moved here (CA) in March to help care for my dad, but kept my home in WA. as a safety net. Having already lost half my 401K, along with the net value of my lifetime savings to the shenanigans of unfettered capatalists, there is no way I'll stay here to have more of my retirement money eroded because this state will reach in and take every dime it can get its hands on for more failed governance.
                      Naturally, the poor get cuts because the poor don't vote. It makes me sick to see Arnold take food out of the mouths of children, let alone education that can lift them out of poverty. When the hell does he plan on looking at the often obscene pay of some state workers, along with benefits? They are compensated well above the same pay for private sector employees.

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                        beavith16 months, 2 weeks ago

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                        wow. you're nuts.

                        why not just tax the rich? in CA they'd enjoy that!

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                          jordan116 months, 2 weeks ago

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                          I haven't a clue WTF you're talking about. If you do, give it another shot.

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                          nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                          Jordan
                          Do some reading on the state retirement system
                          If CA is going to survive they need to address that issue
                          The retirement age for public employees in CA remains as low as 50.

                          And you are correct about the pay but the problem is immense in the benefits area:
                          A far more serious problem is benefits, the payments made for not working. In December 2008 average public sector benefits were two-thirds higher than private sector benefits: $13.38 per hour versus $7.98. Moreover this differential is exploding. Since 2002, public employees have averaged $1.17 in new benefits for every dollar of extra salary, whereas private employees have averaged only half of that. Last year, public benefits grew three times as fast as private sector benefits: 69 cents versus 23 cents.
                          Compounding the disparity, state and local employees typically receive far more secure benefits than private sector employees do. According to a recent study from the Center for Retirement Research at BostonCollege, almost 80 percent of state and local workers age 25-64 have pensions from their employer and 80 percent of these pensions provide strictly defined benefits (i.e., bearing no risk from shortfalls in investment
                          proceeds). In contrast, only 45 percent of private employees of the same age have pensions from their employers, and only 40 percent of these pensions provide strictly defined benefits.

                          Moreover, state and local benefits tend to kick in at lower ages, with better cost of living adjustment, and with fewer deductibles for health care than private sector benefits. Indeed, the only part of the private sector offering benefits comparable to state and local employees is older unionized manufacturing, the Chryslers and GMs which have been sinking for years.
                          While not all states and localities are insolvent, some of our biggest are. California is so far under water that its political class has abandoned most serious budget-balancing discussions in favor of creative gimmicks for borrowing against the future. New York state and New York City, long envious of California surpassing them on the way up, are now racing to meet them at the bottom. When they go, Illinois and New Jersey will likely follow.

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                            nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                            As usual with the walking insolvent, the problem is less the nominal deficit than the gaping holes off the balance sheet. State pension fund assets rarely cover the present value of their defined benefit obligations. Bonds would limit the downside but do not offer enough carry to meet the funding gap. So the pension funds invested heavily in equities, assumed a high rate of return to mask the gap, and got hammered last fall. The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), the largest pension fund in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world, is also heavily invested in Southwestern real estate.

                            The Center for Retirement Research estimated last November that equities held in defined-benefit state and local retirement plans lost $1 trillion in value from their peak in October 9, 2007 to October 9, 2008. Even at their peak, these plans were only 87 percent funded. A year later the funding coverage had declined to 65 percent.

                            http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/...

                            Until CA addresses the retirement/benefits structure they will be continuously in the hole

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                              jordan116 months, 2 weeks ago

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                              You may be right about the lower retirement age. On a county level, I know of a police captain who retired at 55 with full medical & $91,000 a year. Hard to believe, but true nevertheless.
                              Also, CA has made it mandatory to take medicare at 65, which reduces their health care costs to retirees by making medicare the primary insurer.
                              But I think there's something you don't understand about the CA retirement fund. It's separate from the general fund. CA can't touch the money in its retirement system, and their retirement system pays its own way. As of June 11, the value of the Public Employee Retirement System's fund was 184.1 Billion. The one time CA tried to reach into the fund, CA state retirees took them to court, and won.
                              Retirement isn't CA's problem. The high salaries of some sectors is what needs to be curtailed in the first place. That comes out of their general fund.

