[GSAUCR] Fixing the State Budget Crises

[President GSAUCR]

Dear Graduate Students-

As we have all learned over the last few months, California’s budget
crisis has drastically impacted the quality of education at UCR and
across the state. In no small part the problems with the state budget
stem from the fact that in California two-thirds of the legislature
must to approve of the state budget. This requirement allows a small
minority to block important legislation and has led to massive cuts in
education, healthcare, and almost all critical public needs.

Below you will find a letter from Berkeley professor George Lakoff
inviting you and other Californians to get involved in an effort to
overturn the two-thirds requirement for getting a state budget through
the state legislature. I invite you to take a few minutes to read the
letter and learn more about these issues. There is also information
about how you can get involved.

Take care,

Gary Coyne

President
Graduate Student Association

------------------

To: UC, CSU, and Community College Student, Faculty and Staff
From: George Lakoff

Dear Friends:
Are you tired of the repeated, outrageous increases in tuition and
fees?  Are you angry that faculty and staff have been furloughed and
laid off, classes canceled, and programs eliminated?  If you are, then
please join me in stopping this craziness by putting the California
Democracy Act on the ballot. If we are successful, public higher
education will be protected and common sense restored to our state
government. This battle is for all of us and I am fully committed.
But I can only do this with your help!
We need to collect more than one million voter signatures by April to
place The California Democracy Act on the November 2010 ballot – and
then we must win voter approval – to ensure the long-term funding and
survival of the University of California, the State Universities and
our Community Colleges.
What does the California Democracy Act do?  The Act is just 14 words:
“All legislative actions on revenue and budget must be determined by a
majority vote.” It simply changes two words in the California
Constitution – “two thirds” becomes “a majority” – that simple change
will restore sanity and common sense to our budget process and
priorities.  What could be simpler than that?
This simple change will immediately stop the small band of
ultra-conservatives in Sacramento who are holding the rest of us
hostage! These ideologues want to starve our government and privatize
our education system. California Democracy Act will restore the basic
tenet of democracy – that the majority shall rule on matters of public
good.
California’s budget crisis – and so many of our state’s systemic
problems – are the result of the absurd two-thirds requirement that
allows a small minority, now just 37%, to block sensible economic
legislation. Their tactics create gridlock, impoverish our government,
lead to massive cuts in education, healthcare, critical infrastructure
and virtually every other important public need.
California is the only state in America where one-third plus one, only
34%, runs the legislature by blocking the sensible, responsible
majority at every turn.
We can change all this by enacting the California Democracy Act! Only
a majority is needed. No change is more crucial.  With your help and
generous support we can restore common sense to California government.
The task ahead will not be easy – remember, we need to collect more
than one million signatures by April – but together WE CAN DO IT!


Here’s how you can help:
1.	Make an immediate and generous contribution of $200, $100, $50, or
even $20. Make your check payable to “California Majority Rule PAC”
and send it to California Majority Rule, 12021 Wilshire Blvd., # 542,
Los Angeles, CA 90025.
2.	Go to our website, register and tell us what else you can do. You
can get there by going either to www.californiansfordemocracy.com or
www.camajorityrule.com.
3.	Help recruit volunteers for three areas: a) signature gathering, b)
fundraising events and other activities, and c) the speakers’ bureau.
We need organizers at every level: statewide, UC, CSU, and Community
Colleges; we need organizers for faculty, students and alumni. Go to
the website, click on JOIN THE CAMPAIGN and sign up.
4.	We need access to large email lists from faculty, organizations,
groups and campaigns. Contact Susie at susieshannon at yahoo.com. If you
belong to an organization, ask it to endorse the California Democracy
Act on, then go to the website and click on “ENDORSE” to inform us.
So if you are tired of those repeated, outrageous increases in tuition
and fees and angry that faculty and staff are being furloughed and
laid off, classes canceled, and programs eliminated, then join me in
this fight. Please send a check, sign a petition, help gather
signatures, organize house parties, join our speakers’ bureau, or
volunteer… WE CAN DO IT!
	Thank you,
	George Lakoff,
	Goldman Distinguished Professor
	of Cognitive Science and Linguistics,
	UC Berkeley

PS: Share this letter with fellow faculty and with students and staff
at your school; it will help us spread the word!