Home > Opinion > Peter Roff > California Rejects Higher Taxes—Obama, Reid and Pelosi Should Take Note

California Rejects Higher Taxes—Obama, Reid and Pelosi Should Take Note

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I believe everything Obama has done so far is with the intention of collapsing
the economy of the United States. His moratorium on drilling has put 100,000
people out of work. Those 100,000 people have ripple affect in the economy.
Next there are college professors who are marxists that will do what ever they
can to aid in the collapse of our economy. One has devised cell phones to aid
illegal immigrants in entering the United States illegally. The more that enter the
more strain is put on our economy. It is why Obama is doing what ever he can to circumvent what ever Arizona does to slow down illegal immigration. During the spill in the gulf Obama did nothing but harass every state along the gulf in
trying to prevent the oil from reaching there marsh lands by stopping the dredg-
ing to create berms along the shore line. The response from Obama's adminis-
tration was that environmental studies had to be done. It was to damn late for
environmental studies. Why did it take so obnoxiously long before foreign countries were allowed to assist.
I'm getting sick of listening to so many people who say they believe Obama
is really concerned with the economy, even republicans. Many small business owners don't know which end is up anymore because of Obama's policies. I refer
to Obama, Reid and Pelosi as the three stooges, but actually they aren't, they just have a goal of collapsing the economy so that complete socialist gov't will
be free and clear to take over. In Barack Obama's own book he clearly states
he is a socialist or has strong leanings that way. There are other things that I
can point to that says to America, be afraid of him.

James Zajac of PA 2:29PM September 21, 2010

We've been sliding for years but the last 4 months have been unprecedented. Unprecedented DEBT, uprecedented Executive Power, unprecedented attack of opposing opinion and unprecedented intrusion into the private sector.
The TeaParties were the first round. Now the Republicans are standing up on policy as well. If you listen to MSNBC AND CNN you would think America is behind this foolishness but I believe otherwise. 1000 random "adults"?
The votes in California support this hope.
The only excuse for MASSIVE Government DEBT is WAR or Natural Disaster. GWB had both.
So does Obama...WE ARE STILL AT WAR and...
we have Obama as "OUR" President who insists on continuing HIS "agenda" even though it's obvious WE cannot afford it.
53% chose this "Catastrophy" but we're all living with it.
It's time America came to it's senses.

Chris Petty of GA 12:30AM May 27, 2009

Our Politicians keep telling us our Immigration laws are broken and we need an comprehensive solution, which are code words for Amnesty, our Immigration Laws are not broken, they just have not been enforced, what is broken is our Political system when we elect Corrupt/Pandering politicians that puts their desires ahead of the Constitution of USA and the Rule of Law!
Our government fails the most basic and primary task & duty of government, to protect this Nation and its Citizens from invasion and enforce its laws.
They refuse to abide by our Constitution, refuse to enforce our Immigration Laws and refuse to honor their Oath of Office!
Our Government, past & present, Republican & Democrat, have allowed the invasion of 20 to 40 million criminals and uneducated peons which is the largest invasion of any Nation, at any time, by any means & in direct violation of Article IV, Section IV of our Constitution.
This refusal to abide by our Constitution or enforce our Immigration Laws should be classified as Treason of the most foul kind, & as grounds for impeachment & trials for Treason!
Not only have they allowed the invasion, they force American tax payers to pay Billions on Billions of dollars to provide Welfare, Prison cells, Educate the invaders numerous children, and free medical care, at the same time the invading horde break numerous laws and massive document fraud, & are destroying our schools, hospitals, communities, culture and standard of living while Robbing, Raping, Killing & Assaulting American Citizens at an rate the terrorist can only dream about.
Recent statements in Mexico from both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary something needs to be done. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers, and civilians," she said.
But no mention, concern or care that their refusal to stop the Massive Invasion of Illegal Aliens pouring across our borders or enforce our immigration laws that causes an estimated 25 Americans deaths per day and 10,s of thousands victims of Assault, Robberies, Rapes, Identify thief, and other assorted crimes committed by the invading horde of Illegal Aliens from Mexico on American citizens each year!
Most of our Politicians in Wash. DC are wading knee deep in innocent American blood and suffering because they put Politics ahead of the welfare of American Citizens & the future of this Nation! The Welfare vote for the Democrats to further their Socialist Agenda and the Slave Labor for their Pay Masters in the Chamber of Commerce & Business for the Republicans is more important to our Corrupt power mad Politicians than the lives and safety of Americans citizens!
The Citizens of this great Nation have not sacrificed with blood, sweat & tears for over 200 years & obeyed the Laws of the land, paid the taxes, and fought the wars & built this Nation to see Corrupt politicians turn this Nation into the United States of Mexico without a shot being fired, to serve their demented, nefarious goals and lust for power!

