“There just doesn’t appear to be a way out of this budget mess,” said Marie, putting down the morning paper.

“I agree,” Cal said. “Even after the special election, legislators are having the same arguments as before. How much to cut and can we raise taxes. It will all end up with the voters again.”

“But the voters don’t want it. Wasn’t that one of the lessons of the special election vote. Do your job?”

“Well they did the job, of sorts, but the voters said they didn’t like the job that was done. Seems like the legislators can’t win,” said Cal.

“If it’s going to end up with the voters, anyway, then they should try a new approach,” offered Grady, putting down his drink. “Let the voters do the job themselves. Turn the budget into a reality, like those TV talent contests.”

“What do you think of Arnold’s bear?” asked Marie as she sipped some coffee.

“You mean the bronze grizzly bear the governor bought and placed in front of the governor’s office?” asked Cal.

“Yes. The one he brought back from Aspen.”

“I think lobbyists will rub its nose shiny in hopes of getting their bills signed,” said Cal. “It’s already a must see when touring the capitol. I hear people are talking pictures standing beside it.”

“They better take them fast,” said Grady, “cause the bear won’t be around forever.”

“What do you mean?” asked Marie.

I just received the following letter:

Dear sir:

In a matter of days, you will start receiving $13 per paycheck as part of my ambitious economic stimulus plan. Now that the American taxpayer has invested in your future, I wanted you to know that I have decided that you will no longer be in charge of your family’s finances.

It seems clear that the decisions you have made during the last several years have not been in the best interest of your family and certainly have not been in the best interest of America. Consequently, I am asking you to resign your position effective immediately.

Additionally, you are clearly spending too much of your grocery budget on red meat. It is not healthy and will ultimately lead to increase government expenditures from the Medicare program. Thus, you are to reduce expenditures on red meat and increase expenditures on produce, particularly spinach, which is packed with iron and other important nutrients.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Marie said angrily and banged her fist on the table next to the computer.

“What’s bothering you now?” asked Cal, not looking up from his computer screen.

“I can’t believe out legislators in Sacramento. They struggle with a budget which is $40 billion in the hole; they got no money to pay for the programs they haven’t cut yet, and then they file a whole slew of new bills that require more spending! What world do they live in?”

“Not ours,” said Cal sadly. “They live in a world where in the middle of the worse crisis they can face as a legislator, trying to save the state from bankruptcy, they go off to be wined and dined at some wine country resort.”

“So how bad are they screwing up this time?” asked Grady.

“So they finally finished the budget deal,” said Cal, looking up from his computer as he followed John Myers’ twitter reports. “Let’s get breakfast.”

“First, tell me what I have to pay in taxes,” grumbled Grady. “Way too much, I’m sure.”

Marie said, “Yeah, there’s taxes, but there’s a spending limit too.”

“Only if the voters approve it in the special election,” said Cal.

“Well, at least taxes weren’t as high as they could have been. Instead of raising new taxes, they took money from the revenue in old initiatives for mental health and children’s services,” said Marie.

“Only if the voters approve it in the special election,” said Cal.

“And, the legislators don’t get a raise if the budget is in deficit, that’s a good thing,” said Marie.