Jerry Brown doesn't want to influence voters but if we don't vote for what he wants, the consequences will be "horrible"

The people are not our friends

Jerry Brown has offered the workers and youth of California a choice.  He has been widely applauded for giving us this choice.  The choice is to face (further) massive cuts in social services or avoid some of them by voting to extend income and sales tax increases that were instituted in 2009 and are about to expire. We have about this previously. (see the Jerry Brown label to the right).

So in actuality, we have only one choice, cuts.  Tax increases are cuts also; they cut in to our disposable income.  The top leadership of the potentially powerful California trade Union movement supports Brown's cuts so people generally feel there's not much that can be done. 

The San Francisco Chronicle has an article today that also makes no mention of any other possible sources of revenue other than workers and the middle class but I didn't know whether to laugh or cry reading it.  Brown doesn't want to be specific about what will be cut if the voters reject increasing our own taxes.

"And why is that you might ask?"

Because Brown "Does not want to appear to be threatening voters", the Chronicle informs us.

What an angel this Brown guy is.  He's been an aesthetic, an organic gardener; he had a rock star as a girl friend. And he's a pillar of democracy, giving us an opportunity to vote on the method of our own demise.

But wait!  What's this?  When  asked what his budget plan is should we reject tax increases Brown tells the Chronicle he won't reveal it because, "It's so horrible".  That isn't designed to influence voters is it?  Then one of his mouthpieces says that the cuts would be made in "public and higher education, public safety and health and social services".

Another Democrat, Assembly Speaker, John Perez, another recipient of Union members' money and support at election time no doubt, says that the voters shouldn't be "scared" in to voting to cut our own throats,  and instead  shown "respect".  What a decent man. "Show them (voters) the balanced proposal (cuts in services and tax increases) the governor's proposed, and people will understand that there are consequences if they don't support them."  Wait one more time!  Is that a threat?  I'm confused.

Perez goes on to say that without the tax increases, the cuts would amount to the full $25 billion instead of the governor's "balanced" proposal of $12.5 billion with the rest in taxes and to do that would be "disrespectful" to the voters.  We are so lucky to have politicians in office that respect us, absolutely refuse to coerce or threaten us in any way and are doing everything in their power to look after our well being. Incidentally, we can see where the heads of organized Labor get their ideas from. "Balanced" is exactly how Art Pulaski, secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation who supports these savage attacks on workers refers to Brown's budget, "Brown's proposal isn't perfect, it at least strikes a much-needed balance between cuts and revenues.", he says.  This no less than criminal and reveals the crisis of leadership in the organized Labor movement; they are ideologically bankrupt.

Another darling of the liberals, California's State Treasurer  Bill Lockyer also warns of the consequences should voters reject tax increases, or more accurately, accept the burden of solving a crisis that is not of our own making by bailing out the bankers, speculators, their politicians and the capitalist system they perpetuate.

The collaboration of the trade Union hierarchy in these attacks is the major reason there has not been a more effective fightback against the increased capitalist offensive of the last few years. Last year, students fought big battles with the police and the employers against cuts in education culminating in a day of strikes and actions on March 4th.  The trade Union leadership while paying lip service to the students' struggle refused to launch a campaign among their members and the working class of California as whole to join the students in a statewide general strike.

That they have the resources to do this is indisputable.  The heads of organized Labor in California handed over some $200 million of their members' hard earned money getting these very anti-worker politicians elected.  Strikes have been defeated primarily due to the failure of the Labor hierarchy to break their friendly relations with the employers that are based on Labor peace, relations that have had devastating effects on workers and our families, especially, the poor, the aged and disabled, youth and people of color.

Working people have the power and numbers to stop this.  We can inflict some pain of our own.  Instead of us worrying about consequences it should be Brown and the wealthy that he represents worrying about them. 

Rely on our own strength
Build a united working class movement to drive back the bosses' offensive
No concessions, increase social spending  and create jobs
Tax the rich, end all wars and occupations
For a $15 an hour minimum wage or a $5 an hour increase whichever is greater.
For a 6 hour day 5 day workweek
No support for Democrats: Build a mass independent political party for workers and youth
Build opposition caucuses in the Union based on a direct action, fight to win program