Is that really a good idea?

Our state governor race is just beginning to heat up.  I saw my first candidate ad on television this morning and it was no suprise the word conservative was blasted over it about 50 times.  I had the tv on mute, so I was just reading, but I definitely got that he would be Alabama's conservative choice (although I don't catch his name...hmm...).  The other thing I caught?  That he would cut spending.  This is where I'm really doubting this guy's strategy.

Is it convservative to say you'll "cut spending"?  Sure.  Is this a conservative state?  Certainly.  Do Alabama voters want someone to say they'll cut spending?  I'm not so sure they do.  They want the federal government to cut spending.  They make that pretty loud and clear.  But state spending?  That's another story.

The state has been running on a multi-million (maybe billion?  I admit I didn't do research here) budget deficit for several years and this year is supposed to just be worse.  We have been hit very hard by unemployment and Medicaid and seem to be counting the tax revenue to the cent.  Programs receiving only a 10-16% cut have been considered the big winners.  And these are the good, evidence-based common sense ones.  Right now, even the most liberal members of the State House are looking for social programs to cut to keep us afloat.  (Granted - there are still some things with debatable protection.).  The state is very seriously faced with having to decide which AIDS patients will no longer receive medication through the AIDS Drug Assistance Program - meaning budgets are already cut to the point where some people could die, or at least become very ill.  And, there have already been lay-offs at state agencies and universities.  Not to mention we have one of the highest percentages of kids enlisted in school lunch programs, which is expected to increase because of our poverty rate - so we can't cut there.  Then there is the gambling hubaloo.

Okay, I'm ranting - but what is my purpose here?  My purpose is to say that I'm not sure this guy is going with the best strategy to appeal to the state's conservatives (much less the moderates or undecideds).  I'm thinking he should say he'll get the state some jobs and revenue so it can have a budget before he cuts it.

(I'm no economist.  And I don't know much about fiscal policy.  I'm fully aware of this.  Just saying.)