WTF, CA?

California, the state that I immigrated to a long time ago, which at one time boasted (and may still) an economy larger than that of France, is in a deep financial hole. We recalled one Governor (Gray Davis) for not balancing the budget, and the current one is about to lay off 20,000 state employees due to a legislative impasse:

The roots of California’s inability to address its budget woes are statutory and political. The state, unlike most others, requires a two-thirds majority vote in the Legislature to pass budgets and tax increases. And its process for creating voter initiatives hamstrings the budget process by directing money for some programs while depriving others of cash...

...Furthermore, Republican leaders in the Senate and the Assembly who have agreed to get on board with a plan have been unable to persuade a few key lawmakers to join them. The package needs at least three Republican votes in each house, to join with the 51 Democrats in the Assembly and the 24 Democrats in the Senate.

For months Republicans have vowed not to raise taxes, which in California means no increase in either the sales, gas or personal income tax.

Is it any wonder that the only Republicans wholeheartedly supporting President Obama's new stimulus plans are, in fact, the Republican Governors?

Because they're living in the real world, and right now the real world is potentially very, very grim.