CNN posted the article State budgets walloped again

An Arizona official joked that the state’s financial plight is comparable to the Grand Canyon, while an Illinois legislator said his state’s budget situation is so scary, it’s best told around a campfire at night.

It`s incredible that law makers in a time of economic downturn find humor. Although a laugh is definitely needed, massive cuts to education, social services, and corrections are at the ends of these laughs. The communities of Black and Latino folks are suffering deeply from these cuts. It is an out right environmental injustice that these cuts are disproportionately made on the backs of working class folks who are predominately Black and Latino. Spending of $15.5 billion, borrowing $2 million from local governments, and shifting money from other funds and other accounting gimmicks are the ways law makers are trying to close the budget gap. The 2009 fiscal year closes with a 142.6 billion deficit. As a result, Californians are suffering, particularly state government workers and working class folks. State government workers are being required to take as many as four unpaid days off per month, no pay raise, and benefits cuts. Working folks are experiencing job loss by the thousands. California`s average unemployment rates has surpass the national average.

I begin to question Californians true power of decisions that directly affect people of color, starting with California’s voter initiative process. It takes only a few thousand signatures for an initiative to be on the ballot for Californians to vote and 2/3 passing for it to be law. If Californian voters continue to make bonehead decisions, many of the state’s resources will be depleted to satisfy the anti-socialists.

Higher prices for gas

that’s causing the pain in our a**.

Higher cuts toward our in-home health care

that’s causing old people to fear.

HEY ARNOLD !

Transit racism still proceeding

as the minorities keep bleeding.

They keep failing

and the President keeps bailing.

HEY ARNOLD !

I wish some companies would see the pollution in the sky

cause we as people do not want to die.

When will they finally see

that they are polluting our sea.

HEY ARNOLD !

A Real Leader

Going to the Rally was something great to experience. I really enjoyed participating in something like it. I don’t see how the Governor thinks that bugdet cuts will help.  Arnold needs to realize that he is not helping the people but only making the economy suffer.  I, as a rising freshman at Cal State Dominguez think that this will only make everything more expensive. Cutting Cal Grants will not help, I will have to pay more money for many things. By being apart of the Rally I have learned that many other people in the world also care, not just about themselves, but about what is right for many people that have to deal with these kinds of things. I would like to do many more things that fight for the rights of the people.

A Sign of Truth

Today was my very first time attending a rally. When I pulled up there were many people holding different signs and chanting.  There were even some people playing drums. Today’s rally was a Budget Protest Rally. The rally was against cutting: Cal Grants for college students, Medi-Cal programs, funding for prisoners, in-home nursing programs, and foster-care funding.  These cuts affect many of us no matter the age or gender.  The reason I decided to attend the rally was because I knew that what they were fighting for was  going to affect me in some way, and boy was I right, because with the cost of education going up, pretty soon I won’t be able to afford college. Personally I think Arnold has no right to decide on the working families, because he has no idea about the problems we face on a daily basis.  Some of us can barely afford to feed and shelter our families, yet he wants to cut many programs.

The Governor’s personal choices also have an effect on our environment. He flies home almost everyday in his private jet. His private jet lands in the Santa Monica Airport which is next to a park, where children play, and it is also next to a school. That alone shows us how much he cares.

I really enjoyed the rally, it is something I  would love to do again.