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Gregoire’s ugly budget

by — ,

The budget proposals are very, very ugly:

The governor identified $4 billion in optional cuts, in which she choose $2 billion in preferred cuts. The following proposals are likely to end up in her November budget proposal:

  • Eliminate the Basic Health Plan, ending subsidized health care to 35,000 low-income individuals.
  • Cut off medical services to 21,000 people enrolled in the state’s Disability Lifeline and ADATSA (Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Treatment Support Act) programs.
  • Trim 15 percent from the support the state provides to colleges and universities.Reduce levy equalization, which helps property poor districts, by 50 percent.
  • Cut the length of supervision for all offenders, based on severity of offense. Sex offenders will be supervised for 24 months, and all other offenders, for 12 months.

    • “This is what our choices look like even after we let go of thousands of state workers and cut money to our public schools, our colleges and universities, our prisons, and shredded our safety net for the old, sick, and poor,” Gregoire said.

This is a budget that hurts everyone, but it really hits the most vulnerable of our citizens. Crime and violence will be higher than it should be for all of us. These cuts can be quantified by increases in bankrupcies, untreated morbidity, and dead bodies. The actuaries will tell us just how many bright high school graduates have had a college degree stripped from them—with lifetime consequences and lost dreams.

But this budget does not have to be. The Governor is, undoubtedly, hoping the legislature will grow a pair and work on the revenue end of things:

Gregoire says she will now turn her attention to finding ways to offset some of the cuts with new money. That could include fees, closing tax exemptions or a general tax increase.

We are now living through an era of historically low taxes. It’s well past the time to close many of the tax exemptions that have outlived their usefulness to us, the flesh and blood people of Washington state. And its time to raise bring in more tax revenue.

Seriously…I don’t want to live in a Washington surrounded by decaying infrastructure, high crime, medical bankruptcies, or physical suffering for those who chose pain, even death, over bankruptcy. Let’s confine that Mad Max-like dystopia shit to the movies, huh?

Comments

  1. 1

    Eliminate the Basic Health Plan, ending subsidized health care to 35,000 low-income individuals.

    That doesn’t save us money, it costs us money.

    I really wish we had state officials that knew the difference between savings and expense.

  2. 2

    But this budget does not have to be. The Governor is, undoubtedly, hoping the legislature will grow a pair and work on the revenue end of things:

    Don’t hold your breath. These are people who cut revenue positive programs in the last two budgets in order to save money.

  3. 3

    Michael–
    You elected them.
    This is a result of many, many years of denial and wishful thinking and being owned by the State Employee Unions.
    The chickens have come home to roost.
    Had more substantive actions been taken 6 years ago rather than an unbridled spending spree, we would not be in this position.
    Frankly, I hope Inslee wins the Governor’s race so he has to deal with this shitbag dumped in his lap.
    The person assigned to clean it up will be a one-termer because the solution is not pretty.
    Taxes are high enough and raising them will result in more businesses leaving.
    Drive on I-90 and explore just across the Idaho border. Lots of movement already and lots more in the works that they ultimate decision will be higher taxes, not lower government employee salaries & benefits and layoffs.
    Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
    I hear that chicken
    He has come home to roost.

  4. 4

    3. fleabaggerssuck spews:

    Michael–
    You elected them.
    This is a result of many, many years of denial and wishful thinking and being owned by the State Employee Unions.
    The chickens have come home to roost.
    Had more substantive actions been taken 6 years ago rather than an unbridled spending spree, we would not be in this position.
    Frankly, I hope Inslee wins the Governor’s race so he has to deal with this shitbag dumped in his lap.
    The person assigned to clean it up will be a one-termer because the solution is not pretty.
    Taxes are high enough and raising them will result in more businesses leaving.
    Drive on I-90 and explore just across the Idaho border. Lots of movement already and lots more in the works that they ultimate decision will be higher taxes, not lower government employee salaries & benefits and layoffs.
    Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
    I hear that chicken
    He has come home to roost.

    10/27/2011 at 2:00 pm

    You’re the same miserable cretin you’ve always been, aren’t you?

  5. 5

    This is too easy!

