Three simple numbers explain how the state’s finances have been wrecked. We saw similar numbers just before the Davis collapse and they’re back. In this case, they’re 20, 29 and 33.

During the four years of the Schwarzenegger administration, inflation and population have grown at a combined rate of 20 percent. Even after accounting for the recent revenue downturn, our revenues have still vastly outstripped this pace, growing 29 percent in the same period. Anyone who blames inadequate revenue for the state’s budget woes is obviously being driven by ideology and not reality.

The problem is that while revenues have grown 29 percent, spending has increased by 33 percent.

In other words, “It’s The Spending, Stupid.”

Citizens for the California Republic

This is the guy that should have been elected Governor of the People’s Republic of Kalifornia. He narrowly lost being elected Lt. Governor last year. A strong fiscal conservative is the only kind of person who can clean up the mess that has become of the Golden State. Actually, it will probably take a few fiscal conservatives to get elected concurrently to fix the fiscal mess left behind by Gray Davis and Ah-nuld.