Gov. Brown's Greased Pig Deficit Problems

At State Fairs, it always good for a laugh to see the greased-pig events with the competitors flopping and flailing around while trying to get their hands on that slippery little hog. But, when a Governor does the same thing while trying to define his State's deficit problems, it's not so funny.

Back in January, Governor Jerry Brown projected California's budget deficit to be $9.2 billion.  Then, on May 14th, he said his "new" projection was $16 billion.  Five days following that declaration, a non-partisan, independent analyst of the State legislature said that number was off by a billion dollars; indicating that the actual deficit number is closer to $17 billion. 

It seems to me that if you don't even know how big a problem you have, you won't be able to fix it.  For that reason alone, Governor Brown is totally incapable of rectifying California's debt problems.  However, Brown's budgetary incompetence goes even further.  In typical liberal fashion, he wants to solve California's budgetary ills by raising taxes on the rich while, at the same time, talking about spending $100 billion for a high speed rail system and another $15 billion for a revamp of the State's water system.   On top of all that, he wants an immediate increase of $5 billion a year in education.  And, if he doesn't get his tax increases?  Well, he's told the voters that he will be forced to make "painful" cuts in education and public safety.

Obviously, Governor Brown doesn't seem to understand that spending is at the heart of California's deficit woes.  The state is drowning in debt and he keeps filling the pool with water. Even if he does get his millionaires tax, the spending will still exceed revenues.  It seems everyone knows this except  the governor and all the voters who elected him.  Obviously, Chicago columnist Mike Royko's labeling of Brown as "Governor Moonbeam" in 1976 is as true then as it is today.  Royko was also right when he said that California was “the world’s largest outdoor mental asylum.”