No posting yesterday as I fumed over the sad state of our State.
:::Rant Warning:::
In five years Calfornia has gone from powerhouse to Sweden-by-the-Pacific. Gray Davis and the Democrats are driving business and jobs from the state with punishing benefit mandates, onerous energy costs, skyrocketing living costs, and a crumbling infrastructure. The recent calamitous credit downgrading will send a chill through the nation's fiscal markets and the California economy for a decade.
So what you say? The fat cats deserve it. California has far more working poor and middle class than Felinus Chubbius. Those who can afford it least will bear the brunt of their misguided polices in increased fees and taxes as well as diminished employment opportunities as employers bail for the Southeast or across the stateline to Nevada.
Three of the new laws are particularly harsh.
• First, California recently approved the nation's only paid family-leave act. Starting in July 2004, employees can request six weeks' leave every year (which can be taken days at a time) to care for a new baby, a sick relative, or a host of other medical tasks a state agency deems legitimate—even migraines qualify. Companies themselves have no say in the decision. Workers earning as much as $69,000 will collect 55% of their pay tax-free (highly compensated workers would collect a much smaller percentage). All employees—even those with no intention of taking time off—will pay a small payroll tax into a state fund that will foot the bill for workers on leave. Companies worry that so many people will take advantage of the generous leave policy that the state fund will be quickly depleted—and that businesses will be forced to assume most of the costs.
• Second, the legislature made workers' compensation more expensive by mandating a large increase in benefits. California businesses now contribute the highest premiums by far per $100 of employee wages: $5.85, vs. a national average of about $2.50.
• Third, California is imposing onerous rules on overtime. Federal law requires that companies pay overtime when employees work more than 40 hours a week. But California companies must pay it to anyone who works more than eight hours a day, a particular hardship for businesses whose employees choose to log, say, four ten-hour days, or for call centers, where flexible schedules often entail 12-hour days.
As usual the money to fund the mandates will come from the workers paycheck and the taxpayers wallet. You can be damned sure the Political class will not feel the sting of their policies.
"Unlike the nearly 131,000 state workers who will begin swallowing a 5 percent reduction in their take-home pay beginning with checks issued at the end of the month, Gov. Gray Davis' Cabinet officials and other gubernatorial appointees' "voluntary" 5 percent pay cuts came to an end this month.
The state, in the absence of a budget, can't increase the pay of its workers, regardless of previously agreed-upon contracts, senior state officials ruled earlier this month."
Davis recently tripled the vehicle registration "fee" ...yes TRIPLED.
"It's a horribly regressive and unnecessary tax," said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which plans to file a lawsuit challenging the fee hike. "It is a tax that hits low-and middle-income Californians the hardest."
So much for the defenders of the "poor".
Disasterous energy policy, if you could call Davis's bungling a policy, that has driven electricity rates through the roof. Program cuts across the board effecting the elderly, mentally ill, disabled and of course The Children™....boondoggle after boondoggle continue unabated as the Dems admit they are stalling the budget process for political gain.
Then there's this absurdity in today's Chronicle:
Both Huffingtons, Audie Bock, Condit possible candidates
Recall supporters were scheduled to hold a rally today in Sacramento, where GOP Congressman Darrell Issa -- the only declared gubernatorial candidate from a major party -- was set to appear alongside businessman Bill Simon, who is preparing his team for a run after losing to Davis in November. State Sen. Tom McClintock, who has formed an exploratory committee, also is expected to attend.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan remained noncommittal. "My plan for today is to do a lot of thinking, a lot of talking," said Riordan, who said he "definitely" would not run if actor Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the race as a Republican.
He said a decision could come in the next few days.
Meanwhile, supporters of former Democratic Rep. Gary Condit say the congressman -- whose life is the subject of a documentary called "Public Service: The Private Campaign of Gary Condit," to premiere Aug. 8 in Sacramento -- is being urged to consider a run as a Democrat.
And, in another twist, the ballot could list at least one other former Sacramento lawmaker who has been, at turns, a member of the Green Party, an independent -- and a Democrat.
Audie Bock, the only Green ever elected to the Assembly, is a former client of GOP political consultant Sal Russo, who ran her unsuccessful independent campaign against Assembly Democrat Wilma Chan and her derailed effort to challenge Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland.
Looks like California will get it's Terminator...either Davis survives the recall or Arnold becomes Governor...either way we're fucked.
So what, I hear you say...just a bunch of whining arugula munchers. Follow this clueless asshat's advice
...let's just float a Dean/Kerry (Kerry/Dean?) presidential ticket out there to the cosmic Void, see how it plays, shall we?
and you'll be California Dreamin' too.
Posted by feste at July 26, 2003 01:14 PM | TrackBackSad, isn't it? If this keeps up I am going to finally convince my wife to move to Utah.
Since the liberals control EVERY statewide office and BOTH houses of the assembly, our fine State has become the perfect example of what happens when Democrats rule unabated.
Utah?! Gulp.
Even sadder is the lack of media attention...few bloggers...not even Glenn...have picked up on the importance of this story. "How goes California, goes the nation" is not just a catchy electioneering slogan.
So far Sen. Tom McClintock is the only possible candidate with any sort of clue or plan.
I am afraid, very afraid.
Posted by: feste at July 26, 2003 05:53 PM
Seems I heard that Davis will resign
long before the recall election, thus
nullifying the effort. The legislature
will vote in another Democrat Governor.
Is this true?
The whole recall effort may just be a
right wing tempest in a teapot.
:)
Posted by: jaspar at July 26, 2003 06:43 PMAt this point Davis's tenure is moot...an election has been called by the Secty of State...it's on with or without Davis...his window of opportunity to resign closed when the documents were signed last week.
If the Dems had half a brain they would dump him and run Bustamante...still a disaster for CA but he might turn out enough of the southern Hispanic vote to beat the moderate pro-choice Dick Riordan...who is the big dog that hasn't barked.
The problem for the Dems is that everyone is pissed off with them...the vehicle fee raise was a major mistake as it hurt their consituency the most and takes the sting from their soak-the-rich meme. Davis is broke, he can't go back to the loyal party donors he tapped just 18 months ago nor do the national Dems want to allot funds earmarked for the 2004 on a failed Pol.
IMO- Davis has been a political dead man walking since he bungled the San Diego power crisis.
Posted by: feste at July 27, 2003 09:13 AMActually, McClintock would be an outstanding Governor. He has made tax relief and more importantly, eliminating wasteful spending, his crusade for most of his political career. Unfortunately, I don't think he has the name recognition to make him the "flashy" candidate.
For the record, the last THREE Democratic Governors in this State have been disasters. In the previous two cases, the State had to be rescued some outstanding GOP Governors that followed them. You'd think people would learn.
Posted by: beaker at July 27, 2003 11:10 AMYes, I heard him on the radio this week and he ticked off a long list of ways to cut the budget without throwing Granny down the stairs or eating the poor's children.
He made too much sense to actually have a ghost of a chance...but I'd settle for Riordan.
Lay off the arugula!
Posted by: Arugula defender at July 30, 2003 08:43 PMYessir....not only laid off, but ate every scrap. ;-)
Posted by: feste at August 2, 2003 04:41 PM