UWP Lecturers They Say Cut Backs, We Say Fight Back!

[Matthew Snyder]

Hello Employed and Soon to Be Unemployed Colleagues (like me),
I think Mary is quite correct in noting that the central "win" for the education system would be for us to change the way that the state legislature works, which as of now requires a supermajority of epic proportions (75 percent of elected officials must agree before the Governator even signs the budget).  We are only one of three states to have such an abominable situation, where even when you might share the same political affiliation, it's hard to get anyone to agree 75 percent of the time in the same room (look no further than the filibuster AKA 'Tarantino' option currently blocking healthcare action in the US senate). There's the tyranny of the majority, but when it comes to our situation it's become the tyranny of the minority when Retardicans force education and social program cuts and attempt to make Democraps blink, or at least pee in their huggies. I think it would be great if we were able to come together and start a signing campaign on campus to this very concern that Mary so eloquently discussed in her last email.
Hopefully, a lot you were at the protest to rabble-rouse, spit fire and jump through animal hoops.  It was inspiring and greatly moving to see so many students, lecturers, librarians, cooks and clerical workers out in solidarity (and yes, there were a few of those professors attending as well, but not as many as you would have hoped).  Chancellor Timothy White's hair looked great as usual.  According to some estimates, at the height of the protests in the downtown, there were 700 in attendance.  It was Riverside's proudest moment in my ten years of living here.  Almost like Berkeley (but without the air quality and soy bacon).
I have attached a link to the Riverside's Press-Enterprise article for you to look at if you weren't able to make it.  They interviewed me extensively at the clock tower, as well as others, and a lot of that got cut out (especially my Marxist moments--the irony that students have to pay more for their education, while criminals who've violated our trust get into jail without student loans to pay back while we front their "education")  Just as well any mention of the English 1C fiasco was left out from my interview. Surprisingly, I found this to be fairly "neutral" (if you believe in that term) for the corporate suck-job that is the PE (PEE-YU):
http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_W_web_protest05.1c25a8f.html

In Solidarity,
Unemployment Applicant #124-298-192837 
(Matthew Snyder)
From: marycaroline7 at hotmail.com
To: gsa-english at lists.ucr.edu; englecturers at lists.ucr.edu
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 17:10:43 -0800
Subject: UWP Lecturers Majority Budget Act petition














Hi folks,

I'm collecting signatures for the Majority Budget Act petition that is being circulated by CFT.  It would end the supermajority rule in the state legislature, allowing the state budget to be passed by a simple majority.  This is an issue that has been very important to me.  If anyone is interested in signing the petition, please come by my office hours (HMNSS 2112, MWF from 2-3 p.m.) to sign.  Also, I will place a copy in my mailbox in the UWP for anyone to sign.  A few rules -- you must be a registered CA voter, and you must sign the petition for your county only.  In my box, I have placed one petition for Riverside County and separate ones for Orange and L.A. counties.  Also, here is a link with more info about the initiative:

http://www.cft.org/index.php/political.html

Thanks,

Mary Cummins





 		 	   		  
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