[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Dave Johnson
Speak Out California

For decades people have been hearing that government "spends too much." They have been hearing that it's spending cuts that we need, not tax increases. They've been hearing that most of the government's money is spent on "waste, fraud and abuse." They've been hearing that it mostly goes to welfare, for people who won't work and sit around all day. They've been hearing that taxes are too high, the highest in the world, the liberals who run the world only want to tax and spend, etc. And no one has been reaching the public with the facts.

And after decades of this here is a surprise: people think the government spends too much, that we need spending cuts not taxes, that the money goes to waste, fraud and abuse -- and welfare and stuff like that. Who would have thought?

But ask for specifics like, "What specifically would you cut and by howmuch?" and you'll get a blank stare. Try that question on a conservative politician some time and you'll get the same blank stare. (Usually accompanied by an exercise commonly known as "the run-around.")

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Today the Education Coalition launched a 60-second statewide radio ad calling on the Governor and the Legislature to stop making drastic cuts to education funding. The ad features a student in an overcrowded classroom talking about the potential impact of the Governor’s proposed $4.8 billion funding cut to schools, the equivalent of raising all class sizes by 35 percent.

To hear audio of the spot, go here.

Here's the script...

California Education Coalition

"Think"

(SFX: Classroom din
starts out low and reasonable)

Student: You don’t have to tell kids like me California has the largest class sizes in the nation. We live it -- every day we’re in school.

(SFX: Classroom din begins to get louder...)

And, yes -- it makes it harder to learn.

(SFX: ...and louder...)

Harder to concentrate.

(SFX: ...and louder...)

Harder to get the attention I need!

There's more...

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]