Open Thread for Night Owls, Early Birds & Expats

At the Calitics blog, Robert in Monterey writes:

Arnold's Plan: Destroy Public Schools The details of Arnold's budget plan are in and it is even more insane than we thought. His budget includes large cuts to public schools, which are bad enough in their own right. But the specific kinds of cuts are going to trigger a snowball effect that could destroy public schools in California - and I don't believe that's an exaggeration. California schools could eliminate a week of instruction and increase class sizes next year under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's new plan for solving the state's budget crisis. Vowing to give schools maximum flexibility to cut costs, the proposal unveiled Wednesday also would allow districts to eliminate one of two science courses required for high school graduation. Schwarzenegger's plan would provide no teacher salary increases, eliminate a program providing subsidies to overhaul low-performing schools, and suspend participation in a program encouraging teachers to obtain national certification. In and of themselves these cuts are damaging and reckless. California students need MORE science instruction, not less, if they're going to be globally competitive. Cutting instruction isn't going to help students learn more, and will lead to corner-cutting by teachers and administrators alike.

The tiniest bit of sympathy can be raised for Governor Schwarzenegger in that his Republican fellows in the state legislature are even worse than he when it comes to budget-cutting ideas. They have been the chief obstructionists in getting a budget compromise passed in a state facing gargantuan deficits because of the tanking of the economy.

For many of them, however, economic problems present a glorious opportunity to do what surely must be music to Grover Norquist's ears - gutting social services and public education.

Already, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 30 states have reduced services, including those to the most vulnerable citizens. A few states, unlike California because of the troglodytic obstructionists - have raised taxes or fees to help meet their budget crunches. Even with new revenue, there will probably be additional cuts as states see their overall revenues drop even more than they already have because of the plunge in real estate values as well as reduced income and sales tax collections because of higher unemployment. The center points out:

Public health programs: At least 19 states have proposed or implemented cuts that will affect low-income children’s or families’ eligibility for health insurance or reduce their access to health care services.  For example, Rhode Island eliminated health coverage for 1,000 low-income parents; South Carolina is limiting coverage for many services, such as psychological counseling, physicians visits, and routine physicals; and California and Utah are reducing the types of services covered by their Medicaid programs. Additionally, the governor in California has proposed cuts that, when fully phased in, would cause more than 400,000 adults to be denied health coverage. ... K-12 education:  At least 20 states are cutting K-12 and early education.  For example:  Florida, Georgia, Maine and South Carolina have each cut school aid by an estimated $95 or more per pupil; Nevada eliminated funds for gifted and talented programs;  Rhode Island is eliminating early education funding for 550 children; and Massachusetts is reducing funding for a number of early care programs. Six states have cut K-12 funding mid-year, potentially putting a tremendous strain on local school districts.

Most states are legally barred from running deficits, although some do fancy footwork to get around those provisions, California doing some of the most intricate. Only a federal rescue plan, as complex and controversial as that would certainly be, is likely to bring any good news to those most likely to take it in the neck because their state governments are in such straits.  

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The Overnight News Digest is posted and includes the story Australia would possibly allow a certain number of Guantanamo Bay inmates to settle there.