To make it short and simple: The Democrats, assuming the tech boom would go on forever, went nuts on spending, including hiring thousands of government employees. Had spending simply held pace with inflation and population, we would be looking at a considerable surplus right now. When the boom went away, the revenues leveled off, but the spending shot past it quite a ways before someone got a clue. I wish I could find a copy of the graph that was in the Mercury News tracking tax revenues and spending over the past four years. It is quite instructive.

Naturally, solving the problem by simply cutting the excess spending is tantamount to admission that the Democrats are responsible for the current situation, and they would rather be flayed and dragged across the Utah Salt Flats behind wild horses.

So, the Democratic take is that obviously, if spending isn't the main issue, taxes just aren't high enough. Proposition 13 is under constant attack (and has been for years), and attempts are being made to raise taxes on almost all levels. I don't know all the details--Sacramento is a complete zoo right now, and it would be a full-time job following it. Real issues like workman's compensation reform are being ignored.

I do know that the government appetite for money is limitless. Literally limitless. If we had been bringing in ten times the revenue, I guarantee you that with Davis in office and the Democrats running the show, we would STILL be looking at a deficit. The highway guard rails would be made of titanium, but we would be looking at a deficit.

The voters are not blameless. They vote for the goodie distributors. And every damn bond issue that promises to Save The Fuzzy Puppies gets passed in the propositions. Most people still don't see bonds as anything but free money. They don't see the California Credit Card being maxed out.