Governor plans to completely eliminate welfare for families

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to completely eliminate the state’s welfare program for families, medical insurance for low-income children and Cal Grants cash assistance to college and university students.

The proposals to sharply scale back the assistance that California provides to its neediest  residents came in testimony by the administration this afternoon at a joint legislative budget committee hearing. It followed comments by the governor earlier today that he would be withdrawing a proposal to help balance the budget with billions of dollars of borrowing and replacing it with program reductions.

The proposals would completely reshape the state’s social service network, transforming California from one of the country’s most generous states to one of the most tightfisted. The proposals are intended to help close a budget deficit estimated at $21.3 billion.

—Eric Bailey

Comments

[educated Californian on assistance]

I am in shock by many of these comments. First off, bashing educators and calling them high priced babysitters is a slap in the face to all of us who have sacrificed so much in order to become an educator. I have a Master's in Education that I paid a fortune for, not counting what it cost to obtain my Bachelors degree. I can not find a teaching job when children need us the most. I am on assistance right now and my children are on Medi-Cal. I receive WIC and food stamps. I have been holding off because I want to find a job in the field I have wanted to do since I was a little girl. I think it may be time for me to look elsewhere and make a salary where I don't have to depend on assistance. Without educators, most of the successful individuals of the past and of today would not be where they are because of their "high paid babysitters". Walk a day in the shoes of an educator who has taken a job that does NOT pay 100,000.00. For most educators, it isn't even half of that.

[educated Californian on assistance]

Another thing, thank you ATS.com for posting this article on their site!

[the dave]

How bout the pensions of everyone who ever 'served' in the gov't. Obviously, by the state we're in, all were incompetent and therefore not deserving of living off the dole financed by the citizens for the rest of their lives.....

[mike]

Cutting welfare is a good place to start as well as cutting salaries for over paid state employees. I know of a retired Battalion Chief who gets $154,000 a year in retirement benefits!
Also, for the Australian teacher: Your country has one of the most draconian governments on the planet! They even censor the internet! Your money is nearly worthless, even more worthless than the US dollar. If your people weren't so stupid as to give up your guns, your might have a descent country, but you will never get it back.

[Government Shrinking Skeptic]

Not a snowballs chance in hell will the Governor slash welfare. This will never happen. Not even close. This will be the fear mongering trying to get the pendulum and public outcry to swing the other way, seeking to get the sheeple to cry out for more government to save us.

There will be a major Federal Bailout before this would happen. Such shrinking of Government would be one of the greatest boons, blessings and benefits we've seen in 150 years, but such a cut in government will not be tolerated. We would be blessed to undergo such theraputic reduction in unconstitutional government. Painful? Yes, but not as painful as what lies ahead when all government self destructs after it has helped strangle all of us to death, leaving the private sector leached dry and a dying carcass unable to give life to it's vast parasitic host, the State, and all of the states beneficiaries, be they corporate welfare elite, or run of the mill folks taking handouts or subsidies of some kind. It's time to get back to 1776 and put government back into its constitutional straightjacket, which means it can't be involved in welfare in the first place, nor put forth the Marxist Graduated Income tax, nor the Privately held Monopolistic Central Bank of Vast Plunder (The Federal Reserve.)

If only this were truly what would happen, how blessed we would be. It will not transpire however. Not a snowballs chance in hell will the free bread and circus constituants and their would-be Emporers permit a cutting of government size or free bread and circuses. Nero would rather burn the city (state) than merely let us recover from a behemoth, out of control government size that should and must reduce it's scope and size.

I wish government would cut spending and size, but it won't. A great former California governor once said "Government is not the answer to our problems. Government is the Problem!" That, of course was Ronald Reagan, and he was right.

[Karma]

Arnold is consumed by hate but beware because karma is coming and justice will prevail in the end like it always does.
We need a recall election to finally eliminate this foreign intruder from our political system. This guy has no command of the English language and no history of ever being a politician- he is not qualified for the job of governor.

