As I write this, California Democrats in the State Assembly (and likely the State Senate as well) are caucusing, considering some 28 different bills that make up the so-called budget deal that came out of meetings on Tuesday.
Some of the national media are reporting about this as if this were "shared suffering". That's a very bad joke. As David Dayan reported yesterday, this budget gives _tax cuts_ to corporations, fundamentally changes the character of what state government does in California, and even includes extraneous "goodies" like opening up the coast near Santa Barbara for offshore drilling.
Time is short. Without delay, if you are a Californian, we need you to get on the phones now.
Talking points and how-to-find-your-rep after the break.
Californians --
Here's what you need to do:
- Go to Calitics for a quick update on what the current situation is, which is changing quickly. You should at least read dday's latest, and his piece from yesterday25 Things About The New California Budget listing the various crap that's in the deal.
- Make your calls. If you don't know who your Assembly Member or Senator is, go to the state legislature's info page to get the names and telephone numbers. Call both the local and Sacramento offices, since the local offices will close, so I expect that the Sacramento office will be open later.
- Consider telling the Calitics folks what your experience was in your calls. I've set up a whipping diary on Calitics. If you don't have a Calitics account, considering signing up today as well.
- Add yourself to the email list I've set up on Google Groups, Daily Kos Fix California so we can notify you about diaries like this one.
- Rec' up diaries like this. The more people who see these diaries, the more that will call.
This budget needs to go down to defeat, and the spineless negotiators for the Assembly and Senate Democratic caucuses, Speaker Karen Bass and Senate President Pro Tem Darryl Steinberg, need to either toughen up, or they need to step down.
This is URGENT. The vote will likely be today. Do not delay, call NOW!