Really? Which democracies have failed because they voted themselves the treasury?
The democracies haven’t failed yet, but Greece is financially screwed and facsist and socialist parties are on the rise.
Greece is screwed because they weren’t collecting taxes, but I assume you’d view the tax evaders there the same way that you hold US tax evaders, i.e., as noble victims? And austerity has just made things worse by increasing unemployment.
Typical libertarian BS - inspite of their dire predictions, they can present no real examples of the supposed negative consequences of the policies they don’t like, and brush away the mountains of examples where their policies have failed. Yet they cling to this fantasy where their policies would create a utopia if only everyone acted in this way that’s completely incompatible with human nature.
It’s 100% a religious faith; there is no logic or reason behind it.
They were also screwed by having an overly generous welfare state, even more generous than other EU members, despite not collecting adequate taxes.
Greece has no option but to do austerity. Are you going to lend them money?
The consequences of government overspending are well known: eventually you run out of other people’s money and are forced to cut back. Then liberals, living in their own utopian ideal, blame the cutbacks for the ensuing misery, rather than the overspending for decades that forced the cutbacks.
I wonder who is to blame for cities in California going bankrupt, or Detroit. Oh wait, bad luck, I forgot. Strange that this “bad luck” never seems to strike red states, who for all of their other deficiencies, don’t run out of money.
Except liberals don’t want to “overspend”, that’s just more strawman nonsense. They do want to collect enough taxes to cover the needed programs that ultimately benefit everyone (far from a “utopian ideal”). It’s conservatives that want to cut taxes endlessly while portraying most government spending as going to some unworthy “other”, though they rarely actually cut anything since they know they’d get voted out of office at the next opportunity. Ergo, massive debt. To attempt to blame that on anything other than conservative policies is delusional.
Ever hear of Prop. 13? You should, since it limited property taxes in California and is directly responsible for the financial crises there. And as I’m sure you know, most red states receive far more from the federal government than they pay in taxes.
Right-wingers are so predictable – they make up their own facts out of nowhere. As often as not, you can just reverse the factoid to estimate the truth!
Here’s a map showing local government bankruptcies over the last 3 years: So Carolina X2, Georgia, Alabama, Texas X2, Oklahoma X2, Idaho X2, … Sure enough; it’s red municipalities that end up in the red. 
If you want to talk cities - from your link, there are 7.
California: 3
Pennsylvania: 1
Rhode Island: 1
Alabama: 1
Idaho: 1
Certainly looks like those gravitate to “blue” - doesn’t it?
Actually there are 33 (7 cities with the rest being municipalities), and they are concentrated in the south and midwest. California does have the most with 4, but it does have a much larger population (and the aforementioned Prop. 13) than, say, South Carolina with 3,or Oklahoma with 2.
ETA: I was wrong. California doesn’t have the most; that appears to be Nebraska with 10. My mistake!
Since we’re pursuing the false right-wing factoid about local and state government debts, it may amuse to consider how California is faring with Democrats in control.
Oh, I love that article so much. “Let us follow the wisdom of Joseph, pay down our debts, and store up reserves against the leaner times that will surely come.” From Gov. Moonbeam, who’s constantly portrayed as being a radical leftie. Somehow I doubt it will stop some people in this thread from claiming all liberals just want to spend spend spend until they create a utopia.
Really, there is no doubt whatsoever that the democrats are the party of fiscal responsibility.
33 what? One is a toll road. Another is a hospital. Etc.
“The map below shows all municipalities filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection since 2010, along with local governments voting to approve a bankruptcy filing”
As I said, one is a toll road. Another is a hospital. Are those “municipalities”?
Try reading the article.
Try looking at the bankruptcies that you’re trying to pretend are “municipalities”. “Off-track Betting Corporation” - is that a “municipality”?
I’m not “pretending” anything, I’m just quoting the article. Sorry if it’s worded in a way you find confusing. AFAICT they are all local government entities that declared bankruptcy. If you want to do some in depth analysis of some of these I’d be happy to look at it.
I know. And it’s really tragic that the Off-track Betting Corp. went bankrupt, dammit.
Actually you are. You said: “Actually there are 33 (7 cities with the rest being municipalities)”. That’s incorrect. There aren’t 33 bankrupt municipalities in that article.
“The map below shows all municipalities filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection since 2010, along with local governments voting to approve a bankruptcy filing.”
So some of these are local governments voting for some subentity of itself to declare bankruptcy to minimize damage. It’s a minor difference. Again, sorry the article that I neither wrote nor posted here is confusing to you.
But sure, keep calling me a liar, it’s not like you’re going to have a real argument anytime soon.
Yes, and I’m sure a number of far more efficient private enterprises popped up to replace those hospitals and sanitation districts.