Our governor is a very smart man. He did a lot for my city, Oakland, when he was mayor. I don't think it's that simple.

Couldn't agree more. But all it would take is a check from Bill and Linda Gates, Mitt Romney, Michael Bloomberg Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, you know, high profile rich people, not to mention the multitude of billionaires that nobody can name because they stay under the radar. These people owe the biggest debt to our veterans because they reap the largest rewards from living in the greatest country the world has ever known.

California tried with prop 187 in 1994. The supreme court ruled it unconstitutional.

People wanted to pay enough taxes to build them, but not enough taxes to furnish them. I'd say that's a voter fail, not a government fail. Thanks Tea Party!! A-holes.

As a former resident of California I'd just say it's easy to make uninformed statements. In 1994 a statewide reforendum prop 187 was passed requiring people to provide proof of citizenship or legal residency to enroll children in school or receive medical treatment for anything other than life threatening causes and allow police to ask for proof of legal residency when stopping anyone. The supreme court ruled it unconstitional. The state also attempted to sue the federal government for costs to care for illegals that federal law forced them to provide for but failed.

California is about to fall into the ocean.

If the Federal Government can bail out the banks and Wall Street time and time again, they sure the hell can help with funding the Vet Homes.

Heaven knows our brave veterans have earned it!

SO why is California going ahead with the $68 Billion high speed rail system?

Californians keep electing the same politicians, they have no one to blame but themselves.

I think it's time for the federal & state governments to start scaling way back on everything. Start cutting back by 50% to 75%, back to the very bare necessities. It's time for everyone to start getting what they seem want so badly, so they can actually experience it for themselves. We need to see what real austerity actually feels like.

California's Democrats have different "PRIORITIES" in mind: pass legsilation for that BILLIONS of dollars for the high speed rail system to NOWHERE and to make the State a Sanctuary State.

Time for a RECALL of ALL elected representatives.

Wow, only in California.

Problems were happening in CA way before Jerry and even before Arnold.

I'm willing to bet that Obama will bail them out if he wins in November, and California will keep at it again, no lessons learned.

@nativefox

Austerity should be done in slow increments to work best. The problem is that our current pace, we won't have a choice but to do big cuts, and it's going to hurt worse.

We shouldn't blame ourselves for those elected into office. We vote for the terrible choices we are spoon fed, which are mainly poor to fair. We will always have corrupt and incompetent candidates running for political office. It's the nature of the cesspool.

What we can change is the laws and penalties they operate under so the corruption and so called "incompetence" is greatly reduced.

The brilliant voters in California voted to sell $10 billion in bonds to fund this boondoggle even though every editorial and op/ed article in every newspaper in California said it was a scam and to not vote for it. The articles also said that the $10 billion would not cover the cost of environmental reports and that IF it ever got finished, the cost will be close to $150 billion.

What else would you expect from a bunch of idiots that keep reelecting polosi and boxer. The real topper is that they voted their zen governor back in even though he left the gov's office with his tail between his legs.

If I could afford to move my business out of this state, I'd be gone in a heartbeat.

Before you say anything, you should do a proper search. 16 out of 20 poorest states are red states and those same states have the most amount of people who died without healthcare insurances of any kind.

Cuong, the problem is the people there are ignorant + poor + uneducated, and with all the talk radio the right listen too they are a bunch of brain washed sheep, Can't fix stupid is associated with the RIGHT for a reason.

You have any references to back up your words Sammie Boi?!!

To further illustrate the brilliance of the California voters(?), When the two propositions were on the ballot:

Prop# 98 Would protect all privately owned property from Eminent Domain except for highways or government buildings such as schools and/or similar use.

Prop# 99 Would protect a single- family, owner-occupied house from Eminent Domain unless a majority of the property needed had already been acquired. Not even a church was safe from the strip mall builders. It was written by and financed by the California Association Of City and County Governments.

(Hint: what intity uses Emminent Domain the most? Ans. : City and county governments.)

Which one did the jeniouses(sarc.) vote for? Ans.: Prop # 99

Why isn't the federal government doing more for the vets? I'd rather spend money on the veterans healthcare than Obama's re-election expenses.

We need a government that takes care of those who served this country in the military, not in politics.

Hey @Mike Davis:

People wanted to pay enough taxes to build them, but not enough taxes to furnish them. I'd say that's a voter fail, not a government fail. Thanks Tea Party!! A-holes.

You are clearly misguided, and I am guessing you don't live in California. CA state govt has been firmly in control of the Dems for a long time, Tea Party has zero to do with anything in Sacramento. The budget mess is entirely a government fail, although the idiot voters keep re-electing those buffoons.

I just read where Missouri provided long term funding of its vets' homes by reallocating casino money from urban giveaway programs that sound great, but don't work. I guess it's simply of a matter of setting priorities with the money you do have.

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!!

Here's a thought for all you government worshippers.

Washington spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties.

Ya think they could keep a few veteran homes open with that? Sell the properties and use the money more effectively. It’s OUR MONEY!!!!!!

Now, remember, this is JUST the federal government, imagine how much the States have sitting around collecting dust. What convoluted excuse can our government have to support this insanity? Other than it is totally and completely dysfunctional.

Now, before you government worshippers get your panties all bunched up, this $25 billion is a drop in the bucket for all the waste, fraud, abuse and corruption we have in our criminal government. This next one is one of my favorites.

Government auditors spent the past five years examining all federal programs and found that 22 percent of them–costing taxpayers a total of $123 billion annually–fail to show any positive impact on the populations they serve.

Let’s just analyze this statement.

First, government auditors did this study. This means Congress should be aware of not only its existence, but more importantly, its implications.

Next, let’s go to the cost, $123 billion. This is an annual cost. So every single year we waste nearly 1/8^th of a trillion dollars on these programs. In 8 years we could save $1 trillion dollars to pay down debt.

Finally, it says “fail to show any positive impact on the populations they serve.” Basically they don’t do a single beneficial thing for the people they’re supposed to. Nearly ¼ of our programs do NOTHING but consume our wealth. This is what government does best, it consumes wealth and gives you very little, if anything, back.

Just in case you’re not fully convinced, here’s a couple more.

The federal government made at least $72 billion in improper payments in 2008.

Federal agencies made over $125 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2010, which represents a 15 percent increase over the previous year, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. Such improper payments include overpayments, underpayments and payments that were not adequately documented. The tally is "not intended to be an estimate of fraud in federal agencies' programs and activities," notes the GAO, which has been studying improper payments for seven years. (So, $125 billion in overpayments or inadequate documentation is not fraud? Only in our government)

Washington spends $92 billion on corporate welfare (excluding TARP) versus $71 billion on homeland security.

The Congressional Budget Office published a “Budget Options” series identifying more than $140 billion in potential spending cuts.

Exiting Director Donald Berwick, says that 20 percent to 30 percent of health spending is “waste” that yields no benefit to patients, and that much of the needless spending is a result of onerous, archaic regulations enforced by his agency. Also cited is administrative complexity of the health care system, burdensome rules and fraud. Estimates are we could save $150 billion to $250 billion a year.

Of course this is something I’m sure we can all relate to as far as responsible government spending is concerned.

Washington will spend $2.6 million training Chinese prostitutes to drink more responsibly on the job.

You can’t make this stuff up,,,,LMAO!!!!!

Now, let me ask you all a very simple question.

How can any rational, normal, common sense person ever, EVER, consider giving our government another extra penny of our tax dollars when we have hundreds of billiosn of dollars in WFAC?

And of course when we ask our government to find ways to cut spending it becomes a vitriolic circus because allegedly they can't find anything to cut. But I can.

I don’t care if you live in a van by the river or you created the biggest software company in the world, our government doesn’t deserve another dime until it can clean up this massive amount of waste, fraud, abuse and corruption it has created!

Once again, IT’S OUR MONEY!

By the way, in case you’re curious, I have over 400 more examples.

Traffic-fanatic - I agree with you. However, reasonably intelligent people, when in the presence of facts, and with common goals in mind, should not have too much trouble coming into agreement.