    Every one of those cuts needs to be paired up with repeal of an exemption that would restore them. It’s important to Inslee and every other D next fall to have the fucking fight. At least hold the votes!

    The ones that aren’t successful need to be rolled up into intitiatives to the people for next fall.

    This is a moment of truth for the Ds.

  6. 6

    http://thinkprogress.org/econo.....370k-jobs/

    REPORT: House GOP’s ‘Job Creating’ Spending Cuts Destroyed 370,000 Jobs

    By Travis Waldron on Oct 27, 2011 at 4:25 pm

    House Republicans took the government to the brink of shutdown last spring by demanding across-the-board budget cuts to many vital programs. Instead of focusing on job creation, as Americans wanted them to, the GOP turned its attention to slashing funds for programs that funded assistance for women and children, local law enforcement, the social safety net, environmental protections, and many other programs they deemed as either too expensive or unnecessary. Worse, when challenged on why they hadn’t made the effort to tackle high unemployment, Republicans insisted that their slash-and-burn budget cuts were meant to create jobs.

    Not all of those cuts made it through, but the GOP succeeded in passing massive spending reductions as part of a continuing resolution that kept the government operating. According to a new report from the Center for American Progress’ Scott Lilly, those cuts didn’t result in the job creating boon Republicans insisted would follow. Instead, it has done just the opposite, as those cuts will result in the destruction of roughly 370,000 jobs.

    Lilly’s report focuses on three major areas where Republicans insisted on spending cuts: funding for local law enforcement, environmental cleanup of sites where nuclear weapons were disabled and destroyed, and investments into construction, repair, and maintenance of government buildings. Cuts to just those three areas will result in the loss of 90,000 jobs, the report found — 60,000 from direct cuts, and 30,000 additional jobs lost from the secondary impacts of job losses in each community.

    And according to Lilly, those three areas weren’t among the worst budget cuts forced through by the Republican House:

    People who have JOBS spend money and PAY TAXES.

    That’s too fucking COMPLICATED for the dumb fuck clownslavatives like MISTER Cynical.

  7. 7

    Zotz–
    Actually you propose a reasonable course of action. I think the R’s ought to pair up cuts to wages, benefits and paid time-off for Union members.
    Union wages, benefits and paid time-off are truly the key issue in the Budget that is avoided like the plague. Lets get the info out and let the voters decide. It really comes down to–
    Cutting programs
    Cutting wages, benefits, paid time-off
    Layoffs
    Increasing taxes.

  8. 8

    The State of Washington has a Democratic majority in the House and Senate…and a Democratis Governor.

    Pass the fucking bill. Raise some motherfucking revenue.

    Fuck these assholes…they don’t like it they can fucking move.

  9. 9

    Rujax quotes some leftist freak who quotes some other leftist freak about the GOP being responsible for all these lost jobs??
    The GOP cut the cost of government..but they couldn’t have done it without the Democrat Senate and Obama’s signature.
    On the face this is yet another ludicrous assertion by Mr. Ludicrous Rujax.
    Try harder next time numbnutz

  10. 10

    Rujax

    The State of Washington has a Democratic majority in the House and Senate…and a Democratis Governor.

    Pass the fucking bill. Raise some motherfucking revenue.

    For once you place the blame squarely where it belongs. So where is the Bill??

  11. 11

    7. fleabaggerssuck spews:

    Zotz–
    Actually you propose a reasonable course of action. I think the R’s ought to pair up cuts to wages, benefits and paid time-off for Union members.
    Union wages, benefits and paid time-off are truly the key issue in the Budget that is avoided like the plague. Lets get the info out and let the voters decide. It really comes down to–
    Cutting programs
    Cutting wages, benefits, paid time-off
    Layoffs
    Increasing taxes.

    10/27/2011 at 2:14 pm

    Fuck you Cynical…you STILL don’t live here.

    When did it become illegal for people to make a fucking living. You clearly do not have a fucking clue about how a consumer driven Capitalist economic system works do you?

    WHAT A FUCKING FOOL.

  12. 12

    @3
    Actually, dismantling modern society, which is what the Republicans have been trying to do, would make things worse not better. The Republicans want to cut Basic Health as well. The Republicans want to cut funding for things like family planning and help with high risk pregnancies, both of which save us money. The list goes on and on. What the Republicans want to do would either make things more expensive in the long run or turn us into a third world country. Neither option appeals to me.

