As long as the Democrats control Congress, they will continue to rubber-stamp Obama’s requests for bailouts of profligate states. But when the Republicans take control, they will be less than forthcoming. Republicans will ask the central question: Why should taxpayers from states that have cut their budgets and observed spending restraint, pay for the extravagances of the other states? Why should forty-seven states have to pay for California, New York, and Michigan?
I love this argument. First of all, we were a nation the last time I checked, although it's becoming more and more clear that the civil war will never be truly over. This idea that each state, town, individual gets to choose not only its representatives to the federal government but also weigh in on which taxes they choose to pay and for what, our systems looking a teensy bit unworkable.
And as Karoli notes:
Will those 47 states refuse to accept the federal dollars which kept their states' budgets balanced last year? Why did Rick Perry accept the federal aid for Texas? So he could campaign on a balanced budget, of course.
Obviously not. They deserve the money 'cuz they're good and we're evul.
Morris also wants to provide for states to go bankrupt so they can dispose of all their public employee union contracts and pension obligations. The good news is that Dick Morris hasn't been right about a single thing for at least 20 years, so I'm fairly hopeful that they will push this.
The right is obviously preparing for all out war on the public employee and service unions. I'm sure the Democrats will scurry like mice the minute they attack and leap over one another trying to figure out ways to screw them first.
But if the unions are smart they are going to be prepared with spots like this one which I featured yesterday. It makes normal people very uncomfortable to see middle class people like nurses, cops, teachers and firefighters --- their neighbors and themselves -- treated like enemies of the state. It will backfire: