(If this post seems familiar, we’ve used the "Disneyland" analogy below before, as this isn’t the first time that the liberals in the media have "lept" onto a briefly worded survey to assert informed public opinion.)
As FR contributor and public opinion pollster Adam Probolsky likes to say, a poll is only as good as what you ask, and to whom you ask it. So I was quite amused to see so much enthusiasm erupt from the liberal media and left-wing Democrats when the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) released their latest survey response — where PPIC declares that the public supports (hold onto your chair) HIGHER TAXES.
If you go to Page 27 of the full report of the PPIC survey, you can see the actual questions asked to those surveyed. What is most instructive if you read it is what is not presented to those being asked questions is any articulation of the massive growth of state government spending, especially over the last five years. Naturally, of course, there is no mention whatsoever of the extremely negative economic impacts of raising taxes.
**There is more – click the link**
February 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
My goodness, Jon, you’ve gone off the rails to the far right before but this is the first time I can recall you going all the way to fantasyland. So, Jon, what is your proposal to close the $40 billion and counting California budget deficit? What, specifically, would you cut?
February 1st, 2009 at 12:00 am
Jon: Good post!
Bob perhaps you should get on the “Space Mountain” rails by getting a clue that most Californians are up to their eyeballs with taxes and want their government to stop digging the hole that they are already found themselves in.
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
Bob, to answer your question, contract out every possible state function — including the DMV. The runaway salaries and pensions of public employees — state AND local — is where the overspending occurs.
BTW, about $8 billion of the $40 billion deficit includes budget INCREASES from the previous years. Reining in that $8 billion is no cut at all, but the press (and doubtless you) love to project it as such.
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:00 am
PPIC is a left of center outfit, so their surveys are suspect from the get-go. Think not? Go to their website and look at their board of directors, and their studies.
The good news is that, in the coming special election to raise taxes, there will be no Obama effect. I think we can win that battle.
Already special elections are being called for (or considered) in local San Diego jurisdictions. These elections are uniformly to further raise our taxes.
IF the state and local bad guys prevail on the new tax increases, by the end of this year, many if not most people in California will be paying over 10% sales taxes.