Image by The New York TimesImage by 20081117-budget.jpg A partial of an excellent graphic illustrating revenue shortfall per person. Bigger circles mean more hurt per person.

I've been blathering on all month about how bad our budget cuts are, but we're certainly not the only state suffering.

And The New York Times has a great graphic and story illustrating that point. In part:
The astonishing decline in revenues is without modern precedent here, but California is hardly alone. A majority of states -- many with budgets already full of deep cuts and dependent on raiding rainy-day funds or tax increases -- are scrambling to find ways to get through the rest of the year without hacking apart vital services or raising taxes.

So, yes, it's important to remember when criticizing our Legislature that they weren't the only ones blindsided. But, going after where they're choosing to cut is still more than fair game.

But South Carolina wasn't the worst in the southeast: Alabama, Georgia, and Florida all showed the Palmetto State up in budget deficits per person -- but that's not saying too much when both Mississippi and Arkansas show you up (I know, that's an unfair dig).