You may have seen the bad Hollywood B-movies and heard stories about the Mayan calendar prediction of a cataclysmic event in 2012. But what you may not have heard about is the Great Battle of 2012 that will soon be waged in California.
Corporations and the 1% with their unlimited cash coffers and influence over Sacramento politicians will seek to drown out the voices of the 99%. While they may have unlimited resources, we have unquenchable creativity and people power.
The sacrifices we are making are one-sided. Hardworking people have been burden by paying a greater share of their income in taxes, while the top 1% gets a free ride and multinational corporations pay little or no taxes at all. It is time that they pay their fair share.
The toughest fight this year will be at the ballot box in November when the people will have the choice to approve a ballot measure to raise taxes on the 1%. Right now, there a number of different tax proposals out there trying to qualify for the November ballot, but there is one thing we agree on: We must Occupy and Take Back the Ballot Box.
While the details of tax proposals unveil, there are smaller battles we must win to build momentum to win big in 2012. One of the immediate things you can do right away is to help us exert pressure on Governor Jerry Brown and the CA State Legislature.
We believe that all students in California deserve a quality education regardless of their race, income, and zip code. What Sacramento politicians don't understand is that it takes a village to raise a child and a fully funded school to educate a student. Laying off great teachers, cutting arts, sports, and after school programs, and defunding education undermine the vitality of our public schools and defer the dreams of our children.
Over the past three years, California has cut 2 million dollars per day from our schools.
But imagine a California where 100% of public school students graduate prepared for college, career, and community participation. Imagine a California where public schools are places where all children pursue their dreams and aspirations. Restoring the future of this state won't be easy, but it begins with all of us standing up for the future of our children.