- Benefits Neither Public Nor Good

Interesting piece on how the High Tax - High Benefit model chosen by blue states like California and New Jersey, just doesn't seem to work out:

California's interlocking directorate of government employee unions, issue activists, careerists and campaign contributors has become increasingly aggressive and adept at using rhetoric extolling public benefits for all to deliver targeted advantages to itself. As a result, the political reality of the high-benefit/high-tax model is that its public goods are, increasingly, neither public nor good. Instead, the beneficiaries are the providers of the public services, and certain favored or connected constituencies, rather than the general population.

I know the feeling. But when 1 in 9 people in the state work for the government (not counting teachers), it's almost impossible to elect someone who isn't on their side. Anyone who tries to run on the side of the taxpayer starts the election with a roughly 16% disadvantage in the polls.

I think Chris Christy will get elected. I'm certainly going to vote for him. But if a few years from now you're wondering why he didn't manage to get anything done, that's why.