[Californian]

Please do cut ALL welfare now. Cut ALL the benefits to the teenage mothers, and to ALL the illegals, and deport ALL the illegals NOW, anyone getting any government aid on any type MUST get off there ass and go wash firetrucks, clean graffitti, pick up trash that is littered all over this state (look at the sides of the highways and most streets, and beaches and wash police cars etc.) Additionally, there should be NO RED TAPE WHATSOEVER for any small business that wants to hire up five employees (i.e., no complicated paperwork, no difficult tax deductions for the employer, just give a 1099 to the employee and that's it). So many small business owners don't hire an employee or two because of all the hassle involved in hiring one or two employee (tax id, deductions, quarterly payments to govt etc). Keep it simple. But most of all CUT EXPENSES TO THE LEECHES OF SOCIETY NOW, NOT NEXT MONTH OR NEXT YEAR, NOW. MR. ARNOLD, take it from me and millions of other Californians, you take a tough stand on this JUST CUT THE SPENDING, JUST DO IT....... and you will see your approval ratings go stratospheric. JUST DO IT, MAN. Good Day.

[mike]

For Scott from Canada: you can not compare the situation with illegal's in The United States with what Hitler did in Europe. The people Hitler killed or imprisoned DID NOT INVADE HIS COUNTRY!!!
Illegal's are called illegal's because they entered this country illegally, or more correctly, they INVADED our country. It would be morally wrong and logically irrational to invite some one to stay in this country when they have already demonstrated a total disregard for the law.

[Gosh]

Gosh,
You-mean-money-does-NOT-grow-on-trees???
I-don't-understand!Sure,money-grows-on-trees,right?
Let's-just-debase-the-currency-some-more-and
everything-will-be-o.k.,right?
I'm-really-clueless,see,I-went-to-a-California-public-school.
I've-been-taught-to-participate-in-my-own-destruction,so
that-way-I'll-be,like-you-know,smart,right?Cuz-I'm-insane.
Liberalism-truly-is-a-mental-disorder.

[Bob Bogus]

Arnie didn't mention cutting the outrageous pensions state workers get. How about all new government employees get 401Ks instead of pensions?

You'll never hear that because the government unions have Arnie in their back pocket.

[Bill]

Well. Maybe Arnold will be the governor we voted for after all.

[Bob Seatco]

Some stated that this would mess up the college plans of many young people. Well - there are no jobs for them out there any way...only 20% of grads are finding work.

[Joe Freeman]

There is plenty of money to care for and employ every citizen of California, the problem is the full amount of funds held and controlled by city, county, and state governments is a closely camouflaged system and the return on all these government investment corporate income holdings is never taxed. Instead government has shifted the raising of revenue to the backs of the people and has succeeded in the gradual impoverishment of the middle class. This practice along with the export of countless manufacturing jobs the middle class was built on is unsustainable and will lead to a third wold style economic life within the next generation. If you want to help reverse this situation and ensure the survival of your children please read about what Walter Burien has discovered about the CAFR. Otherwise known as Consolidated Annual Financial Report. Every government at all levels is required to publish these reports each year and if you learn how to read these you will discover California holds more then 300 billion dollars worth of business holdings and pays no taxes on their financial returns worth many billions of dollars each year. There is enough money available there to abolish all taxes on the people and force government to fund itself entirely from its already existing business ownership revenue. Can you imagine the freedom and prosperity we could generate in a tax free state? If you think this concept sounds good, you can find out more by googling Walter Burien CAFR1. You will not be disappointed with what he reveals about his research findings and where all this money is really going. I sincerely urge you to examine this information and help to spread the word to others you care about.

[Gary]

Isn't it always the case that the Left, who want to control every aspect of human life and punish anyone who disagrees with them, is forever accusing the Right of fascism. Stop looking in the mirror when you're speaking to us.

[Travis, Colorado]

Getting rid of welfare will git rid of gangs? Welfare was created to help individuals and families that NEED it, not ABUSE it.

[fred]

Well I sure hope that the warm fuzzy feeling of providing for millions of mexicans lasts long enough to carry many through the tough times to come.

This is really not complicated and blame should be assigned.

WE are to blame for allowing this to happen. You can't just invite everyone over from mexico and allow anchor babies etc. . . Because now the bill has come due and we are screwed.

