Why are state and federal budgets in peril? Don't worry, you won't get a convoluted, technical answer here. It's because the employees - and the idiotically unsustainable pay structures they have built - are both essentially garbage!
The entire system is designed to extort from non-governmental revenue streams.
Everybody who is a government employee knows (or thinks they know something they don't) that it is their job to extort and process extortion. These jobs are invariably referred to as 'cake' jobs. Thus, wouldn't we all want a government job? Of course, because they aren't really 'jobs' at all - they're 'cake ' positions of extortion.
And that's why the budgets are fucked - because those who make up the system are fucked too. Of course, not every government employee is completely fucked. Each is unique and some work hard. But you'll never hear an honest government employee say that the system isn't fucked - and that's because the system most definitely is fucked.
Those who 'work' there know this better than anyone, and that's the basis of this piece. The only people who want to 'fix' it are those who don't benefit from how fucked it is - namely, the general population.

Those of us with our heads out of the sand know that there is a big to-do in Copenhagen. Apparently over 5,000 journalists including the Exploited Times are covering this media circus. Diplomats from around the world have flown, swum, jogged, cycled, surfed, scuba'd, and dirigible'd their ways here, purportedly to discuss climate change remedies. But in reality they are here to figure out new ways to consolidate more of the world's resources into their own hands. These resources will be hoarded - and diplomats, their families, and associates in industry will sequester themselves, like so much carbon, safely behind the locked gates of wealth. Make no mistake, this will be done at the expense of the failing masses of humanity, left to grovel in famine and poverty until they perish. The greatest error of these masses is the entrusting of their pitiful lives to these uncaring diplomats posing as well-intentioned leaders. The masses aren't scared and can easily be pacified by simple lies put forth in media headlines. In fact, it is these diplomats and industry leaders who are scared shitless. For it is they who actually stand to lose something. It is these greedy power mongers who control all the resources on the planet- and they know all too well how depleted we really are. The powerful are the ones who can afford to conduct the insanely expensive studies that reveal the real truth. So these so-called leaders know there is no time left and they must seize control from the people now, or the people will use up all the resources for themselves and leave the rich out in the cold with the rest of us. For these elite power players, that is the most frightening thing of all, and they will stop at nothing to keep it from happening. The end of the world is nigh, and it will be much less painful for those who can hoard the food and water behind locked gates with armed guards. Paper money, stocks, bonds, sports cars, jewelry- all worthless. Real commodities like food, water and fuel for armament to protect it are all that matters. The diplomats in Copenhagen know this well. But do you?

It seems most wars are entered in the interest of protecting people and ways of life.
Based on this idea, the ultimate position of strength would be to avoid engagement.
If an army's strength is measured in fatalities and supplies, lack of engagement would provide a full supply stock and zero fatalities.
No war profiteering though. Damn, that sounded like a good idea!

What if, on Saturdays and Sundays, the legions of minivans and mega-passenger vehicles, transporting families to kid competitions- just stayed home?
Is swarming the asphalt with SUV's and marching kids out to a water-guzzling maintenance quagmire- all for the common excuse, 'just to get some exercise'- a sustainable practice?
Do kids need to line up against each other- like Democrats versus Republicans- wearing fancy uniforms (soon to be thrown out)- in order to get a little exercise?
How much energy could be saved if the uniforms, the minivans, the referees, the 14-foot-radius gas-guzzling grass cutters, the fossil-fuel fired electric water pumps, the swaths of Chinese folding chairs and screaming parents- didn't constantly run like an idling motor?
This charade apparently dictates the superiority of the victor- the uniforms, the parents, the coaches- as determined by the all-mighty score in points.
And it's really fun, too.
Does it prepare our youth for leadership and competition, such as that shown by state officials in California?
What if the families figured out they could actually get exercise- no uniforms, referees or scores even required- in and around their neighborhoods? Even without the use of Chinese workout machines stored in the garage? If the neighborhood is the kind where one is liable to get run over by a fanatical soccer mom SUV going 60 MPH, is it possible to run or jump rope in place?
Instead we travel by motorized coach to a designated far-away place to exercise, the potential exercise in travelling notwithstanding.
The point is our culture is very busy employing bonehead mechanisms for bonehead reasons. One might say we are boneheads, and it is this self-scrutiny that can lead to the positive change our kids need to survive. Currently, it is doubtful we could be more inefficient if we tried.
It's not just our cars and light bulbs that are inefficient- it's our culture. The way we live our lives is inefficient.
It is not uncommon for people to drive 30 minutes or more for a 1 hour exercise session. Both ways, the commute can exceed the class time. One could do exercise on the floor and never even get in the car, gain an hour out of traffic and save fuel, money and carbon output.
But there is no time or place in this culture for making sense, and we know that many drive to exercise- simply to avoid the guilt of not driving to exercise.
In fact, this culture assumes that anyone walking is very poor and cannot afford to drive, and we must feel sorry for that obvious loser.
Rides are given as favors to those in need.
Perhaps we could do ourselves a favor and learn how to walk again.
Now, if we could only figure out how to catch a ride to wherever it is we want to walk...

The global "effort" to curb emissions has been steadily working backwards, and the US is the leader of the anti-environmental movement.
The much-ballyhooed issue has been recognized by the global scientific community since the 1970's, and since that time damage to the planet has been increased exponentially.
Convicted felons have been treated with more respect than our scientists.
As long as deception and paralysis are the top functions of world leaders, no positive progress can be made. As elected representatives of the people, something besides deception and paralysis needs to be demanded from our do-nothing politicians. They are NOTHING BUT SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE, so let's get to serving!
These politicians claim responsibility and leadership for the people, but hide in their mansions with no transparency!
By all service accounts, these politicians are nothing more than an unacceptable waitstaff that needs to be fired.
Get 'em outta here, the sooner the better.
That's the first step to fixing this country.

A scary exercise is to track your paycheck to the top and see where the money is really being generated.
This is not for the faint of heart, so if you're in denial like most of us you might want to stay there.
Sad chances are those wages are tracked to a source that is in one way or another either fucking over yourself, someone else, or both!
Don't despair, this is human nature.
But for the sake of efficiency at least, why do we fuck ourselves?
We wish we had the answer, but this is just one self-inflicted cycle: Corporate Food Supply- Sick Nation - Big Pharma-Healthcare for Profit.
Seems like a cycle to inflict on enemies. So obvious, so dumb.
Lucky we've got razor-sharp reps to take care of this stuff in our best interests.
Hey Mike Duvall, can you help us out?