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                              • Neutral
                                nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                Jordan
                                Do some reading on the retirement funds

                                California Pension Funds Close To Bankruptcy
                                The two largest pension funds in California, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), have lost billions of dollars in value. Hundreds of thousands of retiring state employees and teachers now face the stark choice of accepting much reduced pension checks or working past their retirement age.

                                CalPERS is the largest pension fund in the US and the fourth largest in the world. At its height in October 2007 it had $260 billion in assets, comparable to the GDP of Poland, Indonesia or Denmark. At the end of 2008 CalPERS was worth $186 billion, one of its worst annual declines since the fund’s inception in 1932. It is one of the latest casualties of the financial collapse on Wall Street.
                                After years of gambling in real estate investments, the state workers pension fund has lost more than 41 percent of its value, after peaking last fall. Its real estate holdings have dropped from $9 billion to $5.8 billion, according to the Sacramento Bee.

                                CalPERS manages pension and health benefits for more than 1.6 million retirees and their families. The pensions are guaranteed by law, but given the current economic malaise employers may be asked to contribute more from their payrolls. The average employer, a taxpayer-funded government agency, contributes 12.7 percent of their payroll to CalPERS, while workers must contribute 5 to 7 percent of their salaries.

                                For now, a “rainy day fund” is being used to offset the worst in losses. It is likely, however, that CalPERS will ask for additional funds starting in July 2010 from state employers and July 2011 from local employers. The increases could be from 2 to 5 percent. Since the employers are public entities, the money will have to come from taxpayers or from budget cuts to other social programs.

                                http://www.infowars.com/california-pension-funds-c...

                                The taxpayers in CA are going to be on the hook for this

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                                  jordan116 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                  Oddly enough, I did some reading. That's where I found the value as of 6/11. So, who do I believe?

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                            Commodore16 months, 2 weeks ago

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                            It's simple. Just quit supporting the 11M of the 12M illegals in the country. I heard that California was once a decent state but this was before my time. Try passing and enforcing some respectful laws instead of making it look like Dodge City.

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                              jovial6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                              By not supporting I take it you mean not employing them. If there weren't jobs in California for illegals they wouldn't continue to come. Employers hire them and pay taxes to the government. The government turns a blind eye to the industries hiring illegals to help those industries prosper and to keep them paying taxes. I think that passing a set of laws that fines individuals and companies that hire illegals would make the immigration problem go away. It has gone on so long, however, that a lot of the illegals have had "anchor babies" and those people are now citizens. The ensuing break up of families, the logistics of enforcement, and the cost to the industries associated with hiring legal workers, has been a long outstanding problem. Another thing to note is if California were successful in passing stringent immigration laws and policies, the people that were illegal here would migrate to other states like Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona. The law has to be a Federal law to really have any real impact.

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                                jordan116 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                It's simple. Just quit supporting the 11M of the 12M illegals in the country. I heard that California was once a decent state but this was before my time. >>>>

                                CA can't "quit supporting" illegal immigrants. Federal law, and the SC ruled that they can't be denied emergency medical care, education, or legal representation. And quite frankly, even if they could deny, I'd like to believe that Californians are better than what you would suggest.
                                It's the federal governments responsibility to keep illegals out. When they don't do their job, then the states affected by the influx of illegal immigrants should be compensated, period.

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                                  beavith16 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                  so, basically, CA's problems are not CA's fault? nor are they solvable by CA?

                                  LOL!

                                  and the federal gov't can fix it all?

                                  holey moley. you guys are so screwed up.

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                                    jordan116 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                    and again, you haven't a clue WTF you're talking about.

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                                    nostalgia6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                    CA can stop the sanctuary cities, can't they?
                                    CA can stop welfare to illegals, can't they?

                                    The CA US House and Senate members don't support businesses using E-verify
                                    In fact most of them want to stop funding for the program

                                    In May Homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano announced that workplace raids conducted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be halted - most of the CA delegation supported that

                                    If you want Federal enforcement of immigration law, you need to elect new members the Congress

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                                    quackpot6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                    You had better stock pile a heck of a lot of food before that happens, Commodore.

                                    You do realize who it is that works for poverty wages to provide you with your daily bread?

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                                      mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                      Quack pot...Washington State has a huge Ag industry, they can't find workers because the illegals are doing construction work in my state at $14.50 an hour

                                      Since they send all their money back to Mexico, those are just like the jobs that have been sent over seas. The money doesn't buy anything in the states, like it never existed.