The basic bottom line? Someone needs to get off their duff and do something about this problem. California has a very big population of millionaires, and multi-millionaires, and quite a few billionaires. It seems very strange that, so far, none of them have offered to step forward and help solve this problem... What's with that?

It really sucks when a nation can find the money for wars, yet not fully fund the VA. The VA gets no increase, yet the ass kissing lobbyists and Congress-people that work for defense contractors get the cash. I love to watch that squirming going on in the GOP over that measly 5% reduction that is scheduled to hit. I watched a clip with Boehner and that wus from SC, Lindsey Graham saying that the reduction had to be "undone." And---screw the VA. On a story that appeared here last week, they stated that around 45% of Iraq/Afghanistan had filed claims for service connected disabilities. Gee--never had a 11 year and counting war, have ya?

Maybe it will get to the point when the "Cold War", "Red Scare", "Axis of Evil" bull@!$%# can't be packaged for our consumption to send our families away to fight "Washington's Wars." The states shouldn't have to contribute to the welfare of Veterans--the Federal Government should. I don't remember a foreign government since the War of 1812 stepping foot on US soil. Stop the selling of an expansive military that has to create enemies to justify it's existence. Put that money back in education, the infrastructure, and things that benefit US citizens. I assure, that goat herder doesn't give a @!$%#. He just wants to live without invaders in his village and we kill more innocent civilians that the terrorists do.

maybe moonbeam brown can have a station put in for his train to nowhere...

spend billions and a bullet train that costs billions and cant afford a few millions for our vetrans is disgraceful !!!!!!

the train gets no support because all the hollywood elite dont wont the train lowering there property values and ruining there beach view !!!

sandtrich

It really sucks when a nation can find the money for wars, yet not fully fund the VA....

Dry up already sandtrich...I'm a vet and the VA takes care of their own. California is muddled in illegals and big time givaway programs. Nothing at all to do with our dedicated VA services!! NOTHING!

This is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!!

Tell it like it is: republicans had no problem paying billions even trillions for two wars but when it comes to paying for our veterans,,, Their wallets close up with the strength of an unmentionable part of our anatomy. Republicans do not support our troops at all. they are simply full of .......

Of course they don't have any money for this. Californians would rather cater to the illegal population with free everything. Bunch of dumb dolts.

Sorry George Pauljohn but nice try!

The budget they just passed was done so by the majority Democrats. Republicans had no say! Simple majority after they voters changed the budget battle to a simple majority. This falls squarely in the Dems laps! But hey, Steinburg and the Dems are really proud of their 89 billion dollar train to nowhere!

Buy a new car. Register it. License it. Insure it. And then buy no gas for it. Saving money?

Hey Mike Davis: The Tea Party has nothing to do with it. The State of California is in serious debt for MANY reasons. How about checking out what the deals made to the unions were. It takes MANY current firefighters to pay the retirement of ONE retired firefighter, and that is just one example. Don't blame the Tea Party, blame the folks who always think the government coffers are limitless. Is it sinking in yet? The government is so broke due to corruption, mismangement and looting of the treasury that they can't even run a home for veterans any longer....Get it?????

Bloomburg, Romney, and Trump can keep their money. I don't want them walking around thinking and acting I owe them something.

Now, remember, this is JUST the federal government, imagine how much the States have sitting around collecting dust.

Actually, the states can't run deficits the way the federal government can. China isn't buying up the state's debts. With that said, the federal government employed these guys, this should be something they should be handling anyways.

You guys must be running on empty if you think the politicians actually run the various governments. The politicians do the bidding of the real owners of our country. Be quiet, the sheepeople are speaking. When people talk about the mass media being owned by only a few people, and these people frame the news along their agenda for controlling how the sheepeople think and put all this emotion into issues that are completely beside the point. It's really amazing to see it at work. Red states, Blue states, Demos, Repubs, tax vs. penalty, light rail to nowhere, empty homes for our vets, the sheepeople just don't get it, the real issue is that the congress, the both sides of the aisle, supreme court, state governments, are bought and paid for by the special interests, multi-national corporations, and the military-industrial complex. The people that make our laws view us as sheep, with no idea who really controls our country, to shear whenever they need a few more billion dollars. Read further George Carlin's piece about the American Dream:

George Carlin(May 12, 1937 - June 22, 2008)

"The American Dream"

Theres a reason why education sucks and its the same reason it will never ever ever be fixed. Its never gonna get any better, dont look for it, be happy with what you got. Because the OWNERS of this country dont want that. Im talking about the real owners now. the REAL owners. The big wealthy business interests that control things and make all the important decisions. Forget the politicians. The politicians are put there to give you the idea that you have freedom of choice. You dont. You have no choice. You have owners. They OWN you. They own everything. They own all the important land, they own and control the corporations theyve long since bought and paid for the Senate the Congress the State Houses the City Halls they got the judges in their back pockets and they own all the big media companies so they control just about all the news and information you get to hear. THEY GOT YOU BY THE BALLS! They spend BILLIONS of dollars every year lobbying, lobbying to get what they want. Well we KNOW what they want. They want more for themselves and less for everybody else. But I'll tell you what they DONT want. They dont want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They dont want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. Theyre not interested in that. That doesnt help them. Thats against their interests. They dont want people who are smart enough to sit around the kitchen table and figure out how badly theyre getting f***ed by a system that threw them overboard thirty f***ing years ago, they dont want that. You know what they want? They want obedient workers. Obedient workers. People who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the paperwork, and just dumb enough to passively accept all these increasingly sh***ier jobs with the lower pay, the longer hours, the reduced benefits, the end of overtime, and the vanishing pension that disappears the minute you go to collect it. And NOW theyre comin' for your social security money. They want your f***ing retirement money. They want it back so they can give it to their criminal friends on Wall Street. And you know something? They'll get it! Theyll get it all from you sooner or later because they OWN this f***ing place. Its a big club... and YOU AINT IN IT. You and I are not in the big club. By the way, its the same big club they use to beat you over the head all day long when they tell you what to believe. All day long beating you over the head in their media telling you what to believe what to think and what to buy. The table is tilted, folks. The game is rigged. And nobody seems to notice.. nobody seems to care... Good honest hard-working people. White-collar, blue-collar, it doesnt matter what color shirt you have on, good honest hard-working people continue - these people of modest means - continue to elect these rich c**k suckers who dont give a F*** about them. They dont give a F*** about you, they dont GIVE a F*** about you. They dont CARE about you. At ALL, at ALL, at ALL! Man...You know? And nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care... Thats what the owners count on - the fact that Americans will probably remain willfully ignorant of the big red white and blue d**k thats being jammed up their a**holes everyday because the owners of this country know the truth... Its called the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it.

Jim spence...

Best include the sources of your numbers. While common sense may make you numbers believable, the head buriers will still doubt them if you don't cite sources. BTW - op-ed pieces arn't really good souces unless theyinclude sources as well.

Barlow...

No doubt george carlin can make people think about alternatives, but in the end even he doesn't always connect the dots correctly, and I notice that he has ignored an emerging global economy and the desire of the consumers to have an affordable product or service.

Low skilled or wrong skilled labor can only take a business so far. IE it has always been in the best interest of any business to have a properly educated pool of labor to draw from. BTW - each recession creates new skill set requirements as it minimizes others.

He is on track in one area, business and politicians have given us all the short term things we think we need. Seems that businesses take the long view on things, politicians only take the view on the next election cycle and the public only on what they can have RIGHT NOW.

Based on the article, it appears they really didn't need those new homes, they need to move those waiting in to the available spaces in existing homes. I'm not sure where the concept came that the veterans should have Veteran homes close to where they presently live. In the rest of the states, the vets move to where the homes are, not the other way around. IMO, the CA legislators weren't thinking when they allocated the money to build new homes. (Or they were paying off their Union buddies.) Either way, not a smart use of funds. But CA is know for this, shouldn't be a surprise.

Sam627556-the right are spoon fed? You must be kidding right.

The liberal media brainwashes sheep like YOU every day. The worst part is that you are too ignorant and stubborn to realize it.

OK you have all of these rich people sitting in Hollywierd with enough bucks to spend millions of money on a home of their own. How about some of the rich people that are supposed to be entertaining donate some of their big bucks to the veterans that helped them keep their freedom to make them. How about you Cher then you can say you did something, or are the veterans not good enough for you.

the illegal alien population of California had broken their health delivery system, their schools are bursting at the seams with the children of the illegal aliens, their welfare system is living from hand to mouth; our Federal Government continues to pour billions upon billions to Afghanistan, Iraqi, Pakistan, Egypt, Israel, Yemen, and we can not even care for our own veterans, there is something very wrong with this system.

american-2051576

Best include the sources of your numbers. While common sense may make you numbers believable, the head buriers will still doubt them if you don't cite sources. BTW - op-ed pieces aren’t really good sources unless they include sources as well.

I understand what you're saying but it is NOT my job to source everything to the useful idiots. When a government agency, such as the GAO for example, makes this claim,,,

Federal agencies made over $125 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2010, which represents a 15 percent increase over the previous year, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office

all one needs to do is Google the first part of the statement "Federal agencies made over $125 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2010" and it will direct you to multiple sources of this study.

I chose the (GULP) Huffington Post link and it led me to the GAO report which stated,,,

Federal agencies reported an estimated $125.4 billion in improper payments for fiscal year 2010. The $125.4 billion estimate of improper payments federal agencies reported in fiscal year 2010 was attributable to over 70 programs spread among 20 agencies. Federal agencies’ fiscal year 2010 estimated improper payment amount is an increase of $16.2 billion from federal agencies’ prior year reported estimate of $109.2 billion.

at this link. www.gao.gov/new.items/d11575t.pdf

This is a simple 10 page report by the GAO. I hope even the Liberals can comprehend this much information. I mean $125 billion should be a lot of money even to the fiscally incompetent Left.

What's more amazing is that these reports--again, provided by our own government--have links to other reports of government incompetence. For instance, in the above report is a link to this report, "GAO, Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue".

This is a report on the massive redundancy we have in our government once again costing us hundreds of billions of dollars. Here you can review a “highlight” of the information or the full 345 page report.

Here is its link. www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-318SP#mt=summary&st=2

This kind of research can be done for any of the agencies such as the GAO, OMB, CBO, GSA and others.

Instead of the Liberals sitting on these, and other sites, regurgitating their indoctrinated talking points from the White House, DNC, David Axelrod, Debbie Whatsername Slutz and others they should be researching these things themselves. Obviously they won’t, because it defeats their argument about more massive government fixing all the problems we have that were caused by massive government.

It’s amusing to read some of the irrational posts about how Republicans want to destroy the country, want dirty air, water and poor people to suffer more. In the meantime their only solution is to just spend more money we don’t have and won’t have for decades. This is the level of fiscal irresponsibility in our government. The current class-warfare promoted by Barrack Hussein is a typical Saul Alinsky tactic.

RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)

This is not by chance, it’s very well orchestrated and meant to polarize in order to prevent the real problem, government, being exposed.

As far as op-ed columns are concerned, the statements that I posted come from the New York Times article of December 3, 2011. I’m sure the Liberals have, or at least should have, read it already.

justoneguy

sandtrich

It really sucks when a nation can find the money for wars, yet not fully fund the VA....

Dry up already sandtrich...I'm a vet and the VA takes care of their own. California is muddled in illegals and big time givaway programs. Nothing at all to do with our dedicated VA services!! NOTHING!

That's just not close to being true. I finished service in 1974 and Vets lined up at the Atlanta VA outpatient clinic at 8am. Even with a service connected disability, you have to wait the entire day. They were reluctant to refer to speciality clinics and all those who had the effects of Agent Orange were given a "shrink referral". See, there was no war to sell then, so they screwed the vets. It stayed inferior until they needed to sell another way. Post 2001, the VA has been outstanding. Now, they aren't filling slots when doctors retire. Check the historical budgets and get back to me.

Shucks. I am a dim witted vet from the east, no where near as as intelligent as the posters i have read. I have understood though, very well, that indeed something needs to be done. If we can ALL agree upon this, this understanding that something, anything, needs to be done, then we would be one step closer to a resolution on the "unused" bed space at these brand spanking new empty Vet homes. One step closer it appears than the keystone cop like political machine of local and federal government. This is not a California issue, it is not a N.Y. issue, nor is it any one states issue in this grand union.

I should feel lucky i suppose, my V.A center was scheduled for a close in the Reagan days, but was spared, and sure as i live and breathe it is still standing, serving the needs of Vets from N.Y., Pa. and far eastern Ohio. Land was appropriated/donated by a local farmer in 1868 shortly after the Civil war. But government red tape, not state or local, dragged their knuckles for years until finally the town of Bath, N.Y. ratified it's agreement with the feds, this would have been approximately in the early 1880's. The town required/requested all residents to pay a one time $20.00 donation to show good faith to the feds that this was a do-able project, kind of like hanging a carrot in front of a horse with a stick, lo and behold ground was broke and the first Soldiers and Sailors home for the care of the Grand Army of the Republic. Towns folk grew ever more fresh produce, tobacco, the woman of bath had knitting circles turning out blankets to replace the Dull woolens of the day. Tailors were hard at work making pants for single and double amputee's, shirts for the same grievous injuries to their torsos as well. Local craftsman were laboring 12 hours a day or more making prosthetic s for the Drs. on call whom in turn would size up the hickory "leg(s)" for their patients.

This hospital still stands, it has been added to most definitely, updated, modernized, and has served thousands upon thousands of Vets during its life, my self included. I only add this to show that even though way back in the late 1880's pride and devotion of a small town made the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT look our way, see things our way, to do it our way. This V.A, has shown the community it thanks for generations, the community even now in this day and age has never backed down, it still supports, its still cares. You who read this might be disgusted , to that i apologize, those who teeter on the precipice whom might want to save one, just one Calif. V.A. home i would hope you garnered and idea or two from my old man ramblings.

Give.....No, start the process to sell arms to them....yes, Doesnt really matter, selling /giving them anything thats a weapon is a bad idea

sell them weapons ?if we sell them weapons we will have to give them the money to buy them!

Romney plans an across the board cut in all social service programs including veterans programs like these if elected. You think it would be better under a president you claim isn't doing enough or one who thinks we do too much? Romney intends to increase military spending by over 260 billion a year paid for with social cuts.

Why is it Obama's responsibility to 'Fix' California? In true GOP style.. they did this to themselves... the federal government and the rest of the taxpayers are not RESPONSIBLE to help the good citizens of California out of their own mess.

P.S. Maybe if we would not have got involved in two illegal wars.. we'd have more money to help.. but alas..

Romney will not cut veterans.

He does a lot of flip flopping.

But I doubt he will cut his own throat.

Meanwhile... Our state approves billions of dollars on a completely useless high speed rail system.

"The first segment of the line will run from Madera to Bakersfield.".

Oh that totally makes sense... cut back on veteran sevices and cut our school budgets, but do not miss out on that chance to start laying a 5 billion dollar high speed rail line between two crappy central valley towns that have zero business even being part of a high speed rail line in a state that has zero business spending even a penny on a high speed rail line.

Our state government could literally pay for every travelers flight between SF and LA and it would be cheaper each year than the cost of running and recouping the money spent on high speed rail.

Full disclosure, I count myself a middle of the road lightly democratic leaning voter.

California high speed rail will be financed by bonds authorized by the voters in 2008. This is not a politician's boondoggle. It will jump start the economy in the San Joaquin Valley, which has a higher unemployment rate than the rest of the state. In the long run, it will be good for California.

In ten years, the Afghans will be shooting us with the weapons we "sell" them. They already are shooting our troops. What the heck is Washington thinking?

We give financial aid to Afghanistan, and they sell heroin.

Afghanistan: One more thing we can thank Bush for.

In case you forgot... Bush brought us into Iraq and Afghanistan; on false information.

He he did however make a lot of his cronies much richer... but at the expensive of our soldier's limbs, health, and lives!

