Yes, I'm still alive.
Sorry for the long hiatus. I suppose I could have blogged, but not much in the mood as of late. I've had alot on my mind concerning county and state budget deficits. My CRAP union voted twice to accept concessions and I'll be taking a bit of a pay-cut. I know I should celebrate considering some of my colleagues have been laid-off while others reassigned. I know it has to do with the budget crisis and the global recession, but its unfortunate that our disabled citizens take the brunt with less services and with contracting resources.
I can hear the cry now; "Pull yourselves up by your bootstraps you lazy bum!!". I suppose that mentally tortured Schizophrenic living in squalor and filth slowly dying in the gutter should take that advice, but at the moment he's preoccupied with struggling against killing himself and picking the bugs out of his open wounds.
Regarding bearing the brunt in efforts to balance state and local budgets, Mt. Diablo, Redwood City, and Pleasanton County residents have narrowly turned down parcel tax initiatives which would have bridged the deficit gap. All required a two-thirds majority and all were within 2-3 percentage points.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/politics/ci_12411798
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_12507806
http://www.insidebayarea.com/pleasanton/ci_12511999
Mt. Diablo alone handed out 150 teachers pink slips yesterday...I suppose these teachers were getting rich with their outrageously high salaries. This should teach them a lesson, right? Class size in that district will go from sub-30 to 37. I mean let's take that line of thinking to its obvious logical conclusion: have ONE class of 1500 children, stuff them in a gymnasium and employ one teacher. That would save alot of money, right?
But the LAST thing we should do right now is TAX THE RICH any more than they are...I mean that would be Un-American, Un-Patriotic, and Un-Christian. Increasing taxes to raise revenue is utterly EVIL and SATANIC. It's downright Socialist, Communist, and completely Immoral. I must be some sort of Nazi to even suggest it!
But you CAN call this idea stupid...now THAT I can handle. But all kidding aside; is there a way to raise revenue without shooting ourselves in our collective capitalist foot? I realize all of us are in bed with the Rich...we count on them for jobs. But is there such as thing as fair and just tax policies? I can hear theProf. now; "But WHO would decide what is fair and just?". True, which is why I get frustrated with this conundrum. There are no easy answers.
A recent New York Times article on Prop. 13 and California's "State of Paralysis".
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/opinion/25krugman.html
Clearly we need some major reform as it relates to Education. The Discourser is much more adept at this topic than I, but he'll be the first to suggest that we do a complete Re-Boot of the entire system. Furthermore, where the hell is all the money going? Clearly teachers aren't getting rich, and Unions take in a percent or two. But what about the rest? If I find out that some un-godly percentage goes to centralized Sacramento administrators, I'll probably have to murder someone. Again, no easy answers.
Some articles on California Education Crisis:
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2009/03/what_does_seven.html
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/may/23/california-budget-crisis-comes-to-head/
I'd actually be quite a Republican with regard to economic tax policies but I can't seem to stomach Right-Wing political rhetoric. Too Draconian and inhumane for my tastes....and this is considering my previous comment about murdering someone. I'm sick of hearing "We need more money! That will solve all our problems!" from the Left, and "You have enough money. Don't ask for more!" from the Right. Can we F-ing come up with a better solution?!?!
I don't know how to solve this mess, but one thing I do know. No matter what, we can't piss off the Wealthy. Hurt them and they hurt us trickle-down-style. Over tax industry and they move out of the state or out of the country to get a better deal. They have us completely over the barrel and the Republicans are right about that. Ultimately, we have to kiss their asses.
I hate ending this blog entry this way but I feel pretty pessimistic today...my apologies.
I can hear the cry now; "Pull yourselves up by your bootstraps you lazy bum!!". I suppose that mentally tortured Schizophrenic living in squalor and filth slowly dying in the gutter should take that advice, but at the moment he's preoccupied with struggling against killing himself and picking the bugs out of his open wounds.
Regarding bearing the brunt in efforts to balance state and local budgets, Mt. Diablo, Redwood City, and Pleasanton County residents have narrowly turned down parcel tax initiatives which would have bridged the deficit gap. All required a two-thirds majority and all were within 2-3 percentage points.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/politics/ci_12411798
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_12507806
http://www.insidebayarea.com/pleasanton/ci_12511999
Mt. Diablo alone handed out 150 teachers pink slips yesterday...I suppose these teachers were getting rich with their outrageously high salaries. This should teach them a lesson, right? Class size in that district will go from sub-30 to 37. I mean let's take that line of thinking to its obvious logical conclusion: have ONE class of 1500 children, stuff them in a gymnasium and employ one teacher. That would save alot of money, right?
But the LAST thing we should do right now is TAX THE RICH any more than they are...I mean that would be Un-American, Un-Patriotic, and Un-Christian. Increasing taxes to raise revenue is utterly EVIL and SATANIC. It's downright Socialist, Communist, and completely Immoral. I must be some sort of Nazi to even suggest it!
But you CAN call this idea stupid...now THAT I can handle. But all kidding aside; is there a way to raise revenue without shooting ourselves in our collective capitalist foot? I realize all of us are in bed with the Rich...we count on them for jobs. But is there such as thing as fair and just tax policies? I can hear theProf. now; "But WHO would decide what is fair and just?". True, which is why I get frustrated with this conundrum. There are no easy answers.
A recent New York Times article on Prop. 13 and California's "State of Paralysis".
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/opinion/25krugman.html
Clearly we need some major reform as it relates to Education. The Discourser is much more adept at this topic than I, but he'll be the first to suggest that we do a complete Re-Boot of the entire system. Furthermore, where the hell is all the money going? Clearly teachers aren't getting rich, and Unions take in a percent or two. But what about the rest? If I find out that some un-godly percentage goes to centralized Sacramento administrators, I'll probably have to murder someone. Again, no easy answers.
Some articles on California Education Crisis:
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2009/03/what_does_seven.html
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/may/23/california-budget-crisis-comes-to-head/
I'd actually be quite a Republican with regard to economic tax policies but I can't seem to stomach Right-Wing political rhetoric. Too Draconian and inhumane for my tastes....and this is considering my previous comment about murdering someone. I'm sick of hearing "We need more money! That will solve all our problems!" from the Left, and "You have enough money. Don't ask for more!" from the Right. Can we F-ing come up with a better solution?!?!
I don't know how to solve this mess, but one thing I do know. No matter what, we can't piss off the Wealthy. Hurt them and they hurt us trickle-down-style. Over tax industry and they move out of the state or out of the country to get a better deal. They have us completely over the barrel and the Republicans are right about that. Ultimately, we have to kiss their asses.
I hate ending this blog entry this way but I feel pretty pessimistic today...my apologies.
posted by supergoober at
2:02 PM
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