Spring Break
Octuplut case, bankrupt Calif., highlight economic woes
Ian Bezek
Issue date: 2/3/09 Section: Opinion
As the economy sinks further into the throes of the worst depression in 75 years, it's important to look at how we got here. Two stories from this week do a good job of summing up the situation.
First off, we learned that the state of California is, for all practical purposes, bankrupt.
As much as I despise California, I must admit that it is still important: It is America's most populous state and, if counted independently, the world's ninth-biggest economy. This giant has been reduced to having to offer employees IOUs instead of money as payment, and it is also stopping welfare checks for the blind, old and disabled, according to the Los Angeles Times.
California already is up to almost $4 billion in unpaid bills. That is $4 billion that needy people were depending on.
To balance the budget, California would have to fire all its government employees, close down all its state prisons and cut off all social services such as health care to the poor. That isn't just a budget cut; it's a complete evisceration.
The worrisome thing is that the federal government is not much better off. Soon, we as a nation will face the impossible choices that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger confronts.
How did California get into this monetary sinkhole? Its problems stemmed from the pervasiveness of the welfare society.
Let's take a look at Nadya Suleman for a clear example of where the entitlement society has taken us.
Suleman is a resident of California. Last week, she gave birth to octupluts, adding eight more children to raise her total to 14.
She is unemployed and unmarried, and she has no way of raising her 14 children. Up until recently, she was also pursuing a master's degree in counseling at a California state-run university. What's an unemployed student doing raising more than a dozen children?
One lady who helped take care of one of Suleman's older children had this to say to the Associated Press: "She told me that all of her kids were through in vitro, and I said 'Gosh, how can you afford that and go to school at the same time?' She said it's because she got paid for it."
First off, we learned that the state of California is, for all practical purposes, bankrupt.
As much as I despise California, I must admit that it is still important: It is America's most populous state and, if counted independently, the world's ninth-biggest economy. This giant has been reduced to having to offer employees IOUs instead of money as payment, and it is also stopping welfare checks for the blind, old and disabled, according to the Los Angeles Times.
California already is up to almost $4 billion in unpaid bills. That is $4 billion that needy people were depending on.
To balance the budget, California would have to fire all its government employees, close down all its state prisons and cut off all social services such as health care to the poor. That isn't just a budget cut; it's a complete evisceration.
The worrisome thing is that the federal government is not much better off. Soon, we as a nation will face the impossible choices that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger confronts.
How did California get into this monetary sinkhole? Its problems stemmed from the pervasiveness of the welfare society.
Let's take a look at Nadya Suleman for a clear example of where the entitlement society has taken us.
Suleman is a resident of California. Last week, she gave birth to octupluts, adding eight more children to raise her total to 14.
She is unemployed and unmarried, and she has no way of raising her 14 children. Up until recently, she was also pursuing a master's degree in counseling at a California state-run university. What's an unemployed student doing raising more than a dozen children?
One lady who helped take care of one of Suleman's older children had this to say to the Associated Press: "She told me that all of her kids were through in vitro, and I said 'Gosh, how can you afford that and go to school at the same time?' She said it's because she got paid for it."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 2/03/09 @ 1:49 AM MST
She need to be sterilized. And whoever implanted her with eight eggs should be in jail.
These kids are going to cost millions of dollars from public assistance. (Continued…)
MountainGoat
posted 2/03/09 @ 1:18 PM MST
Suleman and her children will certainly be a burden to the state of California, but I'm not sure it's the welfare state that is to blame for her situation. (Continued…)
Grad Student
posted 2/03/09 @ 1:46 PM MST
Not that I disagree with the content of this article but come on at least get the spelling of OCTUPLETS correct. You are making CSU look bad.
Tabitha
posted 2/20/09 @ 5:43 PM MST
I heard the mom of the octuplets has her own website. Anyone know how to find it?
I think this whole thing is obscene and agree with Craig Hawley.
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