Jamie... It will never recoup the billions invested. It doesn't matter if it cuts the unemployment rate In the San Joaquin Valley in half. Even that level of increase in tax revenue from the decreased unemployment wouldn't pay back the states debt taken on by the interest owed and the principal eventually owed on the bonds. It doesn't matter if voters approved them or not since the legislature still had the final say if the bonds were issued which they never should have been.

Our state does not need high speed rail if none of our cities have the inner city rail lines to feed an inner city system. The Shinkansen in Japan and the TGV in France for instance came after all of their major cities had robust rail lines of their own. High speed rail is step 2 not the first step. The money would be better sent on the emerging Metro system in Los Angeles which could become a much more robust citywide rail system with the money wasted on a San Joaquin based (initially) rail line between Bakersfield and Madera.

The problem is our government think they can some how buy loyalty people from the middle east, these are the worst two faced people to walk this earth, while they shake your hand they are thinking how they can stab you in your back at the same time. Why can't we learn this from our past dealing with these people.

Stockton CA just filed for bankruptcy. Major community college in the San Francisco may close due to budget cuts. California Budget Shortfall 15.7 billion. Teacher's union underfunded by 85 billion. 4.5 billion dollars of debt to put in a high speed rail line. Ohio and Wisconsin both turned down down the federal money for it understanding it could a big financial liability. Just like my home state of IL, CA seems to ignore the need to get it's financial house in order.

Take a look at Europe and see the signs... Nations under so much debt they can't escape the payments, Even with piles of bail out money, the countries (Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal) have all turned toxic... No One wants to buy they government bonds, Why? cause there's a risk investors will loose big time.

So to CA, I offer Don Henley's lyrics.

Some rich man came and raped the land, nobody caught 'em,
put up a bunch of ugly boxes and, Jesus, people bought 'em.
And they called it paradise, the place to be,
they watched the hazy sun sinking in the sea.

In case you forgot... Bush brought us into Iraq and Afghanistan; on false information.

Yes information and intel from the Clinton administration. See Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 that Clinton signed citing the need to remove Saddam from power. Pelosi, Reid, Kennedy...all were clamoring on about those WMD's.

Hillary Clinton under the orders of Obama just gave the UN this week a check for $2,000,000,000.00 as a down payment for another $98,000,000,000.00 for the study of global warmning. When giving this money to the UN the US has NO say in how the money is used all $100,000,000,000.00. This money and the destributions is 100% the UN choice.

#1 Where is the money coming from? The out go is hgher than the income. Face it Mr. President. There is NO money to give to the UN. Hillary I thought you were smart enough to figure that out.

#2 Why would we give the UN $100,000,000,000.00 when we were $16,000,000,000,000.00 in debt with no way to repay it?

PEOPLE, PEOPLE, please think! Do not let these people with absolutely NO math/accounting skills back in at this election. They are definitely ruining America. Anybody would be better than this bunch of so called scholars.

AZChzhd

So... Bush believed the Clinton Administration and used that intel as part of his foreign policy. I wonder if that also included the rest of the 'axis of evil'. This also makes the mind wander about two things then...

1. Obama cannot be blamed for any of the 'foreign policies' that were started under Bush.

2. Obama is not responsible for the 'economic collapse' that was also started under Bush.

yeah, blame Obama for the wars of republicans and mis-management of our economy. If your a ww2vet, then you must have caught some shrapnel in your head. Obama isn't the gov. of California. So you keep voting republican and we'll keep the light on for ya,,,,,,in hell. Obama ended the war in iraq and is ending the war in afgan. he let the right people do their job and bin laden is dead. the stock market climbed from 7k to over 12k. gee maybe we should re-elect bush . you @#$%#$ moron

ACZ.....Bush/Cheney deliberately used outdated info that was debunked as bad intel....DELIBERATELY>>>>USED WRONG INFO>>>>>anyone can do search on Bush lied war.Bet you have Bigfoot hiding under your bed too!

It's about time

The veterans are from the US military - not californias. It's the US government that should provide for them.

You find ways to defend Obama no matter what - it makes your posts ridiculous. Stop blaming others and make Obama responsible for his inability to lead. You and others have to stop trying to blame Bush at some point in Obama's administration.

AND FYI - I voted for Obama - never voted for Bush

Hey George PaulJohn: Obama ended the war in Iraq by doing nothing but letting the deal Bush signed go into effect. That's right, the Bush administration drew it up, signed it and Obama simply let it happen. Then Obama promptly used the Bush Administration 'troop surge' policy in Afghanistan, but since they drew down the troops below what the generals asked for, it failed. Meanwhile he felt the need to help attack Libya, which was absolutley a war for oil. This time EUROPE'S oil. Europe gets 95% of Libya's oil, and we fought for it (did you wonder why every European country was on board for that one). Wake up and quit worshipping either of the 2 parties, they are both taking us to hell. Vote 3rd Party, I don't care what anybody votes as long as it isn't R or D, both are corrupt.

@WWII Vet, When did about 4,000 people with almost have of them kids become 4 Bill? Heck they are not getting cash, just some surplus and used weapons that is just collecting dust. I don't believe your rants about the mexicans (your retired, why worry about a job that you wouldn't take if you were working). Like most Civilians you don't have a clue how the Government does business but believes what reporters blow out of proportions. Just because people are given an oppertunity doesn't mean they're getting money.

Viet Nam, Desert Shield/Storm, a couple on not so nice places, and a Tour on the DMZ in Korea, Retired Military and retired Civilian. You claim to be a Veteran and your hungry? Don't make no sence to me.

Protest? Heck just read these Blogs! Everybody's protesting about everything. Just keep reading you'll find somebody you can jump up and down, sceam and hollar with. From the deepest depth of the oceans to the highest peak, there is a groupe for everyone to fit right in.

STMiller...

Kudos, best argument against HSR I have ever heard. If the cities served don't have the innercity transportation support system what good is an intercity system?

starsailing....

And saddam kept the notion of iraq still having wmd's (aka toxic gas) alive not only with his inspection stalling tactics but also by his rhetoric.

What an astute mind you must have <end sarcasm>

By your own posts of opinion only, why would anyone believe how you connect the dots is the right way?

People, c'mon. It's the republicans, it's the democrats. Helloooooo, it's both sides at fault. Right now they are both heavily leaning toward bigger government. This will not solve our problems.

Jaime,

It will jump start the economy in the San Joaquin Valley, which has a higher unemployment rate than the rest of the state. In the long run, it will be good for California.

So then, if spending $68b is a way to "jump start" the economy, why not just allocate $6.8b for the purchase of spoons and create 10 million jobs at $20/hr digging the rail course with spoons in hand? This will keep people working for years and not only jump start the economy, but keep it moving along for decades, right?

starsailing

ACZ.....Bush/Cheney deliberately used outdated info that was debunked as bad intel....DELIBERATELY>>>>USED WRONG INFO>>>>>anyone can do search on Bush lied war.

Iraq did have WMD's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khamisiyah . Do you actually think we destroyed all of them in 1991? We were in country then for a very short period of time and never went close to Baghdad. We didn't have a presence again for 12 years. While I don't agree with the current war, nor the original really; to continue stating that Iraq had no WMD's is bull@!$%#. They did have WMD's and probably still do. Do you really believe we've scoured every last inch of that hellhole?

The bigger question that everyone fails to ask is why we can have WMD's, but other countries cannot?

Most wars are based on lies. Until we eliminate statism, wars will continue.

Why should CA live within there means? Seriously. Look at the example the federal government is setting. This is what happens when you coin the phrase "too big to fail" and spend billions propping up every type of business sector in a diabolical attempt to gradually assume control of the private sector. Everyone in power picks up on this attitude and "plan' and assumes (knows) that the US will borrow from China or steal the money from the few American workers who remain to fix whatever you, as a state or local municipality can F##k up. Yes, at some point, the house of cards will fall and guess what, there will be no one to look to for help outside of perhaps China or India ... yea, that'll go over real well for proud Americans.

Let's not forget their new train to nowhere.

