The New Republic

What gets cut is not nearly as important as how this gets decided. And who makes how this gets decided possible.

Whenever money becomes the center of the universe, those who have the most to lose and those who have the most power to divvy up the smaller pie will clash.

You see this unfolding dramatically on the national stage as more and more Main Streeters sink into the recessionary quagmire Geithner and Summers Inc. [and their cronies on Wall Street and in Congress] not only manufactured but are now pulling out of with profits starting to burst at the seams again.

The only way this is effectively countered is in the streets. Protesters in California may or may not amass the tipping point number that turns this around.

Similarly, we hear that Main Streeters on the national stage are getting more and more incensed by this sham recovery. But what will they do about it? Will their increasingly bitter outrage take the form of marches on Washington and major cities from coast to coast?

Until that unfurls don't expect much from the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Barack Obama.

george walton

- iambiguous

July 21, 2009 at 7:03pm

In a time of plenty California massively increased spending, including spending ebshrined in their constitution.  Now they have to cut back.  California would be ok if they'd start with repealing spending increases enacted since about 98 or so and stop thinking of goverenment spending programs as a natural right.

- McDuffy

July 22, 2009 at 7:24am

Why not just jack up taxes until the budget is balanced?  Problem solved.

- selish70

July 22, 2009 at 8:14am