In my long running series of anti-stupid posts, here is yet another remark on the stupid furloughs. You know, the ones that end up costing us more than we save. Yes, that kind of incredibly ridiculous stupid that can only come from the ideological black hole that seems to have taken up residence in the Horseshoe.
Furloughs of the state workers who carry out federally-funded benefit programs have delayed delivery of monthly checks to people with disabilities and impeded an already slow system for getting cash assistance to jobless Californians, according to a new report by the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes.
The oversight office found great frustration among federal officials, one of whom decried the furlough policy as a “ridiculous” impediment to benefits that can keep the most vulnerable Californians from homelessness.
The report analyzes the effect of furloughs on the unemployment insurance program and two Social Security Administration programs that serve people with long-term disabilities.
All three programs are paid for with federal dollars. So cutting by 14 prercent the pay of the state workers who administer them does nothing to help the state’s general fund or cash flow. In fact, the report concludes, the three-day-per-month furloughs will cost California an estimated $18 million to $31 million in lost state worker salaries by July 2010, when furloughs are scheduled to end. (CapWeekly)
Of course, Arnold will come back with something like this: we can’t shield state workers from the hard economy. Yada, yada, yada. Yet, this isn’t about shielding anybody, it is about delivering services that Californians desperately need. And if these federally funded workers are furloughed, they can’t provide these services.
We save no money, none, zip, zilch, by having these furloughs, yet we reduce the capacity of our state government. Sounding pretty Shock doctrine-y there, isn’t it? Long story short, we have Arnold once again putting his ideology over the best interest of the state. Same ol’ story, I guess.
Arnold’s budget cutting and the weak deal on health care reform have the same root; we no longer have a government run by majority rule.
Instead, a vocal minority can dig in its heals, enshrine its ideology and bend government to its will.
In CA’s case, it means bankruptcy and loss of services from health care to the disabled to educating the next generation of leaders and innovators.
What could be more backward?
Let’s return to majority rule.
instead of closing 3 days a month might have been less problematic.
But the overtime would still have been needed, so where is the cost savings?
Doesn’t make sense.