So I'm looking at my referrer logs and one thing leads to another which leads to this. I must confess that I don't often venture into the far left side of the blogosphere because there is a plague of Bush Derangement Syndrome which is not conducive to rational thought.

That having been said, Sean023's (why don't these people use their real names?) analysis of the reason behind California's financial crisis is hilarious.

The most depressing news of the night is that Proposition 56 in California is apparently going down to a resounding defeat. The proposition would have decreased the majority required in the legislature to pass a budget from 66% to 55%. Democrats were pushing for the proposition because the Republicans' refusal to accede to any type of tax increase is one of the primary causes of California's massive fiscal crisis.

That's right, California's budget troubles are because the GOP refuses to raise taxes. It has absolutely nothing to do with spending. As the tech boom filled the state's coffers, the Democrat-controlled legislature threw money around like, to use a favorite of Sen. John McCain, a drunken sailor on leave. When the bubble burst, instead of cutting back on their spending, the Democrats decided to raise taxes. The Republicans held out for spending cuts. Since all spending is good, then anyone who opposes them must be bad.

I am extremely disconcerted about the performance of proposition 56. It seems to me that its rejection was an indication that Southern California suburban voters are very susceptible to the irrational anti-tax arguments that Republicans like to throw around. The anger in California about these fiscal issues does not auger well for Bush's chances in the state because of his fiscal profligacy.

This is the liberal-elite view of the world: If you don't let us raise your taxes you're "irrational."

The other amusing "analysis" here has some basis in truth, but doesn't really work. Yes, fiscal conservatives certainly have a bone to pick with President Bush. He hasn't vetoed a single bill, even though some of them were absolutely begging for it (e.g. the farm bill). The problem is, Bush is going to be running against Sen. John Kerry, who is also not a fiscal conservative. In fact, as the Washington Post has pointed out, not even Kerry's theoretical plan adds up -- let alone what it will look like after the Congress gets through with it.

To summarize the major candidates on fiscal responsibility: Bush bad; Kerry worse.