The train to nowhere? The one that will cost CA and US taxpayers billions, consume valuable, private property and farmland, cost millions yearly to maintain, and make ZERO difference in highway traffic or in flights daily, and will be a blessing to perhaps only a few thousand regular users yearly? ... that train? Yes, that's a real winner for CA and the American taxpayer, too.

High speed rail has it's POTENTIAL benefits in a few markets, but where it can truly be best implemented, it would be best done privately. But the loss a land, and all the new grade crossings, will never make air travel a secondary option. At best, high-speed rail is a huge problem waiting to happen.

lets go ahead and throw the 500 billion to solinda in this. im gonna go out on a limb and say that 500 billion would have gone for a couple months helping our vets.

So are you suggesting we turn our 16 line highway into 36 lanes? Newsflash: when the 16 lane connector in Cali started in the 90's and finished in 2003, we knew it would be due for an update in 2001. Smart huh? Now in 2006 we started a new plan for 27 lanes -it's already the largest in the world. Guess how long that will 'relieve' congestion? (hint: it's overdue and it's currently 2012).

It's not 'POTENTIAL', it's ESSENTIAL.

Prop 187 was passed in California in 1994 that forbid funding for schools and healthcare for illegals. It was ruled unconstitutional.

Illegal immigrants do pose a significant burden on California's budget. But they also contribute a great deal. First of all, they pay taxes on everything they buy, and many pay other kinds of taxes, such as property taxes, and income taxes and social security taxes that are deducted from their wages. In addition, they provide the labor for a significant part of the economy, without which many industries would be sorely pressed to stay in business. Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley would practically dry up without them. I wish they were all back in their home countries, but the issue is far more complicated that the deport-them-all types think.

@Larry-367607

Wasn't the appeal of Prop 187 withdrawn? It seems the State didn't fight hard enough for it.

It doesn't much matter whether you have sympathy or not - bottom line is the other 49 states will be forced to get them out of their mess.

@Jamie R

Please do some actual research on the impact true of illegal immigration, or at least read more articles outside of your comfort zone.

@STexan

Before you say anything, do some research on red states. 16 out of 20 poorest states are in red states and they are also the one with most people died without any kind of health insurances.

It doesn't help GOP to say anything if their states are one of the worse in the US. That's the future you will look forward to.

@Marie-1943508

You're right Marie, unfortunately the rest of us will have to bail out California; even though they'll likely be facing bankruptcy shortly after again.

The reason is that most of them are either too dumb or illegal.

Hey, how about they employ the illegal aliens for less than minimum wage to work at the empty homes?

Win win for everybody!

(not entirely serious, but hey, a jerb is a jerb, right?)

Cuong -

You've cut and pasted that enough that I'll bite - where is the link to deaths by uninsured?

NO?

That's funny, "train to nowhere" that's what they said about Eisenhower's plan to build the interstate highway program. So try this. for one month, don't use the interstate highways and don't buy anything that was delivered by a truck on the interstate highway system. Hint:your gonna miss having coffee in the morning and having food on your plate.

George pauljohn...

Whats your point? HSR is passenger service not freight.

Because when retired or disabled you're no longer a soldier you're part of the 50% who pay no taxes republicans like to bash.

National Guards are state assets. They proudly serve and do a great job supporting natural diasters, wildfires, boarder patrol and serve against our enemies foreign and demestic. They are teachers, doctors, carpenters and many other walks of life.

Please Larry, the Democrats have been in control of California for years. Governor Moonbeam already held the job, but was voted in again. I have never heard of a republican or democrat "bash" veterans.

You've never heard a republican complain about the 50% who pay no federal income taxes or those on the government dole? Just because they aren't specific doesn't mean veterans don't fall into many of the categories republicans rant against. Many vets receive food stamps and medicaid you've never heard republicans bash these people? Republicans have no problem ranting against those they feel are "taking their stuff" even including those that believe they've earned them like vets and those receiving social security.

Not to mention red states are the one that receive the most foodstamp money. They also have more people who died without healthcare insurances, no wonder they hate Obamacare.

your right, republicans dont bash the troops, they send them to die, and if they survive, they underfund the va. silly

@Larry, I think I'll get blasted here, but will say this anyway. Republicans always like to pretend they don't want to tax. That's why you get a tax refund, even if they have to borrow the money to do it. They love to do this when they get in after a Democrat. It's a pull the wool over your eye trick. Makes it look like the Dems. were lieing about the money. They always want to shut down good programs like Education so they can play a rob Peter to play Paul game. Everybody knows that, that is a fools game and when you can't catch up the roof falls in. Republican have always felt that it is cheaper to bring into the country who is already educated. They feel for us we are not worth the expense to educate. I feel we are worth the expense. and that the money comes back in more than dollar amounts in many ways. Pay Attention here, when the Republicans get in office again they will give you a tax refund (where will it come from? we're Trills in debt). Now if a Republican follows a Republican in office, you won't get a tax refund.

You act as if this all was done in 3 1/2 years this has been left undone for about the past 4 administrations

Matters not.

It's headline news now during an election year.

And yes the veterans have been put by the wayside by both party's for far too long.

But it will be a conservative system that will come closer to putting things right.

and im sure it started with carter cause i remember him screwing me out of some of my benifits the promise you the world when you enlist and bend you over when you try to use them i knew this was going to happen. just like the nam vets got treated.

A conservative program like Romneys 59 point plan that cuts all social programs including veterans benefits across the board. That would be a hard sell telling vets less will mean more. Maybe something will trickle down Romneys leg to help them.

conservative system? like the mess Bush created for us? yeah right!

The only thing they conserve is their own wealth and power... at any cost.

They don't give a damn about actually supporting our military. They just wave their little flags, put a bumper sticker or a yellow ribbon on their vehicles and talk about support, yet vote down any actual aid to help the soldiers and/or their families.

Romney is a rich, religious, out of touch person who will only serve the interests of the small wealthy of this nation. He won't do anything to improve the economy and instead will take us back on the same horrible path Bush placed us on... that we are still trying to recover from!

JT Southwest: Where do you think the current administration is taking us? We will never be able to pay off the debt we have.

This debt started under the Bush administration... who borrowed and spent more than any other administration; democrat or republican.

Unfortunately, it will take more than 3.5 years to undue the damage and corruption that transpired during those 8 years. It certainly won't be solved by providing or maintaining tax cuts to the rich!

JTsouthwest

This debt started under the Bush administration... who borrowed and spent more than any other administration; democrat or republican.

Care to show us your references for that statement?

What you weren't around during this time period to read the newspapers or see the news? This is not some holy grail insight.

A big part of this increased deficit was on the Tax cuts to benefit the wealthy and corporations. The impact on this alone was overwhelming to our economy.

Also add the cost of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

These factors contributed in the economic downturn during his administration... job loss... housing market crash, etc...

Then you add, TARP, Fannie and Freddie Mae, bailouts to the banks and the auto industry and other "recovery" events and you have the results of the addition of all of these Bush policies leading to the national debt that we are still trying to recover from.

@JTSouthwest, you are so right, can't figure out why people shot their foot off with Bush, and than they want to turn around and shoot of the other foot with Romney. I have never seen Republicans reduce a debt, it has always been the Democrats that has to be the scape goat on getting the job done. I for one see nothing wrong with us being on top, letting other countries borrow from us and paying us back with interest for a change. It seams like every time we get near that point the Republicans get in and take that oppertunity away.

You are backwards in your assessment of this issue.

It's more than just a 'liberal' or democrat issue; Vets have been getting screwed over since the first warrior picked up a rock to defend his village.

I see a lot of GOP Tea Partiers giving our troops a lot of "lip service," saying they, "support our troops."

...Do they?



Dem to GOP: Consider tax hikes to spare military

WASHINGTON – Republicans determined to spare the military from devastating across-the-board spending cuts — presidential candidate Mitt Romney among them — must be willing to consider closing tax loopholes and raising rates to increase revenue, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said Tuesday.

Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan told reporters Tuesday that Republicans, including presidential candidate Mitt Romney, must abandon their no tax increase pledge. Levin said the only way to reduce the deficit and protect the military from the automatic cuts in January is with additional revenue.

http://newsok.com/democrat-urges-tax-hike-to-spare-cuts-in-military/article/3683935

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5htjgDvqRrYI7T0jcAw5ahqU0gyAQ?docId=0cb730768d1b421386abe090064a6055

Repubs wouldn't even vote for healthcare for the 911 responders who are dying because of their heroism trying to save lives. When exposed on blocking the health care for 911 responders on tv show, they voted for it the very next day. That was last fall.

Wow! How soon they forget that it was a REPUBLICAN governor, Arnie Baby, who started this whole mess!

Hippie liberal lunatics? Wow! How soon the sonstipated conservatives forget that it was your boy Arnie that screwed it all up to begin with!

What absurd nonsense. Conservatives are always shooting down funding earmarked for schools and education such as bonds and state and federal budgets, and then complain about the lack of quality of education. Its hypocritical.

The same is true when it comes to veterans; even with something basic as healthcare.

No let's "privatize" everything and "deregulate" everything... This is the conservative creed and their answer to our problems; even though this results in our citizens being ripped off by the wealthy/greedy privateers in this country.

Then ironically, we have ditto-heads preaching their value as if were gospel... even though their actions are totally unpatriotic, self-serving and to the detriment of the citizens of our nation as a whole.

CAteacher: So, you're saying that before the Governator, California was in the black, had no debt problems, no pension problems, no illegal problems, no legislative problems, no state union worker problems, and no state worker salary problems?

You might want to go back and actually read history instead of trying to re-write it.

(For what it's worth, if I lived in CA, I wouldn't have voted for Schwartzenager (sp?) if you paid me.)

@CAteacher113: No use blaming Arnold for anything, he achieved next to nothing while in office because the state legislature was solidly Democrat and shot down everything he wanted to do. It's why he tried to get stuff passed via the initiative process instead.

Now the high-speed rail boondoggle was just passed by the Dem-controlled state Assembly and then by the state Senate, also Dem-controlled. Betcha that Brown's tax increase gets shot down by the voters this fall, and our schools will suffer even more. (I'm guessing that's important to you, 'Teach')

Really makes me grateful I live in Wis. with Gov. Walker in our Capitol.

Don't forget San Francisco AGAIN elected Nancy Peloisi (insider training Nancy)to congress AFTER she said "WE MUST pass this bill to see what is in it".

Hey CATeacher,

I live in California and Governor Moonbeam is your boy since you are a teacher and want your double or triple digit pension huh? Your fatty teacher tenure where you can screw up royally and still get paid and never fired huh?

Governor moonbeam is a idiot and was literally ran out of office, years ago, for causing most of California's financial issues which still are happening today. Moonbeam and his democrats ARE the REAL problem in California and that is a fact and WELL DOCUMENTED.

The democrats in California are well in control of the state and have been for many many years...

Go ahead and try to blame Arnold... when in fact the democrats passed all the union pandering bloated entitled laws.

As a Californian I blame it solely on democrats as they control the state period.... California is now a cesspool and CRAP. The democrats ran all the business's and people with money out of the state and what few left are leaving in graves.

THAT IS WHY YOUR TEACHING JOBS ARE FAILING..... you do not have anyone but BROKE BITCHS to tax...like yourself

Unfortunately so true. Thank you for your service John!

I am sorry you have to go through all that and end up getting now where. It seems we have money to give away to everyone and have forgotten the ones that gave us so much. I hope things work out for you and your father.

Thank you Den-1189913. Your comment is very appreciated.

What Does Cal. spend per year housing, feeding, clothing, schooling illegals but this is the way Veterans get treated. Vet,USAF.

Why has Nancy Pelosi not helped helped you? That is what WE pay her for. Contact her office and tell them you want help now! If you do not get immediate assistance write a letter to the editor to the SF Cronicle telling people why not to vote for her. Then contact our MN Us Rep, Chip Cravaack, he is retired Navy and a great rep for all the USA people. Google their addressses. Chip more than earns his money and will help anyone he can.

When you elect a president who is not a veteran and does not know anything about veterans this is what you get. When you elect a prsident who refuses to salute the flag or wear a flag pin because it might offend people from OTHER NATIONS, not Americans, this is what you get. When you elect a president who says his wife is his confident and she says only AFTER he was nominated a presidential candidate for the Democrats is the VERY FIRST TIME SHE WAS PROUD OF AMERICA this is what you get. When you elect a community organizer who surrounds himself with scholars rather that business people and veterans this is what you get. Live with it and think about it when you go to the polls in November, 2012. More of the same for sure or a chance for change Your choice.

Coco........your spin rant was debunked years ago.......Obama ended the Iraq war, killed pirates, killed Bin Laden, killed the top terrorists...and Romney almost killed his dog.

Romney now blames his dog for wanting to ride on top of the car for hrs. Romney asked the doggy, " Where should I put you doggy, the car is filled"....the dog looked at him, wagged his tail and said...ROOF...ROOF!

The U.S. military took out Bin Laden and the others! There was many taken out prior to Obama taking office and there was standing orders for the rest. All Obama did was give his rubber stamp on the orders to do so that were planned and executed by the U.S. military!

The parts that are "socialist" in the US are the corporations... like the oil industry, the Insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, etc... that work together to maintain their stranglehold on its citizens. These are the ones that also pay disproportionally smaller taxes than the average worker who is struggling to survive... while they rake in record profits!

Ya gotta love it.

Socialism for the banks and Wall Street and decaying capitalism for the rest of us.

No system is perfect, but capitalism is the best system. If all the money in the world was equalized (No rich or poor people), the people who were rich before will become rich again and the people who were poor will become poor again. Why? It's because most rich people are smart and innovative. Poor people will become poor again because they spend their money too quickly. People who have big chrome wheels on their cars shouldn't be receiving welfare.

@JT: Do you even understand what "socialism" is?

Absolutely Derek. But many don't recognize when it's being applied at the upper ranks of capitalism.

Example... the oil companies: News from 7-29-11

...The Big Five oil companies announced they had made a whopping $36 billion in profits in the second quarter of 2011.

According to second-quarter earnings reports, ExxonMobil alone made $10.7 billion in the most recent three months. That's a 41 percent increase over the same period last year and a 161 percent increase over 2009.

Shell nearly doubled its profits year over year, taking in $8.7 billion in the second quarter. Chevron's profits were $7.7 billion, up 43 percent. BP earned $5.6 billion, a far cry from its $17.2 billion loss a year ago. Only Conoco Philips, with $3.4 billion in earnings, posted smaller profits than a year ago, dropping 18 percent due to the jettisoning of some Russian assets.

A good chunk of these profits is coming right out the pockets of the American public, thanks in part to astronomical gas prices and to $4 billion to $8 billion a year in deficit-increasing tax subsidies that oil companies continue to get, long after the incentives those subsidies were designed to create ceased to make economic sense.

Rather than invest their profits in such things as product development, new facilities, hot talent or research -- things that could create jobs, improve consumer offerings and accelerate alternative energy production -- three of the five big oil companies are spending large amounts of that money buying back shares of their own stock.

Exxon spent $5.5 billion -- or more than half of its total profits -- to buy back its own stock in the second quarter; Chevron spent $1 billion, or 13 percent of its profits; and Conoco spent $3.1 billion -- or 91 percent of its profits. The numbers were similar last quarter.

"What this means is these companies see their profits as a way of managing their stock price, rather than investing money in the future of their own companies and the future of the economy," said William Lazonick, a professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell..

Random.....name one person....you know...who receives welfare with big wheels on his or her car.

Romney is on the dole for welfare.....hiding his money in numerous offshore accounts to keep from having to pay taxes. YOU get to pay his taxes he should be paying. Under Ryan plan he gets over $700,000 tax break and you get 20% mhigher tax. Welfare Romney! The tax dodger.