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                                    calitennflo6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                    Please remember the gains before believing the losses...we here in San Diego are gaining ground...and hope soon to add 140,000 homes powered from the wind...when the Sun, the Ocean and other knowlege too is incorporated into one event...then we will grow leaps and bounds.

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                                      jovial6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                      Thanks for the positive outlook. That was sorely needed here.

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                                        beavith16 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                        except the reality is that power is multiples more expensive and labor consumptive than good old fossil or nuclear.

                                        good luck!

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                                        mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                        Since the (keep the Mexicans out) wall was built, San Diego crime rate has dropped nearly 50%. The city now has the money to do something positive.

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                                          jovial6 months, 1 week ago

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                                          The city of San Diego is in big trouble. I don't know what news you are hearing.

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                                        doppich6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                        Remember this problem with Reagan's California Legacy is just a hint of how his National Legacy will play out. Hold on tight.

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                                        HateKoolAid6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                        It's sad to see all the finger pointing by the California voters. Republican voters blame the democrats and their programs and the democrat voters blame the republicans and their tax loop hole policies and they both blame old Arnie for not coming up with a solution. Funny thing is they fail to blame an equally guilty party...themselves. In California you can, with a little money, put just about any kind of proposition or initiative on the ballot. When you consider the dozens of budget related ballot measures that were approved by the voters themselves over the last three decades MANDATING how the legislature is to budget revenue it is no wonder the state budget is an uncontrollable monster. What they should do is dust off the old 1970 budget and duplicate it. That budget did not have the multitude of voter approved programs and expenditures that it has now.

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                                        aearthling596 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                        If California wants to right itself it needs a state ID card. Those who pay taxes are the ones who get the benefits of health care and free education. By using their state as a sanctuary state they have had to pay for those who don't pay into the system. A state ID card can be used at hospitals, schools, and voter registration to verify who is there legally and those who are not.

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                                          yvonnf6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                          Its about time California starts living within its budget. We are already taxed way more than any other state.

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                                            mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                            Budget?? When does anyone giving away everything to free loaders have a budget

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                                            memestryker6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                            California has been a future failed state since at least the late 1960s, when it created programs that would promise more than taxpayers eventually would be able to support. It became a magnet for people from other states where leaders didn't think they could financially support such programs long term, as well as illegal immigrants.

                                            I remember people in other states arguing it couldn't work long term, that it was just a matter of time before most natural resources were used up and it would bottom out. I'm surprised people are surprised.

                                            Sustainable population is critical at this point.

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                                              Wolfster6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                              Has anyone given a thought to what will happen to these people and to society once the social programs go? To the people forced into crime, who will be breaking down the doors of the people who selfishly forced others to pay their bills? To the people who will not learn to read and write, who will never develop enough skills to become productive citizens? To the property values when everyone lives next to someone in a desperate situation? Do younger voters realize how they've screwed themselves, because their votes on theseanti-tax propositions mean they pay more in propertytaxes than those who have been around longer? This is part of a social contract, and selfish California voters, with their selfish and shortsighted no-taxes-in-my-backyard propositions, have broken that contract that actually guarantees a safe and decent society for THEMSELVES. Maybe it's time to go reread "The Grapes of Wrath," folks.

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                                                Bopi3656 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                This situation sounds like a Republican wet dream.

                                                Balance the budget by cutting social programs
                                                and stockpile your guns for when the poor get desperate.

                                                Then hide behind the constitution when the wholesale slaughter begins.

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                                                  ungles6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                  California is a failed state, because we are now Mexifornia, like a Third World Country here with all of the non-English speaking illegal aliens, and the lazy that won't get off their ass and get a job and support themselves. This is a welfare state that has shown how socialism doesn't work, yet Obama and the rest of the People's Socialist Democratic Party insist on making socialism the order of the day nationwide. Mexifornia, or the People's Republic of California is a failed state because it has been run/ruined by the democRATS. And yes, Arnie is a republican, in name only. He is no more a true republican than Comrades Obama or Pelosi.

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                                                    mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                    Get your San Diego mayor on TV more. His city is the best example, since the wall was built, San Diego crime has dropped 50%. The city is now has money to build wind mill sights to power the city. Those are real jobs that benefit everyone.

