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News & ArtsTuesday, June 9, 2009
News California's Novel Solution For Closing Their State Budget Gap
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 5:33 PM
Kill Californians.
2
"They're actually thinking of taking away poor people's HIV drugs because the state is broke -- way beyond broke, actually."
Way beyond broke, actually. This kind of thing does suck. But people keep acting shocked and outraged when certain programs get cut. We are in a recession. Hopefully something more viable gets put on the chopping block, but what is the state supposed to do?
Way beyond broke, actually. This kind of thing does suck. But people keep acting shocked and outraged when certain programs get cut. We are in a recession. Hopefully something more viable gets put on the chopping block, but what is the state supposed to do?
3
This is not at all surprising for conservatives to do. They see AIDS as affecting only irresponsible gays (remember, they are permanently stuck 20-30 years in the past). But even beyond that, to them, money is the only important thing in existence. Money trumps health, hands down. Health is something you buy, not something all humans deserve. If you can't afford it, you don't get it.
4
I was really disappointed back in November when the gays of gay-C-A didn't rise up as one and bring the whole state to a grinding shuddering halt with an organized campaign of strikes and civil disobedience to make the Boston Tea Party look like the kinds of tea parties little girls hold in Boston.
I was disappointed then. I won't be quite so disappointed now. But that's what should be done.
I was disappointed then. I won't be quite so disappointed now. But that's what should be done.
6
A cursory Bing'ing of the cost of AIDs drugs shows that they can run from $500 per month to $2000 per month.
You would have to commit yourself to paying that much per person to keeping them alive.
Would you check a box on your paycheck, saying you want to take $500 to $2000 a month out to save one poor person?
Or do you want that new condo and car...
That is the hard question.
You would have to commit yourself to paying that much per person to keeping them alive.
Would you check a box on your paycheck, saying you want to take $500 to $2000 a month out to save one poor person?
Or do you want that new condo and car...
That is the hard question.
7
@4 Although I agree that people should be outraged by this, AIDS really isn't solely a gay issue anymore. People who consider not dying of AIDS to be a right should be protesting, not just gays.
8
Sorry, Dan, I think this is a straw man. California is cutting back *everywhere*. They're going to close some 80% of state parks across the state. They're closing low income clinics, rape crisis centers, trimming the number of school days per year, lunch programs, etc. Basically any service that survives on state funding will have to shutter its doors.
There are many, many things that have contributed to California's imminent bankruptcy, but I don't think that bigotry is at the heart of it.
There are many, many things that have contributed to California's imminent bankruptcy, but I don't think that bigotry is at the heart of it.
9
@8 ftw finally!
I didn't want to state the obvious Dan but my god c'mon! I would hope you would be able to have the foresight to see that every single social service in the state of Kalifornia is being cut to nothing, and noone is playing favorites.
Kalifornia is soon to become a wasteland in more ways than one. The writing is on the wall.
I didn't want to state the obvious Dan but my god c'mon! I would hope you would be able to have the foresight to see that every single social service in the state of Kalifornia is being cut to nothing, and noone is playing favorites.
Kalifornia is soon to become a wasteland in more ways than one. The writing is on the wall.
12
Wow, such hate for gay people and such bitterness over HIV. You're starting to sound like the Ricin Queen.
13
I received multiple e-mails asking me if I was. True story.
And, in case you haven't noticed, I'm bitter with just about everything. But go ahead and continue your cherry picking. It makes you sound better than me (to your peertards), which isn't much of an accomplishment.
And, in case you haven't noticed, I'm bitter with just about everything. But go ahead and continue your cherry picking. It makes you sound better than me (to your peertards), which isn't much of an accomplishment.
14
You think I care? Oh baby, I'm so sorry. Maybe you need a drink or some apple slices or something.
15
Funny thing about closing parks in CA is that they're actually self-sustaining and bring additional dollars to the communities they're in. It's just window-dressing to close them, and will hurt the overall economy.
18
And, in case you haven't noticed, I'm bitter with just about everything.
Women, black people, and AIDS patients is "everything"?
