Considering the many budget deficits in other states, how does this

[Blue_Roses]

constitute a recall in California? I've heard over and over that the reason for this recall of Gray Davis is due to the budget deficit, but after reading the lastest figures on other states' budget woes, I can't help but wonder why hasn't this been addressed by those who are supporting Davis. Fifty-two electoral votes is a big motivator when you want to win the Presisdency so this doesn't surprise me. But living in Texas, knowing the budget woes, I don't see a recall for Perry (even though some of us would like to) who hasn't been that popular with many voters. It just seems clear to me the motivation behind this, why has this thing grown the legs that it has? Even my sister who lives in California can't answer my question. Just wanting some real answers here.

According to:
www.i-dineout.com/pages2003/statebudget.html
many other states are showing woes to.

Latest Budget Figures Show States Falling Deeper Into Deficit

WASHINGTON, January 8, 2002 - Latest budget figures released today by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) show state budget deficits deepening with California's alarming $35 billion deficit leading as the worst in the nation. Texas, which recently surpassed troubled New York, is second worst with a potential $12 billion budget deficit. Total state budget deficits for fiscal years 2003-04 now approach $90 billion nationwide.


"These figures are simply staggering," said Michael Flynn, ALEC's Director of Policy and Legislation. "But what's more alarming is that few states have yet to responsibly address this self-inflicted crisis, a decade in the making, which finally hit home well over a year ago."


The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is the nation's largest bipartisan, individual membership organization of state legislators with over 2,400 legislator members from all fifty states.


The top-ten states experiencing massive budget deficits include:

1. California, $35 billion
2. Texas, $12 billion
3. New York, $10 billion
4. Minnesota, $4.6 billion
5. Wisconsin, $2.6 billion
6. Michigan, $2.4 billion
7. Illinois, $2.25 billion
8. Washington, $2 billion
9. Connecticut, $2 billion
10.Maryland, $1.8 billion

[Blue_Roses]

1. link update

www.i-dineout.com/pages2003/statebudgets.html

[larryepke]

2. ALEC

is a right-wing group dedicated to "drowing government in a bathtub." (Not that the figures above are necessarily wrong.) Here's a list of the speakers at their upcoming convention:

Speakers included:
Vice President Richard Cheney
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge
U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Larry Hereth, Director of Port Security
Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams
Colorado Governor Bill Owens
Colorado Senate President John Andrews
The Honorable J.C. Watts

I guess the bin Laden family were already booked!

[Blue_Roses]

4. may be true

but it is considered bipartisan (or so they say) and the fact remains that there are budget woes growing in many other states besides California. I will continue to look for the latest figures and states facing these problems.

[Starpass]

3. This has passed my mind alot

One has to balance the size of the debt against the size of the population/income. In other words in Maine, the CA debt would put the state out of business!!!! But we all have terrible debt because of this loathsome administration who is royally screwing the states. On top of it CA had an Enron attack--that isn't Davis' fault!! In fact, I've been chuckling. Many Dem govs are handing the deficit and not raising taxes; but repuke governors are.

[Blue_Roses]

5. I think that this is very troubling

that not more attention is brought to other states IF this is what constitutes a recall. Obviously, it's not, but it does bring light to the real reason for this recall. I was listening to Dianne Feinstien last night on CNN and she too, thinks that this is just a ploy to oust Gray for political reasons. One thing that she said that stood out was the "huge tent of Democrats" in California and that this could be the reason for many not speaking more profound.

When I look back at the summer of rolling blackouts and then the fall of Enron shortly thereafter, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where they are trying to throw the blame.

[TahitiNut]

6. The Busholini deficit dwarfs California's.

The FY2003 (ending this September) Federal budget deficit is going to be about $500 billion -- perhaps more. California, comprising 10% of the nation in terms of population, is estimated at $35 billion. That's 30% less than the comparable Federal deficit. We can play with the numbers and argue endlessly about what's included and what isn't, but the fact remains that the Federal budget deficit under the Busholinis is far more egregious.


On edit: One more point deserves mention. The Federal budget deficit is net of various trust funds which are running surpluses, most notably the OASDI (Social Security) Trust Fund. The various reported state deficits are not offset by their trust fund surpluses, most particularly their pension trusts.

[Blue_Roses]

7. I agree

so will Bush be "recalled" in '04. Let's hope so, but if it was as simple as that, I don't think there would be a recall in Calif. now.

The Davis recall is a lot of propoganda aimed at diverting the bigger picture.

[TahitiNut]

8. State budget deficits, as a percentage of the state budget ...

... are greater in Alaska (37.8%) and New York (24.3%) than in California (23.4%), based on FY2004 budget projections.

Now, let me see ... what party are those Governors from? {scratching head} :eyes:

[JanMichael]

12. Amazing. This whole recall nonsense is such a fraud.

I can understand how the uninitiated might fall for this scam but I've seen some DU'ers do it here and that's appalling.

[Blue_Roses]

15. that's interesting

New Mexico has Democratic govenor and they have no deficit.

[GalleryGod]

9. Let's RECALL PATAKI!

:bounce: Now THERE's a ChickenHawk asshole worth REcalling!:evilgrin:

[Trajan]

10. ABSOLUTELY .....

The WHOLE NATION of states is in the crapper, and Davis has been subjected to a barrage of blame that places the entire problem on HIS shoulders ... this has been a message masterfully controlled by the GOP since 2001 and the fall of Enron .....

BUSH and the GOP ares the real culprits behind the loss of states solvency: .... state revenues are DOWN because of the outrageous fiscal mismanagement of the US government, which has NOT stimulated, but instead stifled economic activity across the nation .....

One might wonder if the deficits in New York and Texas are ALSO the fault of Davis .....

WHEN are the Democrats going to get ON THAT DAMNED TV SCREEN, and say this ? .......

[Rose Siding]

13. Davis broke some important rules

He successfully went after the real enemies

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=149272&mesg_id=149272

[Blue_Roses]

16. thanks for that thread

I missed it somewhere. This really pisses me off. I just don't get it. Why doesn't this take precedence over Arnold and all the rest of the fruit loop bunch.

We have serious problems and they just want to shuffle into the next waste basket.

I don't live in California, but Texas was seriously gauged by El Paso electric company and a couple others. They had the highest kilowatt percentage of any electric company in the state. A couple of years ago I looked up and copied a list of all the electric companies from the state utilities commission and found massive gauging. I put it in a report and sent it in to the Texas Advocacy commission but all I got alot of "yeah," we'll check into that." Of course it never went any further. Now the state has dereguluation on their power companies. Little did I know...

[zoidberg]

11. No recalls in Texas

I'd probably support a recall of Perry if the law allowed it, but I can't think of anybody worth a damn in either party there that would be any better.

[Blue_Roses]

14. LOL

A recall in Texas with all those GOP lawmakers. The Democrats had to leave the state to prove their point. A recall...I would actually laugh if I even heard anything remotely close to this. I don't think another "blue moon" is coming for a long time.

Unfortunately, I think Perry has job security. However, he better get those property taxes down and insurance companies under control or he may not have a job in 3 years.

[thehonesttruth]

17. do the math

california's debt is more than the number 2,3,4,5,6,qnd 7th place debtor's states, and texas and new york have huge populations. that is why their crisis is so dire, the california government got locked into a bad price situation with energy companies ( not a californian, so can't name names..but the charlotte observer has reported that duke energy was being investigated, think there are others) not sure if pete wilson or gray davis was governor at the time. any help from our west coast members?

[Clete]

18. Little old me said this is

about the 55 electoral votes in 2004, that's why no one in the WH cares about those other states.