Incompetence At The State Level. Again.

Here's Arnie trying hard to not burst a blood vessel. He has threatened to veto the state budget because he said the long overdue spending plan that lawmakers have approved lacked long-term fiscal reforms and would burden taxpayers.

He said, "I think nothing is more important than getting our fiscal house in order, and I promise the people of California that I will not stop until the job is done."
However, our illustrious and irresponsible lawmakers are saying that they're not going to back down. They're prepared to override the veto. The bill is going to land on Arnie's desk tomorrow morning, and because he's channeling Conan the Barbarian, the only response he was able to come up with for this sticky situation was to proclaim that his plan was: "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." Nevermind that billions of dollars in payments to schools, medical clinics, daycare centers, adult and otherwise, as well as payments to state vendors continue to be in limbo. What's wrong with this picture?

Senate Minority Leader Dave Cogdill said said that no one has the stomach to keep going down this path. He says, "It is a mistake, and I will vote to override the governor's veto, as should every other legislator who approved this budget."

It has been 78 days since the start of the fiscal year. They finally passed a $143 billion budget shortly after 2 a.m. this morning. As you can see by Abel Maldonado, he's truly riveted and interested in the process. One of these days I'll figure out why he's there.

Meanwhile, Arnie said that the reforms that our duly elected lawmakers added to the budget were flawed and would do nothing to halt the state's persistent imbalance between spending and the amount of money it takes in. What is the deal with these people? Why can't they do anything right by the people that voted them in?

As it stands now, the budget's main feature requires that the screws be applied to their constituents. How? Well, we get to pay our income taxes sooner. This is their brilliant idea to help close a $15.2 billion deficit without borrowing or imposing new taxes. Here's another idea? How about if these knuckleheads go without their pay for a while? Might that light a fire under them? If nothing else it might wake them up.

Even lawmakers who voted for the plan agreed that it merely delayed the toughest fiscal decisions until next year.

If they cannot get it together to pass a decent budget that makes sense now, what's going to change by next year? Do you suppose that they think they'll be smarter in another year?

Saying that the current budget would require a major tax increase or massive cuts to education Arnie said, "If lawmakers think that's what the people of California deserve, then I don't know what their thinking is of the people of California. I think the people of California deserve better."

Yeah, as a matter of fact we do. However, enough knuckleheads voted for you Arnie, so in essence, at least THEY are getting exactly what they deserve. The rest of us however are feeling the pinch in a variety of ways.

Arnie went further with his threats. He said that if lawmakers override his budget veto, he'll not be kind to their legislation, potentially wiping away a year's worth of work. He said, "Hundreds of bills will be vetoed."

Yeah, that's just all kinds of helpful.

Armed and Dangerous

By reenee, Santa Maria

Okay, I'm back. I took a bit of a break for no reason in particular, since I never seem to run out of things to say over here. It's quite difficult to get any real local news since I quit reading the Santa Maria Times. It's so poorly put together that it shocks me that people still subscribe to it. I will usually read the Santa Barbara News Press, which is a bit better. I guess not every newspaper out there can be the New York Times, huh? The one good thing is that the Times does carry news from the Associated Press.

This one from the AP might just have people in Santa Maria buzzing, in particular the teachers. A district in Texas will be allowing teachers to carry a concealed weapon. This is their bright idea to deter and protect against school shootings. The impetus for this was the fact that the small community of Harrold is a 30 minute drive from the sheriff's office. Harrold Independent School District superintendent, David Thweat said that the campus sits near a heavily traveled highway which could make it a target.

Now on paper, this might sound like a fairly good idea. However, in the real world, I've seen good teachers and I've seen bad teachers. In fact, didn't we have a teacher in the Santa Maria Bonita School District that once tied a kid to a chair? Didn't we have another that assaulted a kid? Hasn't this school district had teachers who were discipline problems? Why yes, yes we have.

If we have these types of problems here, then every school district must also have them, or have the potential to have them. If you arm the teachers, what happens then?

Let's face it, not every teacher out there has both oars in the water. Nor does every teacher know how to behave in stressful situations. They are as flawed as the rest of us in certain situations.

I remember way back when I was but a tiny little blogger, one teacher rapped my knuckles with a ruler when I had the gall to use my left hand to write. Another time I watched a teacher throw a book at a kid and bean him in the head. I'm not sure that things have improved all that much when a teacher finds him/herself under fire from an unruly student. Therefore, I don't see it as a good idea to arm the teachers. Nonetheless, this part of Texas is armed and ready.

Barbara Williams, from the Texas Association of School Boards, said her organization did not know of another district with such a policy. Ken Trump, a Cleveland-based school security expert who advises districts nationwide, said Harrold is the first district with such a policy.

Trustees approved the policy change last year. For employees to carry a pistol, they must have a Texas license to carry a concealed handgun; must be authorized to carry by the district; must receive training in crisis management and hostile situations; and must use ammunition designed to minimize the risk of ricocheting bullets.

Officials researched the policy and considered other options for about a year before approving the policy change. The district also has other measures in place to prevent a school shooting.

Superintendent Thweatt said, "The naysayers think a shooting won't happen here. If something were to happen here, I'd much rather be calling a parent to tell them that their child is OK."

No details on which teachers and assorted staff will be armed and dangerous. The supe wants that to be a surprise.