I don't think you would potentially threaten rich white log cabin Republicans with ricin, but it's pretty obvious you were the anonymous racist/nazi troll who mysteriously disappeared the second you came back.
19
Well, you see, women for the most part are stupid. Citation: you. And where do you see me lambasting black people?
Racist/nazi trolll? No, it isn't "pretty obvious," and you just pulled that right out of your ass. Where do you see me admitting to writing the Ricin letters? You just assume so? Are you really saying that you think I wrote the Ricin letters? Based on what? Some half-ass persona that isn't even considered anonymous? How rich. You're so smart! And moody. And dumb. And typical (for a woman).
Here, let me give you something to actually have against me. If you ever see me on the Hill, introduce your ugly face (I can just tell you're hideous, amirite?), and say what you're saying without beating around a bush. Mmkay? Mmkay.
Racist/nazi trolll? No, it isn't "pretty obvious," and you just pulled that right out of your ass. Where do you see me admitting to writing the Ricin letters? You just assume so? Are you really saying that you think I wrote the Ricin letters? Based on what? Some half-ass persona that isn't even considered anonymous? How rich. You're so smart! And moody. And dumb. And typical (for a woman).
Here, let me give you something to actually have against me. If you ever see me on the Hill, introduce your ugly face (I can just tell you're hideous, amirite?), and say what you're saying without beating around a bush. Mmkay? Mmkay.
20
I don't think anyone will die from the ADAP cuts. The Governor is talking about eliminating ADAP so that when they introduce co-pays and cut the formulary (and they're probably talking more about nutritional supplements, and quality-of-life therapies) it won't seem so bad. Called "setting the goal posts." This sucks, but as others have noted, we're in deep, deep financial shit. And mere weeks ago, the good people of California decided to do absolutely nothing at all at the ballot box even though they we were warned that things like this were in the offing. We all get the State legislatures we deserve.
21
So, instead of killing Californians, maybe we could figure out a way for them to save money by doing something really useful - like killing Texans.
22
Everybody really loves what Ahnauld is doing here in California... Like the furloughs... cutting teachers... pissing off nurses... slashing the wages of working class state workers... vetoing gay marriage bills. Twice.
Yep. Way to go, California voters.
Yep. Way to go, California voters.
23
@19: Poe tries so hard, and gets so far.
But in the end, it doesn't really mattuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
But in the end, it doesn't really mattuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
28
Hey, I'd rather babies get immunized and antibiotics. Sorry but babies didn't make bad lifestyle choices to cause their medical issues. Plus, it's not like those meds actually cure AIDS or HIV, they simply delay the inevitable. Once the economy and tax revenues rebound then bring back the boutique entitlements. But for now, keep babies and toddlers alive.
30
FACT: When I lived in CA I was on ADAP. The cost of the ONE pill I took everyday cost the program $1500/month. Without I would be dead now. I think that its time to start waterboarding the drug company leaders!
31
What does Sullivan the Libertarian think of this, Dan? Oh wait--he's a Libertarian: And if they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. This is what libertarianism is; this is what "entitlement reform" entails. Open borders+no minimum wage; no new taxes; minorities tarred as parasites. This is what libertarianism does. You claim to be outraged by this, and yet Sully is listed as a friend of Slog? Spare me.
32
Californian voters rejected measures to raise taxes to close the budget gap. Then they are all shocked, SHOCKED, at each service that gets cut. (I've seen several posts on Slog alone). Everybody thinks their particular service is of some particular importance and therefore can't be cut. I feel for the people in this program, to be sure, but I'd feel a lot more if I weren't equally sure that many of them (and most people like the outraged blogger) voted against tax increases.
33
Yeah ... or we can legalize marijuana and tax the shit out of it. (Yeah, I watched the Daily Show last night and realize this isn't original, but it's a MUCH better plan!)
34
Buy the fucking drugs from Brazil. The problem is the fucking drug companies. They should be threatened with nationalisation.
35
How much more will it cost to take care of these folks when they show up in the hospitals suffering from the opportunistic infections associated with AIDS? I'd imagine it will be considerably more in the long run, especially when on the meds you can contribute to the economy but in a hospital bed you can't.
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