by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

The budget fight has touched just about every single person with an interest in the fiscal policy of the state and that includes strippers, porn stars and others in the adult entertainment industry.  The Democrats are trying to find ways to raise revenue and avoid having to cut even deeper than they already have into essential programs and education funding.  That means "sin taxes" and other sales taxes and fees. LAT:

As state leaders hunt for politically palatable solutions to the swelling budget shortfall, some Democrats are proposing unorthodox ways to generate cash.

Strip clubs, six-packs, grocery bags and iTunes downloads are all in their sights as alternatives to broad income or sales tax hikes. So are gas guzzlers and yachts -- and a tax loophole for criminals.

Despite tough odds of overcoming an oath signed by their Republican colleagues to stop any tax hikes, Democratic lawmakers seem confident that their ideas will carry the day. They predict the public won't stand for painful cuts to schools and healthcare to close a shortfall the governor now pegs as high as $20 billion, and say anti-tax forces will ultimately have to accept that more revenue is needed to bring the state into the black.

This is nothing new.  We are roughly in the same place we were a few months ago, only the deficit is even larger. Flip it.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Democratic lawmakers have accused a component of the state correctionsagency of scuttling rehabilitation in a $7.9 billion plan to deal with California's prison crisis. AB 900 states that funding preference should jails should go tocounties that agree to site rehabilitation-focused prisons for paroleviolators and inmates serving the last months of their terms.

Hillary Clinton has surprised all with her thorough preparednessas first lady and on this campaign, according to the LA Times. "She wasforceful and methodical in shaping the Clinton administration'sdomestic policies and political strategy, and proved to be adisciplined partner to her famously disorganized husband: commanding,opinionated, daunting."

So as it turns out, tracking sex offenders by satellite for life isn't practical. Who knew! "I don't know of any agency thathas the resources to track and monitor... in real time," said VacavillePolice Chief Richard Word. Actually implementing Proposition 83 maytake years -- let's work on flying cars first.

Image courtesy of Howstuffworks.com 

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

It is counterintuitive I admit, to claim that the Democratic legislators plan (AB 8) is better than Schwarznegger's proposal, which actually covers more people. The reality is that it is actually worse to force people into crappy plans that they can't afford than it is for them to go uninsured. It is an ugly calculation for sure. Unless you regulate the insurance industry more than what the Democrats are proposing, or offer a governmental run plan (ala Edwards), it is unacceptable to have an individual mandate. Weintraub doesn't seem to get this.

Democratic lawmakers have criticized his plan as too friendly to the insurance industry, and they don't like the idea of requiring individuals to take responsibility for obtaining coverage, even with hefty subsidies for the poor and the working poor. They have proposed an alternative that would put more of the financial responsibility on employers.

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