Comparison of Democrats vs GOP in 2 state's outcomes

[Arlos]

First, an article from the main newspaper in Atlanta: http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/jay-bookman/ ... -it-fails/

Basically, Georgia has been 100% in GOP hands for a solid decade now. In every single economic index, they are significantly worse off than before, and falling fast. Median income is down, the percentage of people living in poverty has jumped 50% from 12% to 18%, etc. It's not just the results of the overall recession, either. As the article notes, in 2003, they were at 15th in unemployment in the US. Now, 46th. Median income was also at 15th, now 33rd. Before, 20th highest poverty rate, now 7th. In 2003, they had the 18th highest GDP per capita, now 33rd.

The state has been entirely under GOP control for a decade, and the GOP has slashed taxes, slashed business regulations, and all the rest of their dream agenda they've pushed everywhere. Yet they have done nothing but go downhill, dramatically.

Now, look at California.

After the crash of 2008, California's financial situation was a mess. The Governator was in charge, and while Democrats held majorities in both state houses, budgets required a 2/3 vote to pass, this allowed the GOP to play the same obstructionist tactics they use now in the US Senate. In the election of 2010, though, two major things happened: 1) we elected Jerry Brown, old-school Democrat as governor. 2) we passed a ballot initiative allowing budgets to pass with a simple majority, though new taxes still required a 2/3 vote.

The first fiscal year when Brown came in, he faced a > $27 billion dollar deficit. Since that time, with the Democrats running things, we've gone from that nadir to actually this year having a > 4billion dollar SURPLUS, and with enough space in the budget for Brown to propose spending 11 billion this year to pay down all the long term debt that got built up during Arnie's governorship. In the last elections, the Democrats got put in as a super-majority in both houses as well. The economy is much better, we had the top enrollment numbers for new health plans under our state version of the Obamacare website, etc.

Small sample size, I realize, but damn, if that's not pretty persuasive arguemnts that the GOP economic plans are the wrong way to go, at least unless you're part of the 1%.

Thoughts?

[Lyion]

Apples and oranges.

California has the best farm and crop system, best weather, best number of high dollar tech companies, and numerous other advantages. Despite this it has 335 BILLION in hidden unfunded liabilities source below. It has crushing taxes and fucks its middle class to help it's wealthy. You also ignore the fact the Dems ran everything, and Arnie was a very blue Republican. The Dems currently have a supermajority in Cali and have cranked up taxes.Cali is a ticking time bomb, even with the best setup in pretty much the world. It's laughable that despite a 5M surplus due to the increased taxes that they'll probably increase spending instead of attacking that huge balloon of debt.

http://www.statebudgetcrisis.org/wpcms/ ... ersion.pdf

I'm sure GA would be doing far better if they had spent 335 billion, taxed the shit out of their middle class to help their wealthy friends and illegal immigrants, and had a 70 billion dollar high speed rail boondoggle on the horizon that again will screw their taxpayers.

Just to add, despite the dems controlling the purse strings, the hundreds of billions they've taxed and spent without actually having:

California Has Highest Rate Of Poverty In The Nation, According To U.S. Census Bureau

Just to add, I think Jerry Brown has done a wonderful job in an absolutely terrible situation. I think Arnie was a pretty crappy governor for Cahleeforneeaahhh. Good read here on the debt and wars to control it:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/californ ... 16651.html

A robust economic recovery and surging revenue propelled by voter-approved tax increases have sent California's general fund spending to a record high, marking a dramatic turn-around from the state's days as the nation's poster child of fiscal dysfunction.

Yet Gov. Jerry Brown, in releasing his budget proposal Thursday, pledged to take a somber approach in spending the windfall. He said California must begin paying down what he has called its massive "wall of debt,'' a stew of unfunded liabilities, bond debt and borrowing that is estimated at $355 billion.

His somewhat cautious approach will run afoul of some of his fellow Democrats in the Legislature, many of whom already are clamoring for higher spending on pet programs.

"When you're at this level of long-term liability, it isn't time to just embark on a raft of new initiatives,'' Brown said in announcing details of his budget during a Capitol news conference.

The Dems have pretty much controlled California's legislature for decades. It's resulted in this:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-best- ... 15625.html

> Debt per capita: $4,008 (18th highest)
> Budget deficit: 20.7% (17th largest)
> Unemployment: 11.7% (2nd highest)
> Median household income: $57,287 (10th highest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 16.6% (18th highest)

California is 24/7 Wall St.’s “Worst Run State” for the second year in a row. Due to high levels of debt, the state’s S&P credit rating is the worst of all states, while its Moody’s credit rating is the second-worst. The state’s foreclosure rate and unemployment rate were the third- and second-highest in the country, respectively. The state also has one of the highest tax burdens on income. According to the Tax Foundation, the state also has the third-worst business tax climate in the country.

[brinstar]

it's pretty hard to compare the performance of political parties in ANY two states, imo

NE has been under GOP control for a long-ass time, but we still balance our budget and we have one of the lowest unemployment rates of the nation. to be fair, the state dems still have a rather large minority in our unicameral congress (we don't have a house of reps) so there's always healthy resistance when some GOPer gets too uppity. also although we are far far far behind on a lot of social issues, we certainly haven't trashed the place the way FL or GA has.

all that being said, i'm predicting a noticeable decline - after trying (and utterly failing) to privatize our DHHS, our current asshole gov gets term-limited out this year. every single one of the GOP candidates that have emerged so far are even bigger assholes, and i have a feeling that contest is going to lead to a lot of new asshole GOP senators thanks to the downticket effect. thank goodness we still have Ernie Chambers