California

It hurts to have to concur with this:

Anyone who has dealt with a loved one deeply involved in some destructive behavior understands that there's only so much you can do until the person hits whatever low point is necessary to spark a commitment to turn things around.

I think of my beloved California in the same light. What a great state, but it remains on a collision course with reality. We can't keep spending money we don't have, punishing those who pay the bills and ignoring the advice of truth tellers. Californians are known for crafting new realities, but the financial markets are immune to Disney-like fantasies. Eventually, the fiscal self-destruction has to stop – and adults have to step in with an intervention to divert our state from its dangerous path.

My liberal friends insist that our once-and-future-governor Jerry Brown will be able to work with the legislature in a way that Schwarzenegger could not. While that may be so, I just don't see him convincing them to give up their profligate ways and returning to some sort of reality. He's going to convince them to give up their high? Well, only Nixon could go to China, or so they say, and I'll give Brown credit if he can pull this off, but don't think I'll be holding my breath.