in a state that needs 300,000 new teachers, our governor cuts the education budget. as a result there's now a hiring freeze and they are cutting sub costs. so, even if i wanted to sub next year (which i would look into if my husband's job possibility falls through), i now can't. yes, i want to get my mfa, but i have expected that i would need to sub at some point in time, even if it's just while i apply several times over and wait to get accepted. true, this could change sometime next year, but i wouldn't hold my breath on it. whenever it comes to a budget crises, our kids always lose. in addition to jobs being frozen, class sizes will go up, special services will be shut down, and p.e. and counseling services will be reduced.

but the government idiots will still get their pay, their $25,000 office redecoration, and make sure money goes to their pet projects. those things are far more important than jobs and education.

i remember the days when california had a triple a credit rating. then along came wilson. by the time he was ousted, california not only no longer had its credit rating, but was so far in debt that even the eternal answer of more bonds couldn't bail the state out. that means, of course, that budget management became a primary concern in the last election. and this is how we try to get ourselves back under control: we cut the education budget. forget looking for the real fat in the budget, let's reduce money to the necessities.

i used to be one of those "kitchen table activists." you know the ones, they contact their politicians, keep in touch with political issues, and so on. politicians called us fundamental christians whether we were or not. i used to vote every election. i felt it was my right and responsibility. but over the years i have become quite soured on politics, voting, and the whole 9 yards. too many times politicians have been flooded with their constituents views, decided to vote the other way, and lumped all the people who contacted them into the least favorite politically active group at the time.

and with decisions like this - decisions that make it harder for my kids to make a better future for themselves and harder for me to provide for them now, it's no wonder i'm disillusioned. forget the "get out the vote" campaigns, try a little integrity and listening to the voters.