The Appalling State of the State

Guess why liberal Assembly leader Fabian Nunez (left) looks so happy.




If anyone needed more convincing that Arnold Schwarzenegger has veered precipitously to the left, it was clear to anyone with ears to hear the deplorable state of the state address tonight. (Here's the whole sorry text.)

It's always been clear that the Governor has been seeking to do "something great" -- but now it's clear that if the plans are ambitious enough, the particulars don't really matter. Last year, he talked about "blowing up" the boxes on the government organizational chart; this year, he's ready to stuff the chart with money.

According to his address, the governor is ready to spend -- and lavishly! -- on roads, courts, jails, schools, mental hospitals, ports, levees and power plants. It's going to be subsized, we're told, by $70 billion of bonds over the next decade. As noted here, that's more than California's outstanding tax-supported debt; the cost of the entire plan comes in at a whopping $222 billion. According to Senator Tom McClintock, every billion dollars of new spending represents $115 of extra taxes per family of four.

He's obviously angling to imitate Democratic Governor Pat Brown, who presided over an era where California's roads, water system and universities came to prominence. What's worth noting is that that when his new political role model left office, only 2.2% of the state’s general fund was devoted to debt service. Right now, before we've even started, 5.9% of California's general fund is devoted to debt service.

But not to worry: It's not left, apparently, it's simply "centrist." Just ask the press -- here ("Schwarzenegger Tries to Find the Center") and here ("Schwarzenegger Takes Middle of the Road for His Comeback Trail").

In the speech, Arnold declared: "We need more roads, more hospitals, more schools, more nurses, more teachers, more police and more firefighters, more water, more energy, more ports, more, more more."

No wonder union tool Fabian Nunez is looking so happy. His peeps are going to be living large for a long, long time. And we, my friends, will be paying for it.