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all the more reason for Californians to retire to Florida or some other state where they won't have to help pay for everybody else's retirement. Its really abo

all the more reason for Californians to retire to Florida or some other state where they won't have to help pay for everybody else's retirement. Its really about time the taxpayers were put in charge of what is spent and borrowed. The interests of legislators and taxpayers are clearly not aligned. Switzerland has referendums on everything the legislature does and so can we. Most of these ridiculously expensive commitments and the gymnastics undertaken to hide them would be stomped in the polls. If we copied Switzerland's system in general, a lot of things would begin to improve. With more things under local control, there would be less shifting of costs to the unsuspecting.

mrcharles 17y ago
More like "All the more reason to create your own retirement fund". I live in Canada, but I don't trust that the CPP will be around when I'm old enough to qualify. I have my own retirement plan started, and frankly, I expect to die coding anyway, so I might as well make money off that till the end. I don't really understand how people can trust these systems to begin with. People have this mistaken idea that the money you pay in just gets set aside for you later -- that's rarely the case. You are often paying for retirees right now, and young people will be paying for you later. I don't know what the makeup of the Canadian government will be in 5 years, let alone in 30+. It seems foolish to trust a public pension program.
Lewisham 17y ago
Part of California's problems (certainly not all!) are exactly because the taxpayers have too much control of what is spent and borrowed. The number of social welfare things that appear on the ballot when voting time comes around is crazy, but no-one will vote for the taxes required to support them. Only if the state politicians had full control of the books could they say "there's no money for this" and not have their hands forced by the voter to spend money they don't have. Californians want a welfare state, but won't pay for it, and you can't have it both ways (personally, I prefer the welfare state and higher taxes, but that's just me).
- stretchwithme 17y ago
  which is why I think we should consider radical decentralization too. The Swiss have another great thing too with their decentralized cantons. You can actually LEAVE your canton and join another one. Or start a new one. This is the ultimate in discipline for government. Competition!
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]

mrcharles 17y ago

More like "All the more reason to create your own retirement fund". I live in Canada, but I don't trust that the CPP will be around when I'm old enough to qualify. I have my own retirement plan started, and frankly, I expect to die coding anyway, so I might as well make money off that till the end. I don't really understand how people can trust these systems to begin with. People have this mistaken idea that the money you pay in just gets set aside for you later -- that's rarely the case. You are often paying for retirees right now, and young people will be paying for you later. I don't know what the makeup of the Canadian government will be in 5 years, let alone in 30+. It seems foolish to trust a public pension program.

Lewisham 17y ago

Part of California's problems (certainly not all!) are exactly because the taxpayers have too much control of what is spent and borrowed. The number of social welfare things that appear on the ballot when voting time comes around is crazy, but no-one will vote for the taxes required to support them. Only if the state politicians had full control of the books could they say "there's no money for this" and not have their hands forced by the voter to spend money they don't have. Californians want a welfare state, but won't pay for it, and you can't have it both ways (personally, I prefer the welfare state and higher taxes, but that's just me).

stretchwithme 17y ago
which is why I think we should consider radical decentralization too. The Swiss have another great thing too with their decentralized cantons. You can actually LEAVE your canton and join another one. Or start a new one. This is the ultimate in discipline for government. Competition!
deleted 17y ago
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