Folks: Sending out today’s links a little early. Eric Hawrelak, the statewide APSCUF mobilization/strike committee chair, just posted this first one on Facebook, and it’s too good not to send now. The others are primarily information, news, and coverage from around the state.
Anything you want posted, send to Seth.
Without further ado…
“Does Your Alma Mater Matter? It Doesn’t to Governor Corbett”
Click here to send messages to Governor Corbett and your local legislators via the PA House Democratic Caucus. Another easy, convenient way to let your representatives know that you want them to FIGHT this.
********************************************
Union Estimates 19,000 Teacher Layoff Slips So Far in California
A story about the massive layoffs in CA due to the Republican-led
legislature’s refusal to consider tax increases. Once again, teachers
suffer for the tax breaks for the wealthy.
********************************************
National Institute on Money in State Politics
Click here to research contributions to state and local candidates; you can search by race, by position, by district. You can also find out what professions/fields contributors come from and how much they gave.
********************************************
[Corbett’s Budget Secretary] Zogby Talks Budget
Clip of a radio spot on WITF. The lead on their website says, “Governor Corbett’s budget has been public for a week now. The spending plan cuts more than a billion dollars out of education spending. WITF’s Scott Detrow sat down with Budget Secretary Charles Zogby at the Capitol. He began the interview by asking Zogby to respond to criticism Corbett could have kept spending in place, if he had raised corporate taxes.”
Our colleague Ken Ehrensal (KU) adds this: On the topic of the cuts to higher education, he justified the cuts by concerns with the effectiveness of the institutions and the “results” that we generate as measured by FOUR (4) year graduation rates. He also made negative comments about higher education’s attempt to “rationalize a 5-6 year graduation rate as the norm.” While he was willing to put some of the blame on the students for not working hard enough and focusing on their studies, he also seemed to lay some blame on the institutions for not making courses available.
********************************************
Students, Faculty Express Concerns about Gov’s Proposed Budget
Allentown TV station’s coverage of the open forum at KU yesterday (3/15).
********************************************
A Video Introduction to Naomi Klein’s Shock Doctrine
If you’re not familiar with Klein’s book, she lays bare the political strategy of “shock doctrine” (hence the name). If you’re shocked that Gov. Corbett would propose such a drastic cut to the PASSHE budget, watch this video for a good introduction/summary of the strategy behind it.
********************************************
APSCUF-WCU 