Another 539,000 Americans lost their jobs last month, the U.S Labor Department reported this morning. That’s 2.7 million jobs lost since the beginning of the year and 5.7 million jobs lost since the economy began to slide in late 2007. And California state government continues to live in its alternate universe, pursuing business as usual – while shamelessly cranking out budget shortfalls as far as the eye can see.

If the May 19 ballot measures fail – which now seems likely – the state will run out of money in July, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor warned on Thursday. For the budget year that begins July 1, the deficit is $23 billion, more than 20 percent of the total budget.

When this house of cards comes crashing down, real people will be harmed because of the partisan paralysis in Sacramento. If state leaders are embarrassed by the impending disaster, they are careful not to let on.