[quote=Jazzman]
Another major problem is explaining the problem, which you need to do if you’re going to provide a fix. “We’re in debt up to our eye balls, the US economy will crash, taxes must go up, and costs must be slashed”. So everyone gets it, but you are still left with a divided government and special interests. Introduce a parliamentary system?
[/quote]

Best case is probably something like Greece. Default on most of the former obligations and balance the budget via tax hikes and spending cuts. You go into a pretty deep depression but democracy is maintained and eventually things clear up and we grow again. In essence everything becomes pay as you go. Can’t pay for that level of service now than it won’t be available.

Worst case is some kind of hyper inflationary event caused by the government trying to print those promises. That would likely be followed by some kind of revolution where we end up with some kind of dictator that appeals to the masses or the states splinter off.

I figure whatever happens CA will probably go hard core socialist whether it’s with the nation as a whole or by itself.