From the Times: "Richard Ravitch, the lieutenant governor of New York, is among those warning that states are on an unsustainable path, and that their disclosures of pension and health care obligations are often misleading. And he worries how long it can last."
“They didn’t do it with bad motives,” he said. “Ninety-five percent of them didn’t understand what they were doing. They did it because it was easier than taxing people or cutting benefits. We’re getting closer and closer to the point where we can’t do that anymore. I don’t know where that is, but I know we’re close.”
Actually, I think they did it because they wanted what they wanted for themselves and theirs, and didn't care about the effect on others in the future. It isn't a matter of party or ideology. It is a matter of being Generation Greed.