Voices from the March (February, 2010)

California soaks the rich? Think again
By Brandon Ortiz on February 23

Over and over, we're told, California has a highly progressive tax code that punishes the rich. The right wing makes the argument ad infinitum, to the point that it is now accepted conventional wisdom among moderates and even liberals alike. This "conventional wisdom" is cited against any effort to make the rich pay their fair share.

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California in Crisis
By Brandon Ortiz on February 23

This month's American Prospect has a must read story about the state of California's finances. It helps dispel many of the commonly held myths peddled by a minority of extreme legislators.

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The human cost of budget cuts
By Brandon Ortiz on February 23

The state budget isn't just a document with a bunch of numbers and pie charts. It is a moral document that shows what we, as a society, value and believe in.

By that measure, the $20 billion the governor is seeking in budget cuts for education and vital services is fundamentally immoral. Rather than roll back tax breaks for the ultra wealthy and big business, the governor wants to balance the budget on the backs of seniors and the disabled.

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