The 📰 media picked up weapons and chose sides, they became combatants just as if a Red Cross medic picked up a weapon on the battlefield.

Talk to California, furlough in public employees for 20% of their salary and cutting their workday to 4 days a week did the trick here several years ago. They got so used to 3 day weekends, they kind of complained about going back to 5.

You have 'em all lumped together in a government is goofy box. Illinois is acting like a Jackass Party Illinois that allows 25% of its of its population to mooch on Medicaid and the New Jersey arrogant ass is an arrogant ass.
Trump is a bit of a loon. I write this the following yet, yet, yet again: I know Trump was a flawed bull in a china shop when I voted for him.
I found The Donald punching CNN (actually an old choreographed stunt with WWE owner Vince McMahon) mildly amusing.
I'm getting used to Trump punching back against the perpetrators of false news.
But I'm far more interested in results that are starting to happen, such as a sharp decrease in illegal border crossings, an economy visibly getting stronger and a VA finally getting straightened out among other things.
I'm well aware everything could suddenly go south but I'm still betting on the loony bull.

Changes to Medicaid under Obamacare is largely responsible for the crushing payments. When people with up to 400% of poverty level income are granted Medicaid (perceived as "free" medical care) we're talking about middle class families with incomes of $60,000 a year. Dropping eligibility back to three times poverty level would definitely help.

The biggest issue facing many states is pensions. Most states recklessly offer fixed percentage outlays with no contribution by their employees. That means the burden of payment falls squarely on the taxpayers. Other problems come from early retirement age (sometimes as low as 50), and crazy pension calculations that sometimes result in retirement income that exceeds the highest employment income.

Now is the time for triage, and letting the states that refuse to face reality sink. While some states' voters will see the light and elect more enlightened political figures, there will be some that collapse to third world state and cry out for the federal government to bail them out. Hopefully the federal government will resist the temptation to play Santa Claus for these wastrels.

This line jumped out at me: "Also, without a budget that includes borrowing to pay down the bill backlog, Illinois by August will run out of money for key expenses for the first time since the stalemate ."

They need to borrow money to pay for things they're behind in paying. Isn't that robbing Peter to pay Paul? Isn't that just kicking the can down the road?

Does it solve even one small problem that OBummer's former state is facing?

Lets add another part of the government dysfunctional puzzle:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/chris-chri...

For those who think Trump is a loon, Christie would have been no better, arrogant ass.

Your points are valid, and illustrate the insane thing accepted for "government". They have a Republican governor and a Democratic house and Senate. They cannot agree on anything for 3 years now, and the state is spinning into bankruptcy. Now, take that to the Federal level and ? The inability to govern should indicate to anyone with basic sense that this sytem and the parties in it are inadequate tot he task, and have placed politics and special interests over the health of the state. A mini Venezuela in motion.... I do not think Trump should be engaged in childish barbs when such situations exist in the country, nor did the Obamanation do anything to help correct his own states mess. One reason for a Convention of States...

From the article, "Tom Yates, one of the lawyers who represented the Medicaid recipients. said the judge’s ruling is a “fair result” that will help them have access to care. “Medicaid is an incredibly important program for 25 percent of the state’s population,” Yates said."

My question: Why is 25% of the state's population dependent on Medicaid? One in four people I see in Illinois is dependent on Medicaid? That seems wrong. Maybe Illinois should not make it so easy to be on Medicaid. 25% on Medicaid +15% employed by government = at least 40% dependent on the government ... not counting a lot of other types of government-dependents.

I think Trump's recent crazy video on Twitter is from 2007 ... right? The crazy part is tweeting it.