If you wonder why state politicians are hopelessly indecisive – and gridlocked – the newest Field Poll provides guidance. The survey finds most Californians want to balance the state budget by cutting spending, but the same folks can’t say where they would cut the budget. They only know they oppose cuts for for education, health care, law enforcement, higher education, mental health and other major programs.

In other words, Californians want to cut spending except for all the programs contained in the state budget.

Say what? All by itself, this explains why the state faces a $17 billion budget shortfall.

In the past, polls showed most Californians favored a combination of new taxes and spending cuts to balance the budget. Now we’ve become more like the politicians, trying to pretend that we can have it both ways.

The state Legislature is supposed to send a budget to the governor by Sunday. It’s more likely that my children will give me a Ferrari for Father’s Day.