    Go to Coeur ‘D’alene and wreck your car, chances are if you’re injured very badly you’ll get whisked to Sacred Heart in Spokane. The growth that’s going on in Coeur ‘D’alene can go on there because of Spokane. They’re getting all the benefits without paying the costs. Idaho also suck in all sorts of federal tax dollars. That’s your income tax at work over there. You can’t say you want lower taxes and support Idaho. Idaho can only exist because of federal subsides.

    Michael–
    You elected them.

    Yep! I’ve voted for Democrats for state office every single time. But, take a look at who the Republicans have ran for state office in the 26th LD for the last 15 years. They’re fucking brain dead. So, I get to vote for some idiot who can only mouth slogans or I can vote for Derek Kilmer who has a PHD from Cambridge. When faced with that choice you tend to go with the guy with the PHD.

    Taxes are at historic lows. We need to man up and start paying our bills.

  13. 13

    9. fleabaggerssuck spews:

    Rujax quotes some leftist freak who quotes some other leftist freak about the GOP being responsible for all these lost jobs??
    The GOP cut the cost of government..but they couldn’t have done it without the Democrat Senate and Obama’s signature.
    On the face this is yet another ludicrous assertion by Mr. Ludicrous Rujax.
    Try harder next time numbnutz

    10/27/2011 at 2:17 pm

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/.....-jobs-bill

    Tue Oct 18, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT.

    Republican Party demands President Obama stop talking about his jobs bill

    By Jed Lewison

    New Republican ad begs Obama to stop campaigning for jobs legislation
    Look who’s unhappy about President Obama taking his jobs bill message to the American public:

    The Republican National Committee launched a new ad Tuesday criticizing the president’s bus tour through North Carolina and Virginia this week as taxpayer-funded campaigning.
    The ad, titled the “Debt-End bus tour,” features a montage of members of the media describing the president’s push for his jobs and tax reform packages as campaign-style.

    And John McCain, apparently still bitter about having gotten his ass handed to him in 2008, joins the RNC’s lame attack:

    Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday ripped again into President Barack Obama’s three-day bus tour that’s winding through two swing states, accusing his former foe of an unprecedented level of campaigning on taxpayers’ dollars. […]
    “Never do I believe any of us have seen the kind of activity that the president has engaged in, and all of it being charged to the taxpayers of America,” McCain said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “That’s wrong. That’s the wrong thing to do.”

    Evoking his failed run for the presidency three years, ago, McCain noted that he “didn’t need a bus to be paid for and built by the government and the taxpayers of the United States.”

    Sure, President Obama is just like McCain in 2008, except for the part about how Obama’s the president, and as such, has unique travel travel requirements. Maybe it would make for a great photo op to put the president on Greyhound or put him on a Southwest Airlines flight, but as long as he’s commander-in-chief, that’s not going to happen, nor should it. No matter how cranky McCain or his Republican Party gets, every president before Obama (including GOP hero George W. Bush) and every president after Obama will do the exact same thing.

    Moreover, Barack Obama isn’t trying to win votes—he’s trying prod Republicans like John McCain into getting off their collective behind in order to pass legislation to help grow the economy. While Republicans are fighting for jobs for themselves, President Obama is fighting for jobs for Americans.

    Clearly, McCain and his fellow Republicans don’t like seeing President Obama taking his message to the public. They are afraid of what will happen as voters learn what they’ve been up to since taking back control of the House. They’d love nothing more than for Obama to return to D.C. and give up the fight for jobs legislation, because they just want to sit on their hands without getting challenged for doing nothing. But until they stop blocking progress on a jobs bill, that’s exactly what President Obama will continue to do.

    Here’s MISTER Cyniklow’s hero’s in action.

  14. 14

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/.....ge?via=tag

    Wed Oct 12, 2011 at 07:40 AM PDT.

    Headline in Boehner’s hometown paper: ‘GOP kills jobs package’

    By Jed Lewison

    Meanwhile:
    Congressional job approval has fallen to 13 percent, matching an all-time low, a new poll shows.
    Approval for Congress has been less than 20 percent each month since June, according to a monthly Gallup poll.