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                                                    Bopi3656 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                    Yes yes and Bush wasn't a real conservative etc...

                                                    Do repubnics ever take responsibility for any of their screw-ups.

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                                                      acurrent16 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                      No, they don't. That's why they never learn and continue to lose elections.

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                                                        gwhiddon6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                        Uh, this is the first loss in many years.

                                                        Continue?

                                                        Everything runs in cycles, and I'd watch the 2010 elections if I were you.

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                                                        nonparted6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                        bopi365

                                                        "Do repubnics ever take responsibility for any of their screw-ups."

                                                        no

                                                        my question to u is do democrats?

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                                                          mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                          The next election the Democrats are going to get their ass's handed to them. Look at how much nothing has changed except we are a lot deeper in debt. Bush was a Democrat in policies, next time around will be different.

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                                                        Bopi3656 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                        Bottom line is that California is forth highest in overall taxes behind NJ, NY, and Conn. It seems this is just another compassionate conservative excuse.

                                                        Cutting off the poor from basic services will force some to migrate elsewhere in the nation requiring other states to take them in. Think Katrina here. And let it become someone elses problem.

                                                        http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/336.html

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                                                          Bopi3656 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                          I was wrong, ....California was 6th overall in 2008 also behind Maryland and Hawaii.

                                                          They were 4th in 2007

                                                          Seems they deserve everything they get

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                                                            nonparted6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                            bopi365

                                                            and who is responsible for the poor being poor? themselves

                                                            they have every opportunity as everyone else to better themselves with education . instead they either drop out of high school, they gang bang, or on welfare which makes one dependent on the govt. and that leads to more welfare recipients cause their children will more then likely recieve when old enough.

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                                                            acurrent16 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                            I've noticed every time a Republican screws up, the GOP never admits it. They say, "He's not a Republican, he's a RINO", and never learn from their mistakes.

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                                                              milicalover6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                              and where was the opposition when the Fuhrer of Minnesota, Mr. "Kingpin" Pawlenty, did the same thing in Minnesota?

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                                                                neffvw6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                ld thank the babyboom of the pop icon culture

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                                                                  Albmore6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                  I wonder how many will have to fall before America STOPS pointing their party fingers and starts finding solutions!

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                                                                    HOOSIERPATRIOT6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                    CALIFORNIA SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE HOOSIER STATE AND MODEL REAL WELFARE REFORM. WAKE UP AMERICA BEFORE OUR WHOLE COUNTRY LOOKS LIKE CALIFORNIA.

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                                                                      mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                      Wake up America before it looks like Mexico

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                                                                      HOOSIERPATRIOT6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                      VOTE OUT OBAMA,PELOSI,BARNEY FRANK , SAVE OUR HEALTHCARE ,STOP THE MARCH TO SOCIALISM.

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                                                                        kamruddin6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                        California is in crisis. The state is $24bn short of balancing its books this year - and it may run out of cash to pay its bills in a matter of weeks

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                                                                          mrmilk446 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                          Its Californians fault. One for putting that jackass in office, when he had NO experience, No idea what he was doing, NO real plan of action. I remember him grabbing a broom and talking about cleaning up, reminds me of 1940's or 1950's campaigns. Becuase he married into a Kennedy doesnt make him the man for the job. And now the poor will pay for the mistakes made by most Californians. I guess he is the Terminator of the poor nowadays. No real surprises, put a rich idiot in office and the only feasible solution he can come up with is to deprive the poor. Wonder what the spike in crimes will be after it takes effect.

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                                                                            nonparted6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                            mrmilky
                                                                            "No real surprises, put a rich idiot in office and the only feasible solution he can come up with is to deprive the poor. Wonder what the spike in crimes will be after it takes effect."

                                                                            u need to wake up for this part of ur comment

                                                                            news flash almost all politicians are rich and what makes u think the lawyers turned politicians knows how to run states or the federal govt. they dont

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                                                                              mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                              Getting rid of the Mexicans will reduce crime... why do you think Mexico is like Mexico

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                                                                            rharrisdonna6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                            I don't live in California, and I am saddened to hear what is happening over there. We as a people need to come togethr and stand for what is right, instead of just staying in the background and talking a lot of bull. It seems to me that we are no beter than the politicians, we are pointing fingers too.

