The Climate Cabal And California's Ballooning Deficit

 COMMENTARY WND NEWS CENTER

GREEN-ENERGY BOONDOGGLE

Exclusive: Brian Sussman writes about Golden State's ballooning deficit

By Brian Sussman
Published May 15, 2024 at 7:08pm

Twenty-four months ago, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proudly stood before the cameras boasting of his state's financial status. 

"No other state in American history has ever experienced a surplus as large as this," he said.

Newsom's surplus totaled $97.5 billion. 

One year later, the governor presented a 2023-2024 budget that projected a whiplash deficit of $31.5 billion. 

It turns out that forecast was a low-ball. 

As revealed last week, the current budget deficit is now reported to be at least $45 billion.

California's shortfall is an important one to remember going forward as Newsom is widely believed to harbor presidential aspirations.

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How did Newsom and the Democrats, who run the Golden State top to bottom, blow through that gravy? 

The same way liberal politicians always do, with gratuitous handouts designed to maintain voting blocs while simultaneously growing government.

Much of the spending spree went to illegal immigrants. The state constructed hospitality centers at the border to welcome new arrivals, furnishing them with clothing, backpacks, phones, medical exams and tips on how to game the system. 

They introduced comprehensive Medi-Cal health insurance for the undocumented, as well as free debit cards for purchasing groceries to those migrants claiming to be over 55 years old. 

California also became a sanctuary for out-of-staters seeking an abortion and minors desiring "gender affirming" medical assistance without their parents' knowledge. 

Millions have been wasted on "homelessness prevention," and billions spent remodeling public schools and installing artificial turf football fields, all constructed with union labor. 

California even launched a $5.9 billion "transitional kindergarten" program for all public schools, paving the way for progressive indoctrination to begin at the age of 4.

And then there is the always pricey climate agenda. 

In my new book, "Climate Cult: Exposing and Defeating Their War on Life, Liberty, and Property," I detail many useless federal environmental programs instituted by the Biden administration to supposedly combat climate change. 

Just the Inflation Reduction Act alone spends upwards of $250 billion on bogus climate scares. 

Biden wants another term to waste even more taxpayer money on his outrageous plan to spend $1.7 trillion over 10 years on zero-carbon energy.

But back to California, the state that has always been at the forefront of environmental policy. 

The proposed 2024-25 budget is $291 billion. 

Last year the Golden State spent $52 billion on battling climate change; the new budget plans on spending $48.3 billion. 

Lauren Sanchez, the governor's senior climate adviser, called the state's climate budget "a world-leading figure that exceeds many nations'" investments. 

A large portion of that money is being used to replace the state's current fleet of gas and diesel vehicles with expensive electric ones, provide more tax credits for residents who purchase EVs, and subsidize the acquisition and installation costs of home rooftop solar panels. 

There is also $364 million for the ambiguously tagged "Extreme Heat Action Plan" and $475 million for the similarly designated "Climate Innovation Program." 

Finally, there's $221 million to be spent on observing sea-level rise. 

(Given that the oceans have been rising 1-2 millimeters per year since the Ice Age, jobs in this agency must require great patience.) 

All these offices are staffed by activists with otherwise worthless environmental diplomas. 

All that and a pension to boot.

If California operated like a Silicon Valley business, as opposed to Fantasy Island, it would be a cinch to slash their do-nothing, $48 billion climate budget and quickly remedy the state's deficit. 

Heck, they'd even leave the people with a small rainy-day fund in the coffers.

However, as I detail in my book, there's a big problem. 

The climate-change movement is akin to a cult-like religion, and deprogramming this body of believers requires sharing hard, indisputable facts – something the leaders of the climate cabal demand their congregants have nothing to do with.

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