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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: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @06:53PM (4 children)
Oh, dear, now I see why you flunked out of micro-economics.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by tangomargarine on Wednesday July 05 2017, @07:56PM (3 children)
Feel free to enlighten us where he went wrong, O Almighty AC, instead of just pointing and laughing.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 06 2017, @12:04AM (2 children)
He forgot labor! Just like a capitalist apologeticist! He forgot to pay himself for the 10 hours of work, loading, unloading, driving, waiting, and dead-heading back. At a decent minimum wage of $15/hr, he would be -$50 of profits. I do not expect someone this challenged by numbers to stay in business very long. Which is good, because we forgot to factor in unemployment insurance, health insurance, retirement benefits, liability insurance, and Social Security.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by FatPhil on Thursday July 06 2017, @10:41AM
If the man sells the oranges for $150M, and pays himself $15M/hour in wages for those 10 hours of work, would you say he's down $1000 on the day? That's a silly question, your above statement demonstrates that you would say that. And if you wouldn't then that would demonstrate that you are happier contradicting yourself than anything else.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Thursday July 06 2017, @03:28PM
If the guy is working for himself, the profit *is* his pay.
"That's what governments are there for: to get in a man's way."
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"