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The World Socialist Web Site reports
Three US states--New Jersey, Maine, and Illinois--with a combined population of 23 million people entered a new fiscal year [July 1] without a state budget, forcing widespread shutdowns of public services, state offices, and schools, as well as the closure of state parks on the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
In a fourth state, Connecticut, Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy ordered across-the-board spending cuts totaling $2.1 billion after the legislature failed to pass a balanced budget. Malloy's cuts include the elimination of summer youth employment programs and rental assistance for low-income families, as well as a reduction in education funding.
Six more states entered the new fiscal year without a final budget, but without, as yet, any significant shutdown of state services: Delaware, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Cuts are to be expected in all of these states if new budgets are not enacted by July 5, the first workday after the holiday.
[...] In a display of elitist arrogance, [Republican Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey] spent the weekend with his family at an official residence in a state park that had otherwise been closed to the public by his own executive order.
[...] In Maine, Republican Governor Paul LePage ordered the first statewide shutdown of government services since 1991 after the legislature failed to bow to his demand that it adopt a new, two-year, $7 billion budget without any tax increases.
In a brazenly antidemocratic action, LePage and Democratic and Republican state legislators had already agreed that the new budget would repeal a measure approved last November by the votes of more than 357,000 people in a statewide referendum. The referendum imposed an additional three percent income tax on the wealthiest state residents--those who make more than $200,000 a year--to increase funding for public education.
Additional Coverage: ABCNews
(Score: 2) by Lagg on Wednesday July 05 2017, @05:56PM (3 children)
Do people like Christie realize this is what they are though? The last few elections and associated controversy have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that these people don't think on the same plane you do.
Also, he was pretty flagrant about how the media would "get a pulitzer" as if they're pests bothering him on his beach. I personally think his partly-by-luck success has made him think in the same vein as the president. People calling him out are just a minority of detractors. He's actually top shit. Because why else would he have all that money and power? Seems like this is at least an approximation of his mindset:
There's a pretty serious infestation of deteriorating minds in the US government at the moment. How unfortunate.
http://lagg.me [lagg.me] 🗿
(Score: 3, Insightful) by fustakrakich on Wednesday July 05 2017, @06:26PM
these people don't think on the same plane you do.
They are sociopaths, and they win.
The lapdog press asks Christie if it was fair. Dumbasses... They should ask the public if this will affect their vote next season. Chances are it won't, but it's worth asking to get it on record. The sociopaths will keep on winning because the voters really aren't that different. The politicians are the result, not the cause.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @07:01PM (1 child)
Why didn't the Coast Guard just tow him off the beach?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @07:40PM
The government org in charge of making that call was closed due to budget cuts?