    Coincidence? I think not.

    That was in the Cincinnati Enquirer btw MISTER (dumb as bag of republican congressmen…or hammers) Cyniklown. Hardly “left-wing freaks”.

    The Cyniklown…who is ashamed of his own handle, like the craven emperor max-minidick, really isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed is he?

  16. 16

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/.....ll?via=tag

    Wed Oct 12, 2011 at 10:55 AM PDT.

    NBC/WSJ poll: Nearly two-thirds support jobs bill

    by Jed Lewison

    President Obama pushing for his jobs bill last month (John Summers II/Reuters)

    NBC’s Mark Murray on the latest NBC/WSJ poll:

    When asked simply if Congress should pass the legislation or not, 30 percent of respondents answer yes, while 22 percent say no; 44 percent have no opinion.
    But when the legislation’s details are included in a follow-up question — that it would cut payroll taxes, fund new road construction, extend unemployment benefits, and that it would be paid for by increasing taxes on the wealthy — 63 percent say they favor the bill and 32 percent oppose it.


    What’s more, 64 percent of respondents agree with the statement that it is a “good idea” to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations, because they should pay their fair share and can afford to pay more to help fund programs and government operations.

    The biggest challenge the administration faces is that nearly half the public doesn’t know enough about the legislation to say whether or not they support it in the abstract, but when you get into the specifics, the bill’s key provisions are very popular.

    So even though Republicans voted to kill the legislation last night, it makes sense for the administration and congressional Democrats to keep on hammering away at Republicans for opposing the jobs bill, both to raise awareness about the bill and its provisions, and also to give Republicans a chance to do the right thing, however unlikely that may be.

    Hmmm…doesn’t Rupert Murdoch own the WSJ??

    I thought so.

    Clearly a tool for Obama.

    Really.

  17. 17

    http://slog.thestranger.com/sl.....sign-on-to

    Finally a Tax that Corporate America Can Sign On To

    Posted by Goldy on Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 2:25 PM

    In Illinois, the state government has finally cut out the middle man: The state government. Yup, rather than taxing individuals to pay for corporate welfare, Illinois now permits some of its largest employers to simply pocket the payroll withholdings of its employees: half the state income tax for existing employees, all of it for new hires.

    See, Illinois wanted to incentivize big companies like Ford, Chrysler, Motorola, and Mitsubishi to keep jobs in state, but since none of these companies paid much in the way of state corporate income tax, tax cuts just weren’t a viable option. Their solution: Taxpayers now pay taxes directly to these corporations. Really. You know… the free market at work.

    And folks wonder why the 99 Percent are so pissed off?

    (Via MoveOn, via Eschaton)

    Fucking outrageous.

    (…but who’s that “Goldy” guy????)

  18. 18

    http://thinkprogress.org/econo.....-increase/

    Please Note: This survey did NOT include puddypussy, MISTER Cyniklown, or the emperor max-minidick. They did not qualify.

    68 Percent Of Millionaires Support Raising Taxes On Millionaires | According to a new survey by the Spectrem Group, “68% of millionaires (those with investments of $1 million or more) support raising taxes on those with $1 million or more in income. Fully 61% of those with net worths of $5 million or more support the tax on million-plus earners.” Spectrem’s George Walper told the Wall Street Journal, “what this tells us is that there are a number of wealthy folks who said: ‘Gee, we need to increase taxes to stimulate the economy. No one likes to be taxed more, but the reality is maybe it has to be done.’”

    So we can’t do that here? They can’t pay $500 bux (average per year) to help keep shit straight?

  19. 19

    I heard a short bit of Gregoire’s talk with Dave Ross on the radio just before noon today.

    Her position was pretty clear: She’s tired of having to be the one to make the hard choices, and then have everyone complain about them without offering constructive suggestions. She said she’s put cuts on the table – if anybody doesn’t like them, she challenged them to come up with another cut which would reduce spending by the same level. If they want a tax increase, she told them to go ahead – the one thing the governor CANNOT due is enact a tax increase, that’s the legislature’s job.

