Troy Senik, a 2005 graduate of Belmont’s Political Science program, was a guest on the “Glenn Beck” program on Feb. 5. Senik, a contributing editor for the Center of Individual Freedom in California, spoke on California’s current fiscal crisis.
Senik told Beck, “The reality is, in California… the legislature has taken one of the 10 biggest economies in the world and managed to saddle up with some of the highest sales taxes, the highest income taxes, the highest car taxes that are around, and they’ve still driven it to the verge of bankruptcy… Our deficit, what we weren’t able to pay, is the same size of the economy of Croatia.”
When Beck asked if the rest of the country was bailing California out, Senik replied, “Well, it’s getting a certain amount of federal assistance. It hasn’t gotten as much as it would like and hopefully it won’t… I think that it would inspire a popular backlash, not only because we’ve been on display for the entire nation as an example of failed government, but also, California has that cultural thing about it that, you know, we have always given off this vibe that we’re just going to do whatever we want. And in this case, we’ve done it to complete excess. And I think the rest of the nation rightly thinks, ‘You guys need to sober up.’”
Senik has served as a speechwriter for former President George W. Bush, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Belmont University and his master’s degree from Pepperdine University.
