Tyranny of the two thirds majority

The California budget passed.

Sadly a small minority of ANTI's held our state hostage until they made sure that their wealthy patrons (campaign contributors) would not have to pay their fair share for the benefits they get from living in our state.

Spending for poor and middle class was slashed--schools, colleges, health care etc. The wealthy were left alone.

All because it takes a two thirds majority of state lawmakers (thanks to prop 13) in both houses in Sacramento to increase taxes on the wealthy who own the mouths of the Radio Con Men that now control my Republican Party. A better written Prop 13 would have made it a 2/3rds majority to raise taxes on those making less than $200,000 a year but a simple majority for taxes on those who have the gained the most from our state infrastructure, the wealthy.

There will be a few new taxes but they will be the very worst kind in a recession. Most increased taxes will be REGRESSIVE. The kind that affect the poor and middle class far more than the wealthy. Regressive Taxes take the same amount from everyone. They mean that the poor who have no extra money must cut back on necessary living expenses. The middle class loses its discretionary spending which drives the California economy. But the life style of the wealthy is affected not at all.

The wealthy use only a very tiny proportion of their income for their wealthy decadent lifestyles, perhaps one or two percent. Increases in REGRESSIVE taxes are as inconsequential to the wealthy as taking out a few drops of water from a Olympic size swimming pool are to a swimmer.

Our schools will be severely impacted. The cuts will hurt and affect every school child and school employee in California. The new damage done to our already underfunded schools will echo down through the generations in California. An under funded school system means under educated students. An under educated population results in an under achieving economy. Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and other southern states spend very little on education and their economies stagnate. Now California may join them in saving tiny amounts of money now to lose a chance at a better future to come. Penny wise pound foolish.

I received kind of wild two emails from some cell phone company called Credo. I do not know how they got my email address. The emails are a full of rhetoric and are both very anti-Republican and anti-conservative. Too much so for my taste.

I am a Republican and used to be a proud Republican. Something has happened to the leadership and driving forces in my party. It is no longer a party of the ordinary person or a party of solutions. Very sad. I think the party can be saved in the long run. But in the short term, radio con men like Rush Limbaugh will accept payola from the wealthy to drive listeners opinions away from rational solutions for funding our schools and government. Perhaps that is why there are so many folks like Credo springing up who hate my party.

Here are the emails. See what you think of them.


Stop the right-wing agenda. Join the movement to repeal the two-thirds budget rule.

California is in crisis — the conservatives continually hold our budget process hostage because of a rule requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature to pass a budget.

Led by Senator Abel Maldonado, the conservatives held the recent budget negotiations hostage. Their ransom? Severe budget cuts and strict prohibitions on taxes.

We must stop this crisis now. On Tuesday night, Rachel Maddow and California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass told Americans about the consequences of California's crisis. Conservatives in our state are showing the rest of the nation how to obstruct economic recovery.

That's why CREDO and the Courage Campaign are teaming up to stop the right-wing from controlling California's budget process. Sign the pledge to repeal the two-thirds budget rule and watch the Rachel Maddow video.

Every other state but two (Arkansas and Rhode Island) passes its budget with a simple majority. Yet, even to repeal the two-thirds rule it takes a two-thirds vote of the legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Conservatives will do whatever they can to stop California from repealing this rule. We need to stop them now.

It is time to restore our budget process and build a movement to repeal the two-thirds rule. Join CREDO and the Courage Campaign today by signing this petition.
Thank you for working to build a better world.
Leah Donahey, Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets

Rachel Maddow's had enough. Have you?

California's government is hopelessly broken. Led by state Senator Abel Maldonado, Republicans turned the budget negotiations into a hostage crisis by exploiting the rule requiring a 2/3rds vote of the legislature to pass a budget.

California Republicans are an extreme minority. A party in exile. Rejected by Californians at the ballot box, Republicans have decided to take revenge by using the budget crisis to achieve their radical goals, no matter the cost.

This is insanity. And it's made possible by the 2/3rds rule, which allows a small cabal of extremist Republicans to hold the state hostage to their demands, as they have done year after year.

Last night, Rachel Maddow and California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass told America of the consequences of California's crisis. They explained that California Republicans are trying to set a precedent for the entire nation -- that obstructing economic recovery is their path to power.

We have to stop the insanity. The only way this madness will end is if we eliminate the 2/3rds rule. Please watch what Rachel Maddow said last night and join the Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile in taking the pledge to support a repeal of the 2/3rds rule:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/RepealTwoThirds

In the wake of dramatic progressive victories in the 2008 elections, the Republican counterattack is going to focus on ensuring government cannot meet the needs of the people in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. They believe that if government fails, they will win the next election.
Only TWO other states -- the small states of Rhode Island and Arkansas -- require a 2/3rds supermajority to pass a budget. But, ironically, it requires a 2/3rds vote of the legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to repeal the 2/3rds rule.

Since Republicans in the legislature will try to block that too, it is up to we, the people, to restore democracy to California and finally end the Republicans' obstruction. And the only way we can stop them is to repeal the 2/3rds rule by ballot initiative.

This budget insanity will never end -- it will go on year after year after year -- unless we build a movement to repeal the 2/3rds rule now. That's why the Courage Campaign is teaming up with CREDO Mobile to launch this pledge. Please watch the video, sign the pledge and ask your friends to join us:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/RepealTwoThirds

Along with our progressive allies, the Courage Campaign will pursue a ballot initiative to repeal the 2/3rds rule. When the initiative is launched, we will contact you about where and when to sign to put it on the ballot.

Thank you for pledging to eliminate the 2/3rds rule and taking a stand against the right-wing's relentless campaign to destroy California.

Rick Jacobs
Chair