@JT: I'm not sure what point you're trying to make with the story about oil companies buying back stock. It sure ain't socialism - that's pure capitalism. The fundamental nature of being a publicly-traded corporation is that the company leaders are working for the owners, aka the stockholders, under the supervision of the board of directors (who are elected by the stockholders each year). With approval of the board, companies execute stock buy-backs to increase the share price. This is done to make money for the shareholders, make the company a more difficult takeover target, make employee stock options worth more, make the company more attractive to investors, and a number of other reasons. It is done when the leadership deems it to be the best use of capital at that point in time. For energy companies in particular, however, this is a tougher choice to make because investment in R&D and exploration are so critical to the longer-term competitiveness of the company. So your article tries to divert attention from the fact that the majority of those profits over a multi-year period do get invested and create more jobs. It was their R&D that has enabled exploitation of new oil sources here in the U.S., which will hopefully give us less reason to fight dumb wars in the Middle East.

But this has little to do with California's budget problems and how they are screwing our vets in the process.

You are definately on the right track. This compartmentalizing is the most disgusting aspect of life itself. Not avoiding or evading the draft in the early 1960's is THE BIGGEST mistake of my life. The second biggest mistake is NOT turning around and following the same route that my ancestors took when they came to the US (paying their own way) in the late 1700's.

Why would I want someone to take care of me?

Are there people in the Middle East who would want an English teacher or perhaps a math teacher? I would work cheap just to be around people who dislike the American Way of Life? Maybe Egypt?

Please God, give me strength to endure this California @!$%#! Please God, give me strength to speed up the time for me being able to LEAVE THIS @!$%#HOLE!

That is where you are wrong.

Veterans and people in service mainly vote for who they know will take care of and fund them.

And it is NOT the democrats.

Yours truly, Retired Vet. USAF.

No, you mean they will only vote for people who mindlessly throw money at ego-driven wars and unnecessary weapons programs. And it is NOT the Democrats.

Hmmm, blaming Republicans? Very odd since the entire state has been controlled by Democrats for the last thirty years.

Your think because someone is in the military they vote Republication? That is very short sighted.

No Jake.

Even in peacetime (a relative term), the conservatives have ALWAYS favored the military.

Surely you cannot be a vet yet, and when you get to be one, you will see the light.

AND weapons programs drive the employment of civilians by the thousands.

What would you have done?

Yours is a two sided sword.

Conservatives do not favor the military more than any other group. That is a fallacy.

If anything they vote on big military budgets but most of that money goes to all of the defense contractors while very little of it actually goes to the soldiers themselves.

Conservatives often vote down financial support that is intended for the soldiers or their families.

Super Pacs...That is what we need to help the veterans. Oh, wait, that would be helping someone and not hateful speech.

If all the people involved in the Super Pacs would put the money they have no use for into help Americans, we might dig out from under the mess we have inflicted upon our veterans. For Shame.

JT, the very fact that you are gleaning the votes on this thread prove much to me.

Far too many people who are disconnected with the military know very little.

It is NOT a fallacy.

And YES money does go to military contractors.

Where do you think THAT money goes?

It goes back into America in the form of jobs etc.

AND the military gets new jobs to operate and maintain.

I am a 33 year vet, I think I know a tad.

JTsouthwest

Conservatives do not favor the military more than any other group. That is a fallacy.

If anything they vote on big military budgets but most of that money goes to all of the defense contractors while very little of it actually goes to the soldiers themselves.

Conservatives often vote down financial support that is intended for the soldiers or their families.

#18.6 - Sat Jul 7, 2012 5:13 PM PDT

-------------------------------------------

J.T., you are correct. The GOP's oft-repeated phrase, "We Support The Troops," is a joke. All the right-wing is willing to give them is feel-good lip service. But when it comes to taxpayer money for their benefits? What safety net services did they cut to get it?

Vet. USAF, Didnt vote Obama the first time nor will I this time!

@Viewer_ready, The only way weapons manufaturers can keep going is to have wars to replace damaged equipment. If you have your MTOE of cannons and you don't go to war, and the factory has their back up stock full. there is no jobs. Hence the Republicans like war so they can make more cannons and I as the friendly neighborhood Supply Sergeant have to request more. Is that what your trying to tell these people? I got out with 24 but you gave them 3 extra years for nothing. You see a lot of us know a tad.

Do think that maybe the foreign aid could be cut to fund the VA programs here at home for the men/women that are protecting our land? Do you think that the $100,000,000,000.00 that Hillary Clinton pledged this week to the UN under the orders of Obama for global warming that the US has NO control over could be used for the Veterans? Could be.

@QUEZEN, let me see if I can add to you last paragraph. Where I live there is a Medical Assistant Training Collage here. They are saying there is a large shortage of people in this Proffession. They are trying to get all the students that they can. Now the Republicans are hell bent on wanting to wipe out the Education Funding inthe government. They have people runnung for office saying this publicly, it's a drain on the government. I say hogwash, it is an investment in the people of this country to fill much need vacancies that are visible. I would like to see the people of this country rally togather and stand up for once. Things of this nature effects everybody reguardless of party loyality. You would get a payback on this over a time period, not emmediatly noticed, Think of it as a steady payback on an investment.

Now we have the building and the people to staff it, all we have to do is get them togather in the building.

As much as I agree - that is not going to fix the issue. We have a much larger issue in Ca. and it relates to self hating liberals pushing their 'save the world' ideology on the rest of us and the 'out-of-touch GOP' pushing their moral agendas. We need some moderates cleaning up the mess in Ca. but having representation for the majority versus the extremists makes wayyyyyyyyyyy too much sense. ;-/

Start closing all of the tax loopholes for the rich, the corporations, and the organized religions in this country who pay no taxes and you'll have a thousandfold what you would get from welfare alone!

"and the organized religions"

I thought there was supposed to be a serperation of church and state? And the rich/Corporations DO pay most of the taxes.

Random...actually, this Thursday Mrs. Obama, at your expense, attended religious rally and on TV told the audience that they should be telling congregations from their church pulpits to vote for Obama. I heard it live so do not spin it. She said that there should NOt be a separtion of church and state.

RP

Unfortunately the large corporations don't.

Will Exxon for example be providing tens of billions in taxes on the profits alone that they have garnered this year? They alone get about 4 billion dollars a year in tax breaks; even while recording record profits. Why? Oil companies need tax breaks? Give me a break! This is what is wrong with our system! This isn't even counting all the profits that are shuffled off- shore and into other accounts out of the US.

Church's collect collect large amounts of money, are able to buy up real estate and build more churches, spend the money how they please yet don't pay taxes on their profits. Many have accountants and business portfolios and such... I have to pay taxes... so should they!

They are holding back because they are waiting for a better political climate to invest in.

If you are a business man you do not invest when liberals are in office.

Liberals want to take away and tax what is earned to give to the slackers.

This "Robbing Hood" philosophy AND Bill Clinton's "Home for every American regardless of income or credit",

Is what has ruined America.

Slackers like old and disabled vets who no longer contribute? The repubs send them off to wars and the dems take care of those who return maimed. Romney the man with 3 educational deferments and 1 1/2 years on a Mormon humanitarian mission in France to avoid the Vietnam draft has already criticized Obama as being weak for not confronting Syria and Iran I guess just because he's afraid to fight doesn't mean he opposes sending our sons to do it.

Conservatives are the reverse Robin Hoods. They take form the middle class and poor to provide more wealth to the rich. Unless your among the highest percentage of rich in this country, you are supporting a regime that works against the majority of citizens and veterans in this country; and doesn't even really benefit you!

JT, once again you are wrong.

America 101 (for JT)

America is a captialistic country (and always will be).

You can make anything you want to be of yourself here.

If you make yourself rich, you are looked down on by the poor.

If you stay poor, you are looked down on by the middle class.

If you stay middle class you are just that, in the middle.

Problem is, liberals want to take from the rich and the middle class to give to the people who chose to

stay poor.

This is not how a free capitalistic society works.

In a perfect world, America is what our forefathers wanted.

Go work, gain and then if you have extra share with the lesser (until they get on their feet).

BUT too many today want to stay in the "feeding postion" and will NEVER go to work.

Why should they?

The liberals will provide.

Liberals take and give, but forget where the bread has to come from.