    That being said, I think she’s engaging a little bit of the old game of proposing the cuts which are guaranteed to raise the most ire, in order to motivate people to either agree to slightly less drastic cuts or to increase taxes. I don’t blame her for that, she needs all the help she can get.

    But any package of budget cuts at this stage is no substitute for meaningful tax reform in this state, which will invariably mean the repeal of the B&O tax and substituting both a personal and corporate income tax.

  20. 20

    Hey, I’d pay $50.00 bucks a month to the state, if it would help keep Basic Health in place – as long as everyone else had to do it to. Otherwise, Cynical and Puddy would refuse to pay, and say I should pay their share, too.

  21. 21

    The voters decided to make these cuts so the richest 2% wouldn’t have to pay their fair share of state taxes.

  22. 22

    “the one thing the governor CANNOT due is enact a tax increase, that’s the legislature’s job.”

    That’s a copout. A governor is supposed to get out in front and lead by using her bully pulpit to get the public behind tax reform. Where was Gregoire when citizens tired of legislative inaction put a high-earner income tax on the ballot? Nary a peep from her. I’ve been saying for years that tax reform is a necessary prerequisite to improving schools and public services in our state. Hopefully our next governor will be proactive, after a succession of passive Democratic governors who were so inert you wondered if they still had a pulse.

  23. 23

    Even if you can’t pass tax reform, you lay the foundation for someone else to do it in the future. Bill Clinton failed to enact health reform, but his efforts paved the way for Obamacare. And Obamacare, which is far from perfect, can be a precursor of something better in the future.

  26. 26

    @7 “Union wages, benefits and paid time-off are truly the key issue in the Budget that is avoided like the plague.”

    Really? You really believe this shit? We could support entire state agencies with one CEO paycheck.

  27. 27

    The reason we can’t afford public sector pay anymore is because private sector payrolls have gotten so expensive. Who can afford health insurance when health insurer CEOs demand $50 million a year? This, obviously, is the fault of the public sector.

  28. 28

    What America really needs is repeal of right-to-work-for-poverty-wages laws and 100% union membership.

  29. 29

    http://blogs.reuters.com/david.....yer-keeps/

    David Cay Johnston»

    Paying taxes your employer keeps

    Jul 19, 2011 23:23 IST

    By David Cay Johnston

    The author is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

    Painful as it feels to have a lot of hard-earned income taken from your paycheck for taxes, a new Illinois law does something Americans may find surprising. It lets some employers pocket taxes for 10 years.

    You read that right — in Illinois the state income taxes withheld from your paycheck may be kept by your employer under a law that took effect in May. Continental Corporation, the big German tire maker; Motorola Mobility, the cell phone maker; and Navistar, the maker of diesel trucks for industry and the military, are in on the deal. State officials say a fourth company is negotiating a similar arrangement.

    Chrysler and Mitsubishi arranged deals with the state in the depths of the Great Recession in 2009; Ford got one in 2007, since revised to let it keep half of its Illinois workers’ state income taxes. (See chart below.)

    Instead of paying for police, teachers, roads and other state and local services that grease the wheels of commerce, Illinois workers at these companies will subsidize their employers with the state income taxes they pay.

    The deal to let employers keep half or all of their workers’ state income taxes represents a dramatic expansion of a little-known trend in the law: diverting taxes from public purposes to private gain.

    Throughout the United States, big box retailers like Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and Cabela’s, and in some cases entire shopping malls, often negotiate deals to keep sales taxes that customers pay at the cash register, using the money to finance construction of their stores. This gives them a huge advantage over retailers without such subsidies, while reducing revenue to local governments, which in turn creates pressure for higher taxes.

    This is fucking sick.

  30. 30

    Maxie @ 3
    The more of you wingnuts who move to Idaho, the better for Washington. Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

  31. 31

    rhp–
    The government needs to get out of Health Care and pretty much everything but the essentials. I can’t speak for Puddy or Cynical, but I sure as hell wouldn’t pay $50/mo. But you go ahead rhp. You can do it right now. What’s stopping you??
    Gregoire has clearly dug this hole herself by passing unsustainable budgets. She even admits it rhp. It is her mess to clean up because she signed the Budgets. The Dems control the House & Senate so it’s really up to them to craft the decision, which is way way way overdue causing the problem to be even worse today than it needs to be.
    Seems like the Democrats are guilty of wishin’ and hopin’ things would magically improve to cover-up their past overspending. That is mismanagement by any measure.

