As a Californian, I tremble at the thought of Jerry Brown about to be sworn in as my Governor. Many of you won’t believe this quote to be true, but it is; he is the man who said we need “more welfare and fewer jobs.” No, that was not from the sixties, that was a 55-year old Brown, in 1995, when he’d already served two terms as California governor. Once a socialist, always a socialist. Here’s his complete quote:

The conventional viewpoint says we need a jobs program and we need to cut welfare. Just the opposite! We need more welfare and fewer jobs. Jobs for every American is doomed to failure because of modern automation and production. We ought to recognize it and create an income-maintenance system so every single American has the dignity and the wherewithal for shelter, basic food, and medical care. I’m talking about welfare for all. Without it, you’re going to have warfare for all. Without a universal health care like every other civilized country, without a minimum level of income, this country will explode. You can’t blame the guy at the bottom forever. At some point there’s a reaction and we’ll see that the real criminals are those calling the tune, making the rules, and walking to the bank.

This is the man who has to save California. And he finds it in the worst condition it’s ever been. The state faces a $28-billion budget gap for the next 18 months, and roughly $20-billion deficits annually through the 2015-16 fiscal year. Brown remarked at a budget forum in Los Angeles this week: “We’ve been living in fantasy land. It is much worse than I thought. I’m shocked.” Ya think?

Anyone shocked at what California has become does not deserve to be governor. Every thinking person in the state saw it coming.

Brown says his first order of business is to complete a budget agreement within two months of unveiling his budget on January 10. This would give him time to hold a late-spring special election that would ask California voters what they’d like to do about spending and taxes.

During the campaign, he said that he would not raise taxes without voter approval. Excuse me for laughing. First of all, politicians lie, so I don’t necessarily believe him. But secondly, it’s not exactly difficult to get California voters to pass tax increases. Last month, they failed in passing a proposition that would have voided a previous proposition that imposes billions of energy surcharges on Californians, all in the name of global warming; and it was widely publicized as proven that that initial proposition was based upon fault climate models (not to mention that global warming is a scam, by the way). But fail it did. And of course, we continued our support (not me!) our free-spending democrats.

Expect drastic cutbacks in services, scare tactics from law enforcement, fire and teacher unions, and then watch the liberals and illegals run to vote for tax increase for all the rich. Almost 10% for individuals at $47K is and a 1% surcharge for “millionaires” is not enough for the wealthy bastards. Businesses will fail, productive people will leave, and Jerry will be going hat-in-hand to Washington looking for a bailout.

At least State Treasurer Bill Lockyer is starkly realistic. After listening to educators tell him and Brown that they cannot sustain ANY cuts, he had this to say:

“Anyone who thinks we get by that without everyone getting hit probably should live in Mendocino County,” he said, referring to the region known for marijuana growing. “There are going to be cuts.”

“So far, I’ve heard good ideas about how to spend more money. Great. It ain’t there. It’s time to make cuts, I believe deep cuts,” Lockyer said. “I’d do the 25% across the board and just say those who wanted less government, you’re going to get your wish. In other communities that are willing to put something on the ballot to make up that difference, they’re going to have a higher service level.”

Good for you, Bill. But, maybe I should still move to Greece.

Source: Los Angeles Times

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