[Mark]

No, 'country' boy is right,
With great respect to these men, it is also a fact if you care to look it up, before you shoot off your mouth.
Police and FF can after 25 years of service collect 75% -some times even well over 100% of their base pay. sad.
I wish as a soon to be ex worker that I had such a cush deal.
Yes its a dangerous job-and they should get some very decent pay for the fact -but nobody twisted their arms

And lets do away with the racist comment:

'when the welfare checks stop their will be rioting in the street'
add to that:
when the unemployment checks stop there will be rioting in the streets
when the paychecks stop-mostly because of Bush policies long in the making -there will be rioting in the streets
(this depression didnt start in the last 6 months)

And thanks to Bush and the Republicans-we are now ALL proud owners of GM, AIG, Lehmnan Bros etc and their toxic assets-or worthless failing business. Ya think theyre going to buy them back from us?
Think again-they took the money and ran

Remember this, and remember this well, folks -the Republicans ruined this country-they have given away our wealth and assets to the big boys as they are 'too big to pay for their bad investing mistakes' and have us on the road to Socialism-we pay they debts THEY keep the profits.
we will soon own all the banks-as part of their long ago drawn up plans

NEVER FORGET they have sold this our country to the highest bidders

[dude]

Yahoo! Now if he will just eliminate all the employees involved in welfare services at the department of human services in california they can achieve even more savings. There is no need for welfare employees if there is no longer any welfare.

[Vee]

Easy come easy go.
What i want to see is the closing of the prison system. Talk about Pork. California needs to close 60% of it's prison system and get rid of all those over paid guards. talk about a rip off.
I mean think about it. a career as a prison guard? you have to be really bent as a person to ever want that job to begin with. I would worry more about the mentality of a prison guard than the morality of and x con.
California has a chance to get rid of thousand of over paid and do nothing civil servant in the next couple of years. who knows the place may even be worth moving to again.
As for illegals? if they are illegal they are illegal, they need to go back and reappear legally. That is a no brainer that escapes the level of awareness of all those who have floated to the top in government positions everywhere in america.
When you think at it, there are only about 550 people who are responsible for everything that has been allowed to happen in america. I mean the elected congress and select civil servants. If we could figure a way to get rid of them then we would be doing something.

[IraqWarVet]

It makes too much sense, besides the illegals will probably vote him out...Nice try try Arny, but I don't don't think you cleared this with your wife did you?

[mariejoy]

Welfare is a joke.

When those freeloading criminals don't have money, they're going to come out to the berbs looking for money & your stuff and you better hope you have a gun.

After bailing out the banksters, the feds need to save money so they'll do the same. Next thing, Social Security and Medicare will be unaffordable, partly because we bailed out their contributors, the banksters.

What's next? We can bail out billionaires but not old people and the disabled?

Yup. THE most corrupt congress in the history of America and the most apathetic people (Americans) in the history of the world. They're (we're) about to get what we deserve.

[joegum]

As I understand it, your StateGov recently wanted more tax $'s from the people and was turned down. The point is to cut the things that will cause public outcry, rather than really going after the pork. Soon there will be stories all over the media about how much suffering the budget cuts are causing. Then you folks will be harassed into forking over even more of your dough. Or, the whole population will via the FedGov.

[patriot]

jobs caucasians refuse to take?
since when is this about race?
have you seen what's happened to the construction industry lately? there are a lot of AMERICAN CITIZENS (of all colors/backgrounds) that are being put out of work because illegals come here, live off of welfare benefits racked up thru birthright citizenship, live 10 deep in a 2br apt, and work for 50% (or less) of prevailing wages.
it's time to round up all illegal aliens (of any nationality) and send them home.
comparing logical thinking to the public sentiment in hitler's germany is ridiculous and dangerous.

[Fireye]

I think Kalifornia is a sick Nazi prison state. I hope that state collapses so I can have a party and celebrate. Same with Oregon. The brain dead citizens get what they deserve. There are no innocents as far I am concerned. While Kalifornians sat in front of their tv's they lost most everything and the best is yet to come. The corruption in this country defies description and it is time for a royal house cleaning. When the civil war starts I will break out the beer and party. I despise what this country has become. The worse it gets the happier I become. The Kalifornia prison state will go down in flames. F__k you Kalifornia and Oregon I hope you rot for what you have done to so many with your new world order totalitarian government.

[Ted]

My wife is a teacher in So Cal. She has students that fall asleep during class because then have been running in the desert for days to get here. They don't speak English or Spanish. She estimates that 50% of her class is illegal, and that they consume 95% of her time. The tax paying citizens are left with 5% of her time. She says we are going to have a lost generation of students that were denied their education because their teacher is preoccupied with students they cannot communicate with.

I know a lot of you have bleeding hearts, but this cannot continue. California cannot be Mexico's welfare department. Cut the welfare, deport the illegals, cut the excessive state programs, and empower the tax paying citizens