On Sunday, our Arrogant-Lazy-Authoritarian-In-Chief (ALAIC), Gavin Newsom, said, on television, that the federal government had a “moral obligation” to cover his behind for his excessive lock down order issued March 19 of this year, an order that remains in effect. It remains in effect, even though the original rationale for the order, that is, that 22 million Californians would be infected by the disease by today, proved to be grossly overestimated. ALAIC Newsom wasn’t just a little wrong, he was wrong by about 22 million people, and his order has threatened the financial stability of the very hospitals he was hoping to protect, not to mention driven millions of Californians to bankruptcy. ALAIC Newsom said that the number of unemployed people has reached “Depression-era” numbers, and he now faces a $54 billion budget deficit and 25% unemployment numbers.
The problem is that these “Depression-era” numbers are entirely of his own making. He overreacted to the disease, pure and simple, acted prematurely, and rather than use public health protocols that had been used over and over again for other flu-based and communicable diseases, he ordered a complete shut down of the economy. Then, to compound the problem, rather than admit he was wrong, he doubled down on the order. The chickens are now coming home to roost, and he wants a bail out for his bad judgment.
First, his “deficit” is not that bad. The state’s $134 billion general fund is looking at a deficit that is about 40% of the projected revenues. From the reports I have seen, ALAIC Newsom is looking at about a $5 billion current year surplus (2019-20 budget, the budget that ends in June of this year), with the about a $16 billion budget year reduction in spending (the budget year is next year’s budget, 2020-21 fiscal year). The $54 billion “deficit” comes only from using what they call a “current services budget” (which means no reductions in current year spending plus all the desired increase in spending for the budget year).
Compare that to the 2001-02 budget, where that year saw a $20 billion shortfall in revenue on a $79 billion general fund spending plan, with a $28 billion budget shortfall in the 2002-03 budget. In those years, on a $69 billion budget in 2002-03 fiscal year, the state faced a $48 billion shortfall (about 66%). The state made through those difficult times with no federal bail out, and, in that case, the shortfall was caused by the combination of a slow down in the economy and profligate spending by the state government.
The budget issues this year are caused simply by ALAIC Newsom’s lock down order, and his desire not to have to cut any program. If the issue were as big a problem as he described on Sunday, he would not be spending money on giveaway program to illegals in the state. The state is continuing its education and welfare programs for illegals that have cost state taxpayers about $500 million already, ALAIC Newsom is simply proposing giving away another $125 million, and have the federal government subsidize the whole thing. If the feds don’t give him the money, ALAIC Newsom says he will let criminals out of jail and lay off police and fire personnel. I think he should explain to the voters in 2022 why he made those budget choices, not seek a federal bail out.
I only ask the feds to say to ALAIC Newsom: (1) whatever shortfall in state revenue that the state is experiencing was caused completely by the ill-considered order issued by ALAIC Newsom; and (2) if ALAIC Newsom is serious about bringing the state’s spending issues under control, cut off the free stuff for illegals (SNAP, CAPI, and free health care). All of these programs are paid for 100% by state taxpayers, unlike most welfare programs for which the federal government picks up half the cost, because the federal government has specifically excluded illegals from receiving welfare and medicaid coverage. ALAIC Newsom is now trying to get the feds to pay for these programs indirectly using the economic crisis he created with his unreasonable lock down order.
If I may suggest this, as a concerned California citizen, that is, a citizen who cares for fiscal responsibility at both the state and federal level (since the taxpayers of California pay for both), please President Trump and Congress, don’t send us the money. You will only be subsidizing the years of irresponsible spending that led to the current crisis, and you will make sure that we never get the tax reduction we deserve. I know I am in the minority here in California, and that is proven by the fact that my neighbors keep electing these spending addicts to office, but please, make the spending addicts pay the price for their decisions, don’t bail them out. We are citizens of this country too, and you will be making us pay the price twice. I would prefer my neighbors see the real cost of electing bad decision makers to office, and maybe, just maybe, someone else, with a little more self control when it comes to spending our money, might get elected.
So, please, federal government, we don’t want, and we certainly don’t need, your help. Let us fend for ourselves.