I have to wonder if the Schwarzenegger early prison release proposal isn’t a way to force the GOP into voting for tax increases.  Certainly, if the Democrats had their way, the only cuts that would be made to the state budget to solve this budget deficit would be to release prisoners.  With the deficit as large as it is, the ONLY way the hole is closed is with massive cuts to health and social services, education and prison spending.  It is no wonder that the governor’s office—run, at this point, mostly by Gray Davis staffers—is looking at prison spending first.  How about forcing the schools to run efficiently?  How about cutting chiropractor and acupuncture from the list of benefits Medi-Cal recipients receive?  There is no arguing that the cuts needed in health and welfare will go far deeper than just these extras Medi-Cal currently pays for—and the cuts will be tough to sell—but the spending didn’t magically get this high.  We’ve drastically added more programs and increased eligibility over the time the Dems have been in charge of Sacramento (which has been the last nine years, save the first year of the Schwarzenegger Administration).  Everyday has been Christmas with the Democrats in charge.  Unless, of course, you are a taxpayer—not a tax receiver.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 21st, 2007 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.