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As Washington stares at rising national debt and projected deficits for years to come, many states are faced with the opposite problem: whether to spend their budget surpluses and, if so, on what.
At least a dozen states ended fiscal 2011 with surpluses. Indiana reported one of the largest, with an extra $1.2 billion in its accounts. Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican, on Friday authorized bonus payments of up to $1,000 for state employees. An employee who “meets expectations” will get $500, those who “exceed expectations” will receive $750 and “outstanding workers” will see an extra $1,000 in their August paychecks.
“No state anywhere comes close to Indiana’s record of spending tax dollars carefully, with total savings over the last six years in the billions. Your spending efficiency has enabled us to stay in the black even as revenues plummeted,” said Mr. Daniels, who recently flirted with a run for the White House but ultimately stayed out of the race.
While Indiana decided to reward its employees, other states are redirecting surplus funds into cash-strapped areas such as education. Idaho ended the year with an $85 million surplus, the majority of which will be funneled to public schools and colleges, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, a Republican, said in a statement last week.
A public employee union in Idaho would help ensure that public servants are never taken advantage of like this. I mean, why give the money to the schools?
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A public employee union in Idaho would help ensure that public servants are never taken advantage of like this. I mean, why give the money to the schools?
Indiana has been sitting on this for a few years. In order to keep the "rainy day fund" Gov. Daniels has been slashing education, state government and social programs. He has also sold toll roads to private, non American, Companies and happily taken Federal funds.
The lesson is basically that if you cut services and wages enough you can have a surplus. We already knew that.
But, it's also worth noting that Indiana was one of the handful of fiscally well-run states even prior to downturn, even when it had its streak of Democratic governors.
My own feeling is what's going on in DC is pure politics by the Republicans. I think Obama is acting in good faith and by doing so he's splitting the mainstream Republicans and the Tea Party. The ideal would be for the mainstream Republicans and mainstream Democrats to sit down and hammer out a real deal that works. I'm a liberal, but I recognize fiscal reality, and both sides have no choice but to compromise. Unfortunately, the compromise the Republicans are willing to make is very watered down and does nothing but postpones the problem. Quite obviously our political climate calls for tax increases, deficit cuts, and modest changes to the retirement age for Social Security. Neither liberals nor conservatives can win this one, and compromise is in order. But, the national stage is vastly more politicized than the state stage.
But, the national stage is vastly more politicized than the state stage.
I agree and I've been saying it for about 2 years now: Barack Obama is the single most divisive POTUS in history. All his promises of uniting Americans are just as empty as his promises of fixing the economy.
I agree and I've been saying it for about 2 years now: Barack Obama is the single most divisive POTUS in history. All his promises of uniting Americans are just as empty as his promises of fixing the economy.
I think Lincoln was more divisive, but then again divisive can sometimes be good.
I agree and I've been saying it for about 2 years now: Barack Obama is the single most divisive POTUS in history. All his promises of uniting Americans are just as empty as his promises of fixing the economy.
I'll ask yet again: how do you measure Obama's divisiveness v that of his predecessor (who also promised to unite Americans)?
(Is it merely looking at approval ratings by party?)
Last edited by chicowalker; 07-18-2011 at 10:26 PM..
I'll ask yet again: how do you measure Obama's divisiveness v that of his predecessor (who also promised to unite Americans)?
Tough to define but I know it when I see it, and Obama's divisiveness is far and away worse than anything seen in this nation arguably in our 200+ year history.
Although I must confess he is far less divisive today than he was when he took office. As more and more time goes by, we see more and more Americans united in the knowledge of just how horrible his policies have been for America. So he does have at least that going for him.
Well, your analogy fails in that Lincoln was actually making our country a better place; Obama is running it into the ground.
that is fn hilarious
the country has been being driven into the ground long before obama took office, but keep hating him cause he can't deliver on his promise to fix the unfixable p.o.s.
Tough to define but I know it when I see it, and Obama's divisiveness is far and away worse than anything seen in this nation arguably in our 200+ year history.
Although I must confess he is far less divisive today than he was when he took office. As more and more time goes by, we see more and more Americans united in the knowledge of just how horrible his policies have been for America. So he does have at least that going for him.
From the myopic right maybe so, but for many he is doing ok despite a very contentious and innneffective congress...
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