MEMORANDUM
To: Governor Schwarzenegger at the State Capitol
From: Jon over at the FlashReport
RE: Massive Democrat-Created State Deficit
Governor, there is no doubt that the liberal Democrats who largely control the budget process have taken California down a path of severe over-spending. As we all know, state spending has massively out-paced state tax revenues, increasing a staggering $25 billion since 2003.
Out of the gate this year, you correctly identified this problem for what it is, too much red ink. Too much overspending. You made it clear that California families, taxpayers, would not be saddled with higher taxes in order to address this chronic overspending issue. You rightly introduces a budget that represents a 10% across-the-board cut to what would have been the ’07-’08 amounts (from our perspective, a modest proposal). As a companion to your proposed budget you introduced a balanced budget amendment for California, that if enacted, would help to ensure that we don’t end up back in this same, unfathomable position.
Your fellow Republicans in the State Capitol have rallied to your position — making it clear that there is no way that a tax increase (let alone a new tax) would get even a single Republican vote. Thanks to the wisdom of California voters, it takes a 2/3 vote to pass a tax increase, and so none will ever reach your desk for you to veto!
That said, I wanted to drop you this memo because I keep getting feedback from FlashReport readers from up and down California who are a bit confused. Overall, your messaging on the budget is right on target. But of course the liberal media likes to pick up on anything that you might say that hints about a willingness to solve this problem by sticking it to California taxpayers.
My readers have expressed clearly to me that they appreciate your firm commitment to not increasing the tax burden on them in order to deal with the state’s massive deficit, and many have said that they would prefer an endless budget stalemate all the way to the November election if that is what it takes.
But there is concern because the folks in the media are trying to portray that you are willing to raise taxes. But they are using your own words. Governor, we know you don’t like to get caught up in semantics — but "closing tax loopholes" is liberal-speak for raising taxes.
At a recent townhall meeting, you apparently breached the subject of "broadening" state sales taxes to make them apply to more areas. This is another tax increase proposal, Governor!
From our perspective, it’s actually really simple. State government "revenues" generally come from one source — taxes. Anything you do to "increase revenues" does two things: (1) it’s a tax increase, pure and simple, and (2) it is a rejection of your stated premise, that we must solve this budget crisis through spending cuts, not tax increases that punish working Californians for the largesse of the liberals who dominate the state legislature.
To quote Milton Friedman:
With the Democrats in charge of the legislature, we know that needed tax cuts will never be put on your desk. But the good news is that because you are our Governor, you can ensure that no tax increases or "revenue increases" become law, either.
Thanks for taking the time to read this note, and for all of your tireless hard work.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
At least until 2011. Then we will have Governor Jerry Brown and a Democrat dominated legislature with more than 2/3rd of the members Democrats. Why? Because of the current anti-immigrant and anti-woman CRP platform and the CRA desire to have only “pure” candidates win Republican primaries and when the “pure” candidate does not win, run a straw write-in candidate to knock off the moderate Republican in favor of the Democrat. And when the Democrat wins and does what Democrats always do – raise taxes and give the money to their favored few – the CRA says “well, the votes didn’t vote for our far right wing candidate so they get what they deserve” and the rest of us suffer. No wonder the state of Nevada is advertising across California telling business owners to move to Nevada as soon as possible.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Bob, there is also a black helicopter circling over your house right now. Really. Look up.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
By gosh, you’re right. And it’s Michael Berman’s black (for Republicans) helicopter, where Michael is hard at work drawing congressional and legislative districts where two sitting Republican legislators are pitted against each other or where far right wing-nut Republicans run but cannot get a majority of Republican votes let alone the votes of independents they must have to win.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Speaking of state overspending, what is going on with Tom McClintock and his taking extra money beyond his state salary because he “lives” in his district in Southern California but has to attend to business in Sacramento so he has to maintain two residences? Turns out he and his family actually live in Sacramento in a house he purchased several years ago and his mother lives in the house where he’s registered to vote (the old family home?) in his district. Shouldn’t a state legislator actually live in the district that he represents? So why is he taking money from our taxpayers under false pretenses? His explanation (to a TV reporter in Sacramento) sounds positively Clinton – everybody else does it so it’s OK. Frankly, I thought that Tom McClintock was a straight shooter on things belonging to the taxpayers, but it seems he’s just one more politician taking what he can from the taxpaying public.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Mr. Evans:
Why do you come to a Republican website to attack Republicans?