People stay poor because they spend too much money. People who have chrome wheels on their cars or tattoo's all over their bodies shouldn't be receiving welfare. Rich people are rich because they are conservative with their money. My grandfather used to be a poor farmer. However, he saved up his money and went to law school. 10 years later, he became a courthouse judge, had a wife and children, and because he saved up his money, he had $2 million before he died. If he spent his money like most welfare recipients, he would have been broke.

Sorry Viewer_Ready but once again, you are wrong.

Can you show me where in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States or any other official Federal document it declares that the United States is a "capitalistic" country... and always will be?

We have created generations whereas entitlements have become a way of life. Cant get off the Gravy train when you have been born and raised on it and that's all you know!

JT, it says we are "free".

And any free country is born capitalistic.

We are a free country alright, if your the one receiving the entitlements and living off the system then yes its a free country. OOPS Sorry wrong Free

V_R Sorry, but your statement is once again a fallacy. A "Free" country does not mean nor imply capitalism in any capacity.

Actually the CA legislature, both house and senate ,were Democrat under Arnie the Republican. Could not do much damage on his own.

OHHH then I did have the right free.

@V-R, You don't understand the word freedom from free. I think the schools could take a little time to explain what the word Freedom means not let you think what it implies.

For all of you out there questioning the capitalist bit, so sorry your education have left you intellectually unarmed. Other than the Hundred Years War in Europe and the writings of Rousseau in France, the system we have is our original system with a different name.

What fueled American economy and your present if not lucky state of existence was this same system. Without it there would be no Disney World, MGM, Vegas, or MTV. The facts are out there in you everyday lifestyle as Americans.

Socialism...communism came later than our present mercantile-based system, and all have failed miserably. More so they would not work with your taste for luxury goods and ability to do as thou wilt with your lifestyle. My family fled that same socialist mentality and system that Bill Clinton loved so dearly and this charlatan is moving us towards.

In fact where my family residence in Italy, gone are the socialist banners and Communist flags since WW II days. France - a Republic. Italy - now again a Republic. And us, always a Republic.

This means the people vote and the mojority rules, buut then the Democratic leadership in the Senate and in the Waste House have usurped that authority of the people to push their deliberate, planned and un-American agenda. After all the common thread in their thinking is that there is something wrong with America. There is, and it is them and the monies wasted since the Great Society under Johnson tried to help the "poor" who now are not so poor, but simply wasteful and sheer lazy.

But the most important element for our present failures aside from the decline at the hands of ideologues is that our Congress comprised of what profession for the most part, has wasted our monies for their own election. We not only have too many laws without ever taking any away, but the real culprit, NAFTA under Clinton and still supported by the left in terms of Free Trade is destroying the American engine - business. One does not run a nation on social or health care jobs anymore than service based jobs as teachers, lawyers, police and firemen.

Capitalism is what America was about until - NAFTA. We are fighting to be competitive with one arm tied behind our back. Our leadership are failures (how does one who voted "Abstain" in most bills rise to be President - simply put his skin color and Baptist preaching voice - what losers we American are for falling for the same narcissic personality and cult-like speeches as the Germans did in the early 1900's).

No capitalism - no America as our parents knew it post-WW II. In fact we are headed no to a depression, but our ruin. With no industry and no jobs, where does the tax money come from for schools, services an even the poor? I make 1/6 the President's salary and yet paid 55 more in federal taxes last year - how is that possible?

Time for a third Party that preaches accountability by Congress in a two-term tenure as a maximum, tort law suit reform to drive insurance and health care costs down, a mandatory 2 year active, and 4 year reserve service draft for all able-bodied Americans (fat is no excuse) to learn what being an American is about and earn that right (sorry losers but your sense of duty, honor and country is disgusting and simply put cowardly), and we impose on Congress the mandate that budgets will be submitted on time and balanced or their pay checks stop then and there, and if more than 30 days goes by, the majority leaders are no more leaders - they get fired.

Also, the Presidential budget gets zeroed (how does the President have the right under the Constitution to dole out monies not approved by Congress - this is criminal under the Constitution), the department of energy, education and Indian Affairs get killed (by know, the need for reservation is long gone - it has bred nothing but a bag of slave, drunks and losers. Too few but hard-working Indians ever stay in these concentration camps, and only serve to further divide a nation that has to use prefixes like Italian-American, Afro-American, Hispanic American to make a few real losers feel important in a nation where our founding fathers made it so your father or mother or family's legacy had nothing to do with your own standing and future - face it, if things were so good over there, would your family be here in the first place?

Capitalism - sounds bad for college-knowledge non-working types, but for our grandparents and I it was the stuff of dreams, and without it a Cossack on the steppes being slaughtered by the biggest socialist of them all, Stalin would not have risen to be a naval aviation officer, an engineer, work as such globally, and return to be an upper middle class American. The protestors need to quit chanting and marching, and apply some of that energy to bettering themselves as capitalism means competition. For a nation enthralled with sports, how can one justify everyone a winner in school let alone in life. We cheer one the number one golfer or football team, but then hamstring our youth by not allowing them to fail - hypocrisy and the source for the youth voting for another of their own mentality that all of us are equal in entitlements...instead of the right to succeed or fail over and over again without a government who controls any facet of our life to do so.

The difference between capitalism and socialism or communism or any of the other 8 isms about - FREEDOM - OPPORTUNITY - and the cell phone or computer you are now using, all American-based ideas where the person designing did not worry about being arrested without cause (something Obama has instituted by his own hand), without one' goods being seized by the state (as being done now under Putin - funny how the press does not cover something well-known overseas - but then the press are liberals, and far worse, traitors), and the freedom to worship as one wishes (well, the attack on the three great religions by atheists and sexual deviant groups needs no further discussion as it is all over the press and TV - the result of which will be the dehumanization of man in the next coming world war.

Capitalism in short is what America is about and failing because Uncle Sam has become Uncle Sugar for a few political prostitutes feeding on crumbs and catering to an international body that now has more dictators and genocide going on than ever before (but not seen on our TVs - don't you ever wonder why our press is not so free anymore?).

Unfortunately "Opportunity" in capitalism in the U.S. has transmuted into relentless greed and blatant exploitation of everything; workers, consumers, resources, etc...

If the air is too unhealthy for people to breath, or the water too poisonous for fishermen to fish, the land too toxic to live near as a result of industry cutting corners to maximize profit, then all of this becomes counterproductive in a multitude of capacities. There needs to be common sense and balance; which doesn't exist in our current system. Everything is disproportionate.

CEO's making/taking millions of dollars while a company falters and their workers are displaced. Corporations garnering billions of dollars in profits at the expense of average citizens struggling to even survive. Companies being bailed out alone is the antithesis of how capitalism was suppose to operate. Banks withholding loans and foreclosing on family homes even though they were given billions of dollars to help stimulate the economy. But again GREED, the central driving force behind all of these capitalistic ventures along with widespread corruption destroys all of the actual workings of this supposed free market.

Victorville is a nice place to live.

@roc1960, As a truck driver I delivered and picked in Victorville area from time to time. It's really a nice location, not far from the Capital, San Francisco, and a number of great towns going down CA99. Although my home is in another state. If I were to move to CA I would deffinatly go to the Victorville area.

Lived there years past, Nice Place, isn't that were there is to be the High Speed Rail Terminal?

brainless dead idiot

what did they do give u a dd after 15 plus years then kick u out i guiess u were too lazy to work a job so u took the easy way out -the military__

Bill Tomey, many of us in the military worked far harder and LEARNED more than you might ever hope to.

Enough said there.

Ill Second That Viewer Ready! Try to get some union worker to work days in a row with little sleep in between and bust your butt to get that bird in air under some of the most adverse conditions one can find on this planet. By the way we didn't get paid for over time.

I was in a MASH unit in Korea. No overtime there either. I just shake my head at the whiners now about having to work. Spend a couple of winters in a tent in Korea. Looks good here.

If you don't want to be challenged, don't want to learn, don't want to get ahead, don't want to be able to take on any task, over come any obsticle, than this jobs not for you.

Its not a job its an adventure, OOOOPS that was Navy.