Left Tea Party: California Teachers Rally Against Reality

Watch out, wingnuts! California's teachers unions are organizing a week's worth of rallies, teach-ins, protests, sit-ins, and - who knows? - hunger strikes to protest against the usual "draconian" cuts against the education lobby. As there are no Republicans with any real say in the direction of the state's budget, this is more a civil war on the Left over diminishing spoils, rather than a war against Evil Plutocrats.

Thousands of California teachers are expected to take part in a weeklong series of rallies and sit-ins this week at the Capitol and throughout the state to protest possible spending cuts in the state budget.

Teachers face the threat of mass layoffs, larger classes and the elimination of myriad programs because of California's $15.4 billion budget shortfall.

The California Teachers Association is pressing Gov. Jerry Brown to back off his call for a special election and instead push GOP lawmakers to directly approve an extension of higher sales, income and vehicle taxes.

Union President David Sanchez says if the taxes aren't approved, 21,000 teachers will lose their jobs next fall. They've already received pink slips.

Freeway billboards bearing the campaign's tagline, State of Emergency, are up throughout the state.

I've been hearing radio ads all week about this. They're full of the usual querulous voices about how mysterious budget-cutting forces are threatening the state with doom and destruction. Back in the olden days (i.e. 2003 - 2010), they focused their ire on the Governator, which was simple enough. Now, it's just ... them. They're out to get teachers, don't you know.

In the past, the teachers' crocodile tears over draconian cuts have been enough to freak out parents. But at some point they have to realize that all of that education spending is not actually going to educate their kids, but to pay for the sinecures of the adults.