Do you have a personal issue with the publisher? Are you mad
about the outcome of a particular GOP primary in the past?
Why be the dog in the Manger?
March 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
So you think, Mr. Sills, that Tom McClintock is a RINO?
March 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Mr. Evans:
You have taunted various posters on this site. Fine. We all have thick skins.
But the question is a reasonable one: why come to a clearly Republican
website to blast Republicans? Why do you do this?
March 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Mr. Sills
Because I want to know what on earth is going on with Tom McClintock. Everything I read on this website is very positive regarding Tom McClintock; he is tight fisted with the people’s money; he is the most honest man in the legislature. Now, I read that he has taken more than $300,000 in tax free per diem (over and above his salary as a legislator) and his only explanation is everybody does it so I do it too? And so far, not a single word of cometary about this on the Flashreport. How come?
March 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am
You know Bob, you are right. All women in California go to cagop.org, download the platform, get scared, and vote democrat. Yep, that’s it!
March 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am
You know Michael, if every Republican woman went to cagop.org and downloaded the current platform and read it, they would absolutely resent the fact that the CRP has the gall to tell them what to do with their body. However, I would hope they will vote for moderate Republican candidates if they can in the hope that the current platform is scrapped in favor or a forward looking 21st century platform.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am
PS: you can all go to carlburton.com and read a forward looking 21st Century platform.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Mr. Evans:
Does your indignation trace, then, to local Ventura County GOP rivalries?
Were you on the other side when Tom McClintock defeated Judy Mikels
in the GOP primary for an open state senate seat? (2000)
And when Judy Mikels lost her re-election bid for county supervisor at
the hands of Peter Foy (2006)?
… or Audra Strickland’s state Assembly primary win over Bob Larkin
in 2006?
Are all those conservative GOP primary wins in Ventura county what’s
really troubling you?
March 27th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Mr. Sills
Nope. What troubles me is when the CRA runs straw far right wing candidates in the general election as write-ins against moderate Republicans so the Democrat wins. What troubles me is when a far right wing religious faction stacks the CRP committees so they can foist anti-woman and anti-immigrant platforms on to the Republican Party which helps defeat Republican candidates so the Democrats win. What troubles me are Republican office holders who pretend to be the most fiscally tight no tax politicians since the foundation of the republic but take per diem of over $300,000 meant to compensate legislators who have to live in Sacramento while their families and homes are far from Sacramento but who actually live with their families less than 15 miles from the capitol building, then when they get caught with their hand in the tax-paid cookie jar say “well, everybody else does it so I do it too.” What bothers me are people who come on this blog and call moderate Republicans RINO’s, including the Governor, in an effort to defeat them in favor of people who cannot win election to statewide offices. What bothers me are candidates who think they can win election by degrading and demeaning blocks of people such as gays (if ever there is a block of people who should be Republicans, it is gay small business owners; but no – we demean these people and run them right into the arms of the Democrats) and blacks and Latinos and others who the people in charge don’t like. To me, these are among the reason’s the Republican Party is going straight down in registration and influence and if we keep it up, this party will become completely irrelevant. Then watch what happens to your taxes.
March 27th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Mr. Evans brings up some very valid concerns. Its clear that he is frustrated with his party. I do not believe he is alone. I sincerely hope that his concerns are addressed and perhaps disputed in an intellgent way rather than through insults in an attempt to diminsh his point of view.