My good friend Inga Barks notes how similar the people of Bell have voted themselves into trouble, as the people of California created the economic collapse of the State.
"Take the citizens of Bell, for instance, who voted to give their leaders power to decide their own salaries. It's hard to imagine voters would put the foxes in charge of the henhouse, but they did.
Having not seen that ballot myself, I don't know what the wording was but I'm guessing if the ballot said, "A yes vote gives your city council the power to take your tax dollars to pay themselves more than most of you will ever see in your lives," the vote would be NO. Who would give such power to people who clearly weren't working in their best interest? And how does this relate to us smart people outside Bell proper?
Off the top of my head, but not limited to:
* Propositions 57 and 58 (2004). Among other things, they promised economic recovery if we would just lend the state $15 billion to fund THEIR overspending. (Kern passed them overwhelmingly).
The 2004 deficit was $22 billion. Six years later it was $20 billion. You do the math.
AFTER the $15 billion dollar loan AND the historic 2009 tax increase to pay down the deficit, WE voted to pay for what they have spent, are spending and will spend. Like Bell, we believed our leaders had our best interests at heart. But like Bell, our vote gave them power to fund themselves and their special interests."
The more Californians said YES to bonds and spending, the more spent, and the higher the deficit and debt. And, the more incompetence and corruption of agencies have come to light.
The High Speed Rail $10 billion bond is the prime example of corruption. The initiative was funded by unions and big corporations--the special interests that would get the jobs and contracts if the system was built.
We now know the ballot measure supporters LIED about the costs, the revenues and the ridership. Openly lied. Yet, so far no one has been indicted and this fraud continues to spend our money, for the benefit of special interests.
California is in a Great Depression, at the end of the day, the voters put us in this fiscal collapse--voting for politicians who love to spend and bond measures for special interests.
This is why we need regime change on November 2.
More...
"Take the citizens of Bell, for instance, who voted to give their leaders power to decide their own salaries. It's hard to imagine voters would put the foxes in charge of the henhouse, but they did.
Having not seen that ballot myself, I don't know what the wording was but I'm guessing if the ballot said, "A yes vote gives your city council the power to take your tax dollars to pay themselves more than most of you will ever see in your lives," the vote would be NO. Who would give such power to people who clearly weren't working in their best interest? And how does this relate to us smart people outside Bell proper?
Off the top of my head, but not limited to:
* Propositions 57 and 58 (2004). Among other things, they promised economic recovery if we would just lend the state $15 billion to fund THEIR overspending. (Kern passed them overwhelmingly).
The 2004 deficit was $22 billion. Six years later it was $20 billion. You do the math.
AFTER the $15 billion dollar loan AND the historic 2009 tax increase to pay down the deficit, WE voted to pay for what they have spent, are spending and will spend. Like Bell, we believed our leaders had our best interests at heart. But like Bell, our vote gave them power to fund themselves and their special interests."
The more Californians said YES to bonds and spending, the more spent, and the higher the deficit and debt. And, the more incompetence and corruption of agencies have come to light.
The High Speed Rail $10 billion bond is the prime example of corruption. The initiative was funded by unions and big corporations--the special interests that would get the jobs and contracts if the system was built.
We now know the ballot measure supporters LIED about the costs, the revenues and the ridership. Openly lied. Yet, so far no one has been indicted and this fraud continues to spend our money, for the benefit of special interests.
California is in a Great Depression, at the end of the day, the voters put us in this fiscal collapse--voting for politicians who love to spend and bond measures for special interests.
This is why we need regime change on November 2.
More...