California Schemin'

You know those deep, painful, nasty budget cuts in California that Gov. Schwarzenegger keeps talking about but wasn't really specific on?

Yeah, meet the specifics.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked lawmakers Friday to eliminate the state's welfare program starting in October and dramatically scale back in-home care for the elderly and disabled as part of his May budget revision to close a $19.1 billion deficit.

The Republican governor also proposed cuts to state worker compensation. Besides asking for a 5 percent pay cut, 5 percent payroll cap and 5 percent increased pension contribution, Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting one day per month of pay in exchange for leave credit.

The proposal would affect all state workers under the governor's authority, regardless of whether they are general fund or special fund employees. Employees would not be able to cash out any of this unused leave credit when they leave state service. The plan would replace the three-day-a-month furloughs, which are due to end June 30.

Schwarzenegger said the sour economy, the failure of the Legislature to make cuts he proposed in January and the federal government's failure to come up with about $7 billion leaves policymakers with no choice but to make deep cuts.

How many other states are going to look at this and go..."You know...we could do this, and people would love us."  Quite a few, I'm thinking...

And in 2010 and 2012, the GOP wants to bring California's budget to the entire country, too.  Great news!

Because hey, the people who lose welfare can just, you know, turn to the UN or something.  Works in Africa, right?