Black Saint of OK 12:18PM May 22, 2009

California the Golden state, is fast becoming the poster child for an bankrupt third world State!
An unholy alliance of Socialist Democrat politicians, Unions, and Illegal Aliens supporters are feasting at the trough of tax payers paid benefits while taxing & regulating business and the tax paying public into poverty.
The pandering of Left Wing Democrat Politicians to their constituency of Illegal Aliens, open border supporters, and unions are driving business and citizens to other states & countries, while leaving the parasites & welfare leeches in an increasing bankrupt, dysfunctional state!
For years California has ignored economics 101 and imported poverty, Criminals and uneducated Peons from Mexico, while exporting business and educated working tax payers.
Like all Socialist & Marxist States the results have been an lowing of living standards & bankruptcy.
Failure to abide by our Constitution against invasion & enforce our Immigration laws and constraints on wages and benefits for public employees will result in turning the Golden State into MexiCalif and the end of the California dream!
The policies of Obama and Wash. DC Democrats are intent on following Calif. policies and are resulting in the same creeping socialist process across American.
Amnesty & Citizenship as a reward for their invasion of the USA, will result in the rest of the USA turned into a Spanish speaking third world cesspool, modeled on Mexico and follow California into a polluted, over populated, Spanish speaking third world Nation of Crime, Corruption, Poverty, & Misery!
This will result in a population depending on Welfare and the Democrat party, thus assuring the lock on power for the Socialist Democrat party of the United States of Mexico!

Black Saint of OK 9:35AM May 22, 2009

Based on the comments of Karen Bass after the defeat of 1A,B,C,D,E, our politicans still don't get it. She said we were tired of special elections! I would vote every week to stop excessive taxes. She said we were confused, I was not confused because I knew what they were trying to pull. She said we wanted them to do thier job because we didn't want to. If we did thier jobs the State Employees would have to contribute to thier health care just like the private sector. There would be no 90.0% retirement payment based on a 3.0% per year of service. I would like to know where this happens in the private sector. There isn't enough room to talk about the education system in this state.
The "low turn out" should not be an indication of apathy from the majority of Californians. Everybody that I talk to on this issue and I mean everybody 100.0% said they would not support the prop's. Enough is enough was the theme, now did everyone vote, NO. Don't look at the turn out look at the approval ratings given to the California Government there is your proof.
I agree with Chris from Ohio on every point he makes.

Mike from California of CA 6:22PM May 21, 2009

Let this be the beginning of the tax revolution.

John Smiley of GA 2:12PM May 21, 2009

You can't use turnout percentages to discredit the results, but you can use history to do so. So the Californians just rejected the notion of actually having to pay for a huge bloated government. How is this new? It's what all Americans think they are entitled to. That's why Obama can be elected on promises of tax cuts for 95% of the population, but at the same time promising gigantic government programs that massively increase expenditures and deficits. So what if the numbers don't add up? Don't confuse the American voter with facts and figures, he/she wants his government goodies paid for by "someone else." This has become a such a growing trend in national, state and local elections, that outcomes are now quite predictable.

Dan Henke of IN 11:33AM May 21, 2009

It is ALWAYS the same. "We will be forced to cut funding for roads, schools, law enforcement, etc..." This is pure and simple BLACKMAIL! Here are a few suggestions.
1. Cut funding for health care for your workers until it is in line with what private companies give to their employees.
2. Cut all supplemental payments to any illegal aliens residing in CA. This includes no more free medical care of ANY KIND! No Income Supplements NOTHING!
3 Eliminate all Compensated automobiles for State employees. Make them buy their own vehicles like the rest of us. The only provided vehicles should be for safety personnel like police, fire and security limos.
4 Cut all salaries until they are in line with the average salaries for the same type of workers in the private sector.
5. Cut the welfare roles by 20%. This would happen automatically given that #2 will cause massive amounts of illegal aliens to leave the state. This will open up jobs for US citizens.
6. Stop wasting money on drug busts and prostitution arrests. I am a conservative and I can clearly see that nothing is EVER going to stop such behavior. Decriminalize it and be DONE WITH IT!
I think that if they made the above cuts there would be a surplus of money. Enough to lower taxes and provide better services to everyone.

Chris of OH 10:22AM May 21, 2009

Those who try to dodge the uncomfotable truths and implications of this special election by pointing to low turnout are simply begging the question. If people strongly believed that hiking taxes and fiddling around with the budget process to put more money in the hands of politicans was neccessary, they'd have shown up at the polls to pass these propositions by overwhelming margins. That people refused to step up and register their support tells us something although those that disagree with the propositions don't want to inquire too deeply lest they discover a truth that upsets them. The people who DID care enough to show up generally showed up to tell the government to take a hike and stop taking their money and using it in irresponsible ways. The largest implication of this, however, is that the state that overwhelmingly supported Obama overwhelmingly opposes the economic philosophy of intense spending that Obama and his acolytes espouse. Is this a sign that voters are becoming more aware of just who they put in the presidency? Time will tell but signs point towards yes.

Keith Moore of OR 1:20AM May 21, 2009

This was a very, very low turnout election. Using it as any kind of indicator of a statewide trend, let alone a nationwide one, is some very lazy analysis. These types of special elections almost universally have low turnout, and with the major population centers of Los Angeles and San Francisco not having mayoral races going on, it was probably even lower than it might have otherwise been. Federal elections always have higher turnout than state elections, which always have higher turnouts than municipal elections. Voter apathy is a problem, but using voter apathy in statewide special elections as proof that people don't want higher taxes... Let's just say it's not a particularly well-supported analysis.
I honestly don't know how people will respond to the fiscal policies of Obama. But this is a really bad way of guessing.

Amy of CA 11:32PM May 20, 2009