  33. 33

    assholic Republican’t @7 (emphasis added):

    Union wages, benefits and paid time-off are truly the key issue in the Budget that is avoided like the plague. Lets get the info out and let the voters decide. It really comes down to–
    Cutting programs
    Cutting wages, benefits, paid time-off
    Layoffs
    Increasing taxes.

    Yes, by all means, let’s get the info out.

    On the OFM’s Budget Reduction Alternatives page is a link to a State employees fact sheet (note: PDF), from which we find the info:

    In 2001, there were 5.9 million residents in Washington and 64,000 state general government employees. Ten years later, we have more than 6.8 million residents and a little more than 62,000 state employees. Put another way: We have nearly 1 million more people being served by 2,000 fewer state employees.

    Since 2005, in response to a directive from Governor Gregoire, state agencies have reduced the number of Washington Management Service employees by more than 1,100 — more than a 21 percent decline. And during the past three years, the overall number of managers in state government has shrunk by nearly 11 percent, compared to a 9 percent decline for non-managers.

    State employee compensation — including salaries, wages and benefits — make up 18.2 percent of the total General Fund-State budget. By contrast, 10 years ago, state employee salaries, wages and benefits made up 20.5 percent of that budget. State employee salaries and wages alone represent 13.7 percent of today’s General Fund budget, compared to 16.7 percent 10 years ago.

    State employee wages have been frozen since 2008 … neither COLA nor step increases. In fact, state employees are actually taking pay cuts and unpaid furloughs. And their healthcare coverage contributions (and deductibles, and co-pays, and co-insurance) rise every year.

    That’s the info, right out there in plain sight. It took me about 5 minutes to find it.

    Not that assholes like you will ever acknowledge that you’re lying through your fucking teeth.

  34. 34

    In 1982 the Reagan administration began the transfer of the costs and running of programs that provided direct aid in such areas as transportation, education and welfare to the states.

    The outlandiish amounts of federal money squandered by Republicans on fake wars and such and the concomitant destruction of the national economy through ‘deregulation’ has left the states and the federal government with a limited supply of tax revenues to operate these programs that Republicans foisted upon the states.

    After 30 years of Republican mismanagement, we Democrats are forced to listen to the wingnuts blame the whole mess on the 3 yr. old Obama administration and the individual Democratic governors. These proto-fascists are looking to convince panicked citizens to trade their rights (e.g., collective bargaining) for supposed relief from the economic crunch, inflaming fears of terrorism, etc…. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Republicans listen to Charlie Daniels, ’cause they’re too stoopid to learn to fiddle.

    http://www.nytimes.com/1982/01.....grams.html

    I don’t give the conservative nitwits who comment on these threads the credit for lying. I just don’t think they have the capability of understanding anything more complicated than a bumper sticker.

  35. 35

    @3

    Drive on I-90 and explore just across the Idaho border. Lots of movement already and lots more in the works that they ultimate decision will be higher taxes, not lower government employee salaries & benefits and layoffs.

    The 26th LD is a swing district with generally close races. Before Derek Kilmer was elected to the state senate that spot was held by a member of the Christianist far right, Bob Oak. Kilmer’s now in his second term. When he was running for senate the first time Kilmer’s opponent ran on a platform that could described best as a “we should be more like Idaho” platform. He was all Idaho all the time. The election was a rout, Kilmer won the thing 28,341 to 18,924. So much for being more like Idaho.

    *****************************

    I made an oops @12. Kilmer went to Oxford not Cambridge.

  36. 36

    While state employee wages really aren’t that big of an issue, that’s mostly phony bullshit from the right who can’t seem to find a real issue even with hundreds of them staring them in the face, I do support voluntary buyouts of employees nearing retirement and a ban on double dipping.

