Graphic of the Day: Map of States Financial Health

You could make a very similar map to the one below (source here) by coloring Democratically controlled states Yellow and Republican controlled states green. You could do something similar by coloring the states that took the Obamacare SCOYUScare Medicaid expansion as opposed to those that declined. My state of Kentucky, which has had a democrat as governor for years, is an embarrassing 45 out of 50. We can change that this November by electing Matt Bevins.

Think the last bailout was bad? How Does $3 trillion for unions sound?

State government pension plans are in such bad shape, eliminating early retirement and raising the retirement age to 74 would still leave them $1 billion in the hole. If Democrats have any say, Federal taxpayers will foot the bill.

The Hill reported:

Labor groups will be invited to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to talk about an alarming shortfall in state employee pension plans that some believe could lead to a new government bailout.

Randy Johnson, the Chamber’s senior vice president for Labor, Immigration and Employee Benefits, told The Hill the total shortfall for state pension funds could run as high as $3 trillion.

A Chamber spokesperson said the event is in the early stages of development and that it is unclear which unions would be invited to participate or when the session would be held.

Barack Obama's home state of Illinois "near the point of fiscal disintegration"

If you think California is in bad shape financially, Barack Obama's home state of Illinois isn't much better off. Forty-six percent of their $28 billion budget is a deficit.

Barack Obama's home state of Illinois is near the point of fiscal disintegration...

The state has been paying bills with unfunded vouchers since October. A fifth of buses have stopped. Libraries, owed $400m (£263m), are closing one day a week. Schools are owed $725m. Unable to pay teachers, they are preparing mass lay-offs. "It's a catastrophe", said the Schools Superintendent.

In Alexander County, the sheriff's patrol cars have been repossessed; three-quarters of his officers are laid off; the local prison has refused to take county inmates until debts are paid.

On top of this, the Chicago Tribune has reported Illinois has the poorest funded pension systems in the nation. Soon, Illinois may run out of budget gimmicks and financially disintegrate.