Don't let liberals do to the rest of the country what they have done to California

The San Francisco Chronicle published an article today ( Student's well-being tracked to improve lives ) that should garner attention around tis country.

A non-profit called Children Now has just published the 2008 California County Scorecard that examined a wide ranging set of issues across every county in California.  

Readers should first note that California remains one of, if not the most liberal states in the country.  It is accurate to think that the local policies in California reflect the liberal ideas and ideals of the liberal left elite in California.  Think of Nancy Pelosi, of San Francisco, as a clear and representative figure for California Democrats.

When one clicks on the link to see information on San Francisco the statistics are telling.

San Francisco is a "high income, urban community" that gets a "C" on the report card.  Some examples of the findings:

• 43% of 5th and 7th graders are not supervised after school
• 30% of kids ages 12-17 are at risk for depression
• 33% of children in 5th and 7th grade do not feel safe at school
• 67% of 9th and 11th graders do not feel safe at school
  
• 48% of students in 9th and 11th grade report not having a supportive or caring adult in their school or community
• 69% of 9th and 11th graders do not feel connected to their schools

Some good news for the children of San Francisco: 

• 88% live near a park, playground or open space 
  

Interesting point about drug use amongst 9th and 11th graders: 40% of White children use drugs, alcohol or tobacco, 39% of Hispanic children use, 28% of African American children use those substances and only 13% of Asian children report substance use. One might wonder about the socioeconomic relationship to chemical abuse in San Francisco. Are the children of liberal elites like Pelosi turning to drugs at higher rates than do their peers?

Children in San Francisco are more likely to "teeter on the brink of depression than other people do." This despite the fact that all of the children in S.F. have access to health care. 

Only 3 counties in California received a B range score- 2 of the 3 are Republican strongholds in California.  ALL OTHER COUNTIES RECEIVED A "C" OR LOWER GRADE!!

Americans should be asking themselves a couple of questions. Are the results of this study a sign of what is to come if our country moves towards a broader implementation of liberal policies and programs?

I believe the answer is a clear yes.  

California's scorecard should be seen as a warning and we all should pay heed.  Liberal policies may lead to more parks but they do not lead to utopia- they lead to more children becoming isolated from their parents and family members, less security at home and school and schools that fail to educate our children.

By the way- what good is a park if children are not safe when they play there?

California wants the rest of the United States to send it $7 BILLION because the state is a bit over extended...

Here are a couple of suggested responses:

1.  Send a bill to Mexico and the other Central and South American countries that have sent you a stream of illegal aliens.  Estimates on the cost of providing social services to illegal aliens in California:

• Dec, 2004- U.S. Govt estimated annual cost of illegal immigration in California over $10 Billion
• Fair (Federation for American Immigration Reform) estimates the cost of illegal aliens to be at $10.5 Billion per year with a prediction that amount will swell to $30 Billion by 2020

2.  California is one of, if not THE, most liberal states in the country. There is a reason that California is in this mess- and to be sure other liberal states will follow, as will everyone else who wants to jump on the Give Us Money Bandwagon...

Before California turns to the average American taxpayer to bail it out of this mess of its own making, the state should turn to those within the state who support the system.  Gov. Arnold should ask the liberals around California to pay in- maybe create a program for the Left to send in donations to pay off this debt.  He could even have a telethon where Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg et al could answer phones and gush to those on the other end about how special they are and then give them a designer, diamond studded T-Shirt that says "I Gave More Than My Share"...

Before one federal dollar that has been taken from hard-working people all over this country gets sent to California, California should shake down its own.  Here is a list of some of the people to whom Arnold should send the hat first:

• Steve Jobs- Liberal with a net worth over $5 billion
• Eric Schmidt- Liberal with a net worth over $5 billion
• George Lucas- Liberal with net worth over $3 billion
• Haim Saban- Liberal with net worth over $3 billion
• Steven Spielberg- Liberal with a net worth over $3 billion

Other Far Left Liberal Californians (or entertainers/ media types who make a living off their Hollywood connections) who have accumulated millions of dollars that they could pony up to pay for the programs they so vocally support:

• Barbra Streisand
• Tom Hanks
• Alec Baldwin
• Herb Alpert
• Ben Affleck
  
• Warren Beatty
• Candace Bergen
• James Brooks
• Les Charles
• Chevy Chase
• George Clooney
• Matt Damon
• Ted Danson
• Larry David
• Laurie David
• Michael Douglas
• Richard Dreyfuss
• Peter Farrelly
• Sally Field
• Jane Fonda
• Harrison Ford
• Barry Gordy
• Dustin Hoffman
• Alan Horn
• Ron Howard
• Quincy Jones
• Steven King
• Garry Marshall
• Bette Midler
• Ed Norton
• Rhea Perlman
• David Hyde Pierce
• Rob Reiner
• Denise Rich
• Russell Simmons
• Kevin Spacey
• Jerry Springer
• Sharon Stone
• Bob Weinstein
• Harvey Weinstein
• Bradley Whitford
• Robin Williams

Anyone interested in learning about how much money celebrities throw at candidates rather than solutions can click here to get the info.

We do live in a Republic that allows and encourages states to experiment with government services and programs.  The key here is that there is (or should be) a corresponding responsibility for those states to actually pay for the programs they put in place.  California's experiment has failed and now it wants everyone in the country to pay.

Sadly, our government may not say "No" or even "We'll help you this time but..." We have seemingly hit a point at which there seems to be an inevitability of government expansion.

We have become the frog that is swimming in an increasingly hot pot of water with no idea it is time to jump...