"Wait, I have a good idea. Let's legalize all of them! That will surely help the unemployment rate. And when we "bring them out of the shadows" they won't need welfare anymore. Problem solved!"

LOLOLOL You are just too funny.

What's really funny is watching all these guys who've set themselves up for failure squirming on the hook and trying to come up with workable solutions to their problems...and only coming up with the same, tired, non-working solutions they've tried before while still ridiculing the solutions other states that are surviving the economy are trying to give them.

It's like watching a drowning man avoiding the life preserver thrown to him, while he complains that someone was trying to hit him in the head with it.

"Email alert: There has been a posting on Broadsheet.

Women-Hating Trolls, the time is yours."

You misunderstand. We don't hate women. What we can't stand is someone pointing their fingers at us and saying we haven't been stepping up when we've been constantly told we're irrelevant. That it's her body and we should have no say in whether she has an abortion or not because we're "just the sperm donor". That even if she does have the child, whether we wanted her to or not, we are responsible for it's financial security...but we are still irrelevant and unnecessary as a component of a healthy family.

And THEN to be told we're not stepping up...that WE are falling down on the job. The hypocrisy is what chafes!

"Everyone seems to understand that higher taxes on cigarettes cause reduced smoking. Just as certainly, higher taxes on working cause reduced work."

My GOD...someone here who UNDERSTAND economics! I was beginning to wonder if someone like you EXISTED here Natty-J!

You just renewed my faith in the logic of mankind! Thanks!

"yeah, and all the while claiming that California is failing because of its "Republican" governor, nicely ignoring the fact that Arnold's policies are pure liberal."

Ironically, I even warned people that Arnold was a liberal in a conservative's clothing, as it were. I was lambasted and told I was irritating people...even got banned from a website because of it, even though I didn't use any offensive language at all. I wonder if they can hear me NOW. LOL

"Everyone seems to understand that higher taxes on cigarettes cause reduced smoking. Just as certainly, higher taxes on working cause reduced work."

I'd like to appropriate this one too, if you don't mind Nat

"Moving isn't that simple. In the first place, there is high unemployment pretty much everywhere. In the few places where unemployment isn't high, it is rising."

Granted, but sitting where you are and gripping about the situation doesn't help. Getting out and looking, even if on the internet, might.

"In the second place, a lot of people who are out of work own their homes. They can struggle along paying the mortgage while they look for work, but with housing prices the way they are they aren't going to find a lot of buyers unless they sell very cheap - probably not for enough to even pay off the mortgage."

Or one of the family can go somewhere else and work and then they can decide whether to sell their home or stick it out until things get better back home. NOT the ideal solution but it will keep them afloat until the economy gets better.

"Third, family obligations often preclude moving long distances. There are families to take care of, other spouses who are working (not necessarily for enough to support the family - but income is income)."

I didn't say it would be easy...just that sitting still and whining doesn't fix anything.

"Finally, money... if you're so broke that you can't afford food, then how on earth are you going to be able to afford to rent a truck and move to a new city, not even knowing if you're going to be able to find a job, knowing with certainly that any safety net you have in terms of unemployment/welfare will end the moment you cross the state line?"

You find a way to get there. Hell, if you have to hitchhike - well, that is said with a grain of salt as it's incredibly dangerous doing that...but you find a way to get to where the work is. You do it because your family depends on you.

"Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is a great idea if you have bootstraps. But the entire nation is in recession, not just California."

I understand that...but waiting on someone else to bail you out doesn't cut it. Look, I'm not saying it's easy. Heck, I work three jobs to help support my family...one full time and two part time...and it's looking like I'll have to put even more time in on my part time jobs to make it..but I'll do it because my family depends on me!

"Hey, don't forget, Salon's best and brightest agree: the only way for the Republican party to stay relevant is to move to the CENTER and be JUST like Arnold!"

Well there's your answer - Salon's best and brightest agree. LOL