[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Monday: Hundreds of School Board Members Deliver 325 Resolutions to Governor Opposing Budget Cuts, along with Thousands of Parent Letters

Tuesday: Hundreds of Teachers Come to Sacramento for Legislative Lobby Day; CTA "Cuts Hurt" Bus Makes Final Stop at State Capitol

by Aneka Harris [courtesy of Blog for America]

Racial tension runs deep. Our children in high school down to elementary school feel it, too. It is a part of our everyday life in America. Florida has pockets of open racism through the state; yet, the Florida Legislature did something great this session. They apologized for slavery.

THAT MEANT A LOT!

Yes, there still are problems in the state. Just yesterday two middle schoolers were suspended for hanging a noose at a Davie high school. Jena 6 is still a reality. But, what the Florida Legislature did by apologizing for slavery,was a good step in the right direction. If more people get on board then perhaps we can save the next generation.

PERHAPS!

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I've found myself wistful over the demise of health care reform in California, if only because it was so painful to watch.  It was fairly glaring from the start that the resources and the budget structure weren't there to manage such a big issue.  The lesson learned should be that a broader consensus has to be reached, but also that you have to work within the narrow structures forced by the state's processes, or else work to change them.  Such is also the case with prison reform, which is actually a far less insurmountable a goal.

About a week ago we heard about a potential "deal" on solving the prison crisis, where the state would settle the lawsuits that are forcing the possibility of a dramatic release of prisoners.  But notice how this is being done.  It's a "deal" without reform.

over..

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

If there you had any doubt that the Common Cause "Voters First" redistricting measure was partisan, erase it. The California Republican Assembly, the small but vocal far-right GOP organization, has endorsed it.

Here's what CRA chief Mike Spence wrote in The Flash Report:

"The California Republican Assembly has officially endorsed the Voters FIRST Redistricting initiative.  The vote was nearly unanimous, with only a single dissenting vote.

The Initiative, which is due to begin circulating petitions shortly, takes the drawing of legislative district lines out of the hands of the legislature and gives it to an Independent Commission composed of Republicans, Democrats and Independents randomly selected from a pre-qualified list of volunteers.

I know people are wondering how CRA can support an initiative endorsed by the Governor and Common Cause. Clearly, CRA is no fan of these two or some of the other groups supporting the initiative.

Some of the criticisms from a few Republicans include that it doesn’t include Congress. I wish it did. The reality is this is the only initiative on the topic that might qualify and pass out there. It isn’t perfect but it is a step in the right direction."