State Propositions Failed ... Now What?Paul Hogarthbyline‚ May. 20‚ 2009California voters rejected Propositions 1A-1E last night, defeating a rotten budget deal that Governor Schwarzenegger and the legislature’s Republicans effectively forced on reluctant Democrats. Liberal legislators campaigned for them against their progressive base, believing it was the best that could be done to avoid horrific budget cuts. But the measures were merely a symptom of how broken our state budget situation is, and now progressives are clamoring for reform to prevent such an outcome from happening again. Now is time – more than ever – for a statewide grassroots campaign to eliminate the “two-thirds” majority requirement for passing a state budget (including taxes), and there will be activists eager to help gather signatures for the 2010 election. A Constitutional Convention is also in the realm of possibility, and progressive groups like the Courage Campaign are on record supporting it. But first we must organize to forestall the more awful, short-term budget cuts – which include: (a) pressuring federal officials to hold firm on Arnold’s pleas to cut services without consequences, and (b) push the state legislature to re-introduce a “majority budget” that was tried last December. |