  37. 37

    @34

    . Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Republicans listen to Charlie Daniels, ’cause they’re too stoopid to learn to fiddle.

    well since you seem to fancy yourself a musician, maybe you should take your fiddle and entertain the troops down at Westlake….

    maybe if you are lucky and turn your hat upside down, some of those scuzzballs will throw you a quarter for your trouble.

    no guarantee though…Lee Rujax Rosenberg tried that and it didnt fly…..then again failed musicians rarely make any coin…

    keeping it reelz….

  38. 38

    30. proud leftist spews:
    Maxie @ 3
    The more of you wingnuts who move to Idaho, the better for Washington. Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

    10/27/2011 AT 3:59 PM

    Proud Communist…I hate to break it to you, but I am not the poster named fleabaggersuck.

    like most socialists/communists, your assumptions always turn out to be wrong.

  41. 41

    still have a thing for my cock I see, right Lee Rujax Rosenberg?

    not to worry, nobody is challenging you for the lowest rung on the ladder here at HA…your station in life is secure as the biggest loser and sub-par performer.

  42. 42

    What America really needs is repeal of right-to-work-for-poverty-wages laws and 100% union membership.

    Right on, Roger! The reason we have low taxes is low wages and a sucky economy, not that taxes are “low”. That’s why people allow themselves to get bilked by the likes of Tim Eyeman. It’s the social death spiral of unleashed stinginess. Higher wages will enable us to pull out of that dive.

  43. 43

    How low will the Republicans allow this state to go?

    As low as “no new taxes”, “no way, no how” will take you..

    Straight into the abyss..

  44. 44

    There’s the facts at 33…

    Hey right wingers – you got what you wanted. The state has grown in population while the government has shrunk…

    You should be pretty satisfied..

    Right Montana “friendo”???

  45. 45

    @42

    little ylburrito seems to forget that the democrats control the govs office and the state legislature…oh, and lets not forget that the dems control the most powerful county too.

    and yet somehow its all the republicans fault that this state is fooked.

    you need to come to terms with the fact that the democrats have fucked this state up for over a decade.

    now chew on that, beeoootchh………..

  46. 46

    and if you still feel that the state needs more money, and that the democrats need to be rewarded for their good work, then please open up your checkbook and send the ole queen a bonus check to help her balance the books.

  47. 47

    Wooo hoooo! St Louis is keepin’ it alive…

    Now for the know-nothing asshat@44,45..

    Man are you stoooopid… Dems in the last 10 years did nothing more than fund programs people asked for like smaller class sizes.. In the past (early 90’s) Dems would raise taxes to defend programs even when the economy was tanking and they paid dearly for that.

    They don’t do that anymore, i.e. they do what Republicans would do and dipshits like you wonder why things are “fooked”.

    Yeccch.. Texas is going to win. Bummer…

  48. 48

    45 – Obviously you don’t care that people are educated and have access to education so they have the skills for the changing work place. You don’t care if old folks are cared for properly in their last days. You don’t care if the poorest people have access to a modicum of health care.

    You just care about yourself.. Like that’s a surprise to anyone around here.

    Sorry if a majority don’t feel the way you do then you’ll have to open your wallet like the rest of us.

    Or you can move to a glibertarian paradise like Wyoming.. or Texas.. or Alaska.. or Somalia…

  49. 49

    re 37: …..then again failed musicians rarely make any coin…

    …unless they start playing Jeezuz Rock for the ‘bagger nincompoops or patriotic sclock rock — like the geriatric Skynyrd does.

  51. 51

    @49

    not sure how you figure that, but oh well.

    besides, I get all my beer for free anyway. not that I drink much of it, but it makes it nice when hosting get togethers.

    Connections, I love ’em

    dont worry though, Im sure my tax bill is 10x more than you and ylbarrio’s combined – so Im doing my part just fine….now if you freeloaders would just chip in, we might be able to fix this budget deal.

  52. 52

    @47

    correction ylbarrista, I dont care about lazy people like YOU…

    open my wallet like the rest of you? bitch please, you dont pay for shit. people like you dont pay for anything, then expect every service in the world…and you still bitch about it.

    alaska and wyoming are beautiful places..you would know that if you ever stepped out of your basement.

  53. 53

    First, was that one of the greatest World Series games ever? Next, Maxie, do you honestly believe that this state’s budgetary problems are due to our state’s governmental policies over the last several years rather than the global economic crisis? (That would be a yes or no question.)