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                                                                              mrmilk446 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                              California isnt the only state that has problems, at this point in time with the National economy being the way it is they are on their own. The Governor is the highest ranking official in the state, the ball stops at him. He can choose to drop it like Bush( Famous words "I didn't create a recession, I inherited one.")or do something. His something is going to create more chaos In California than it already has. I could care less if Bush or the Terminator inherited a recession, it WAS/IS their job to bring it to an end. Doing a half-assed job got us into where we are today. When the official at the highest level drops his responsibility, this is the end result. PERIOD...

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                                                                                papam116 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                And I don't suppose letting millions of illegals into the state had nothing to do with it, huh? You were warned about what Illegals would do to your state, city and town systems, California. The cancer you and other southern and southwestern states allowed into this country has spread and is eating this country up from the inside. Illegals work hard and pay there taxes?? What they make doesn't even pay for the average family insurance plan, let alone education costs. You help make the bed, now lie in it you cowards.

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                                                                                  jovial6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                  Immigration enforcement is a Federal issue.

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                                                                                  cblue7166 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                  I'm beginning to think people are just plain scared these days. They see situations that seem to have no answer and to calm some of their fears they blame the "other side." If it's good news it was their sides' glorious solution, if it's bad they blame the others. Each side argues and builds their own emotions to a frenzy, that turns to hate.
                                                                                  ALL political parties contributed to what is happening now. Voters are supposed to be in control, but somewhere along the line, we gave it away.

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                                                                                    bigslickwille6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                    every state with out affirmative action will just end up like California

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                                                                                      row176 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                      This is typical of what can happen in the hands of liberals!

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                                                                                        blk2knt6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                        Let it fail. I just moved from the "Golden State" to South Carolina after 25 years; ENOUGH ALREADY! I'm making less but keeping more of MY money. FACT: Democrats have been in power there; significant majorities in both houses, since Pete Wilson left over 20 years ago; so who ya gonna blame? Democrats run/ruin everything and have for over 2 decades; the Governor isn't Republican or conservative but a damn RINO. How can you run a business let alone a state when all you do is spend, spend spend?
                                                                                        Whats the problem? Take your pick; from illegal Mexican immigration, over building/development, lack of water to a totally dysfunctional legislative system, where "Girlie/Men, Lesbian & Homosexual state assembly persons and State Senators afraid to carry out their constitutionally elected responsibilities, have abrogated their roles to the proposition process; where misinformed and just plain "Dumb Ass" voters continue to approve "feel good" bond issues that mire the state even deeper in debt, such as guaranteeing tax payer money for the college tuition of illegal immigrants; people who broke many laws to be here and who now have conferred upon them created rights, to include being fed and clothed (hear welfare) by me the taxpayer; not to mention the crime they commit and the absolute chaos they create by flooding our public institutions with their sheer numbers; why in California we spent 68 million dollars ever year printing the DMV "Rules of the Road"in 56 different languages; so we don't offend anyone. Yea I guess it really is true what they say; "Insanity is doing something over that has already failed and hoping that this time it will succeed". 24 Billion dollars in the hole; I say flush the toilet, watch the whole mess spiral down out of the bowl and start the whole thing over and by the way; lest some "dumb ass" accuse me of being racist, I'm a veteran, conservative, gun owning, Christian, American who just happens to be BLACK; makes a 6 figure income and wants to keep more of it and who would die in defense of this country if necessary; put that in your pipe and choke on it!

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                                                                                          mark-stevens6 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                          To Blk2knt... America for Americans... I have contacted the NACCP about the amnesty plan that would give 300,000 jobs to Mexicans before a black American would get those jobs... we all have to come together to fight this Mexican invasion to retake what they think is occupied land.

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                                                                                          donrp086 months, 2 weeks ago

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                                                                                          personally i could care less if mexifornia drowns, it's just a hugh toilet any way you look at it! all those POOR people most of you are talking about are transplant's from other state's, as well as a hugh population of ILLEGAL'S. i came from the mid west and knew of several back there recieving welfare check's from cal. and check's from that mid western state. i also new several people that fled the mid western state to cal. as to hide from the law and on their arrival to cal. they signed up for welfare and many other free benifit's, and all of these people were single! so yes mexifornia is repping what it sowed. GOOD BY MEXIFORNIA, THE COUNTRY WILL BE BETTER OFF AFTER YOUR GONE!!

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