CALIFORNIA DREAMING....

[Political Cartoons by Michael Ramirez]

So, what has to happen to make this insane state stumble back into reality? Antipsychotics in the water, perhaps? Happy meals for everyone??

UPDATE: From Betsy:

Alyssia Finley of the WSJ has a great column on how the rest of the country feels about California. She coins the term, the "Lindsay Lohan of states."
Listen up, California. The other 48 states—your cousin New York excluded—are sick of your bratty arrogance. You're the Lindsay Lohan of states: a prima donna who once showed some talent but is now too wasted to do anything with it.

After enjoying ephemeral highs and spending binges, you suffer crashes that culminate in brief, unsuccessful stints in rehab. This cycle repeats itself every five to 10 years, as the rest of the country looks on with a mixture of horror and amusement. We'd feel sorry for you if you didn't constantly flip us the bird.

Instead, we're making bets on how long it will be before your next meltdown. Oh, wait—you're already melting down

And, here's the kind of vapid nincompoop that Californian's seem to regularly elect:

She has a great quote from Gavin Newsom on his victory as Lieutenant Governor. It is vapid and meaningless, even by California standards.

"We're nothing but a mirror of our consistent thoughts. You tend to manifest what you focus on. If you look around for what's wrong, you'll find it. But as all we know up here in San Francisco, when you focus on what's right, you see it all around you. . . . There is absolutely nothing wrong with California that can't be fixed by what's right with California. . . . If you're from another state, you'd love to have the problems of California."

When you elect someone like that to public office, you deserve what you get. And remember, the country just gave the House of Representatives to the GOP who will be quite unlikely to bail you out with federal dollars. You've made your own mess and just reelected as governor the guy who gave public-sector employees collective bargaining rights thus setting you on the path you've trod to insolvency today. Your main benefit to the rest of the country today is as a salutary example to the other states who don't want to party along with the Lindsay Lohan of states.