  55. 55

    53
    1) Not a chance.
    2) Slugfest tomorrow. Pitching staffs depleted, high offense on each side. Cards by 7 to 5.

  56. 56

    @54

    no matter who wins, I think its been a better series than anybody predicted.

    Im gonna stick with the AL on this one.

  57. 57

    55
    It’s been a great Series. Generally, I prefer the AL. Not so, however, when it’s Texas. Look forward to Game 7.

  58. 58

    I’d simply like to point out that Washingtonians have given themselves billions of dollars in tax cuts since 2008 by not buying cars and other stuff.

  59. 59

    @57

    those same washingtonians also dont have any jobs or have had to get less paying jobs you idiot.

    hard to pay taxes when you dont have any fucking money.

    moron.

  60. 60

    The Cards have the best pitcher, Carpenter, are at home and have amazing momentum & experience winning close games.
    But the Rangers haven’t lost 2 games in a row in 2 months!
    Rangers 3-2

  62. 62

    @60

    Get A BRAIN! MORANS spews:

    Wonderful, pithy, and accurate portrayal of the right wing, that picture. Alas, as a St. Louis native, gives me shivers of embarrassment and a reminder of why I live in Seattle, every time I see that picture.

    I find it hard to root for the Cards after they were purchased by GWBush associate Bill DeWitt. However, against Texas, GO CARDS!

  63. 63

    59. fleabaggerssuck spews:

    The Cards have the best pitcher, Carpenter, are at home and have amazing momentum & experience winning close games.
    But the Rangers haven’t lost 2 games in a row in 2 months!
    Rangers 3-2

    10/28/2011 at 7:01 am

    Anything that makes Nolan Ryan and history’s stupidest President…the Shrub…

    …anything that make those two assholes sad makes me happy.

    Cards 7-2.

  64. 64

    re 50: I get all my beer for free anyway. not that I drink much of it, but it makes it nice when hosting get togethers.

    What a thoughtful host you are! Do you give your guests a ride home after the festivities — just to be on the safe side?

    You can’t drop the self-serving BS for even one moment, can you?

  65. 65

    re 51: open my wallet like the rest of you? bitch please, you dont pay for shit. people like you dont pay for anything, then expect every service in the world…and you still bitch about it.

    You must be assuming that we’re billionnaires.

  66. 66

    the real max sounds like one real bitch.
    Only problem I see for her is this:

    ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

  67. 67

    you dont pay for shit. people like you dont pay for anything, then expect every service in the world…and you still bitch about it.

    Heh. Given the hour. This must be the sauce talking…

    LMAO! For the millionth time. No one escapes taxes moron.. I buy gas, I shop in stores, I pay utitility bills, I pay taxes.. We’re taxed at every turn.

    Do your tenants pay your property taxes? What business operator doesn’t pull every trick in the book to pass on their taxes to their customers?

    It’s a fact that a moderate income person in this state pays a WAY HIGHER percentage of their income in taxes than the rich guy. But whenever someone suggests that’s unfair and that should be changed dipshits like you just cling ever tighter to your hateful myths.

    What a miserable ignorant piece of shit you are if you’re not a piece of crap liar!

    I suggest taking a vacation to Wyoming – I hear it’s being open-pit mined and hydraulic fracked to death.. That “pro-business” environment there. The air will do your ignorant, lying piece of crap “mind” some good.

  68. 68

    open my wallet like the rest of you? bitch please, you dont pay for shit. people like you dont pay for anything, then expect every service in the world…and you still bitch about it.

    Why should I pay for shit? Roads and education are two of the biggest things in the state budget and I ride a bike, which doesn’t do any harm to the roads and can dodges pothole, and don’t have any kids!

    People who cost the state a lot of money should have to pay the state a lot of money and that’s the big breeders in suburbia.

  69. 69

    @66

    No one escapes taxes

    No they don’t, but I managed to grow about 400 bucks worth of basil over the last 5 years off of one $2.50 packet of seeds. Sure, there’s no sales tax on food anyway, but I still think I got a hell of a bargain. I wasn’t real thrilled about this years harvest, so I decided to stop saving the seeds.

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