Must be the same software diebold uses.

Computer software should always be the deciding factor in all important decisions. Let that be a lesson to the rest of you alternate industry having states. The public will always be ignored until the corporate butt kissing contest money race we call “elections” surrenders to our democratic authority.

Mr. Chiang needs to demand a refund from whatever mind trip nonsense money maker we are calling “college” immediately before Californians start asking questions (never).

Why would we?

No one wants to participate in the political process here for good reason.

Americans do not get enough credit for refusing to participate in the supposed democratic dysfunctional system that is insulting us constantly.

All of this garbage has nothing to do with what is really wrong with education in California as it never has and the money side of everything will continue to pollute everything and drown most of us.

Fat Cat California Teachers Union Misses the Education Mark
(Continued)

The CTA is actively supporting Senate Joint Resolution 9, legislation calling upon Congress and the President to repeal the “discriminatory” Don’t Ask Don’t Tell military policy. It also lobbied to pass Senate Bill 572, which declares May 22 Harvey Milk Day in California, in honor of the homosexual activist from San Francisco.
Apparently universal healthcare has become a priority for the teachers union as it supported Senate Bill 1, legislation that would extend Medi-Cal coverage to illegal immigrants’ children. And the CTA isn’t just supporting, but is co-sponsoring Senate Bill 810, which would implement a single-payer government-run healthcare system in California. The CTA lobbied against a Republican-sponsored healthcare reform measure that would have provided greater competition in health insurance by allowing out-of-state carriers to sell plans in California
Even more telling than the legislation it supports, is the legislation the CTA opposes, including Senate Bill 370, which would have prevented voter fraud through voter identification requirements.
The CTA has also invested a great deal of time and money into the marriage issue. It supports Assembly Joint Resolution 19, calling on Congress and the President to repeal the “discriminatory” Defense of Marriage Act. It also lobbied on behalf of House Resolution 5 and Senate Resolution 7, which both expressed the legislature’s belief that Proposition 8 was an “improper” revision to the state constitution. In 2008, the CTA was among the biggest donors to the No on Proposition 8 campaign, pouring more than $1 million into the effort.
And if there were any doubt about the political party with whom the CTA most identifies, their $6.5 million dollar donation—the largest donation to any political party from the special interest groups—clearly signifies the union’s commitment to the Democrat Party.
Pay check protection is crucial to transforming California and diminishing the influence of unions. Union members who don’t agree with the aggressive social agenda of their unions are forced to pay dues spent on political campaigning that may violate their beliefs and standards. In the meantime, the CTA will continue to flood Sacramento with its money and influence—at the expense of those they supposedly represent.

Fat Cat California Teachers Union Misses the Education Mark

The California Fair Political Practices Commission released a report last week detailing the fifteen most influential special interest groups in the state. Over the course of the last ten years, these fifteen groups—consisting of unions, Indian tribes, and corporations—spent over $1 billion on lobbying, candidates, ballot measures, and other political activities. In a state as large and influential as California, it’s not hard to imagine millions of dollars being expended on directing its course—especially when multiple ballot measures every election pit one interest group against another.
But among the top fifteen big spenders, one special interest group particularly stands out: the California Teachers Association (CTA). In the last decade, the CTA has spent over $200 million on lobbying and political activities—almost double what the second highest-spending lobbying group spent.
Unions have become the dominant political influence in California. At the mere hint of any threat to their power structure, the union-financed political machine fires up and intimidates all opposition. The hubris of the unions is such that during a legislative budget committee hearing last summer, one union leader threatened, “We helped get you into office and we’ve got a good memory.”
The CTA’s spending is especially noteworthy when one considers the issues it spends its members’ dues on. Most of the CTA’s 325,000 members probably assume that their dues are used only on education-related matters. But the CTA has branched out into all sorts of political battles beyond education funding.
Although it would seem logical that a teachers union would only focus on education issues, a look at the CTA web site reveals the true goal of this progressive union. According to the CTA mission statement, the union exists to “protect and promote the well-being of its members; to improve the conditions of teaching and learning; to advance the cause of free, universal, and quality public education.” That sounds like a perfectly ordinary goal for a teachers union.
But the mission statement goes on to explain that the union also exists to “ensure that the human dignity and civil rights of all children and youth are protected; and to secure a more just, equitable, and democratic society.” Ensuring “human dignity and civil rights,” as well as a “more just, equitable and democratic society” is far beyond the scope of simply lobbying for teachers’ salaries or more school supplies.
Since 2000, the CTA has spent over $38 million on lobbying the state legislature. A look at the legislation the CTA is lobbying in the current legislative session shows a focus on more than school-related matters. (Continued)

Sacramento, Calif. (AP) - California lawmakers have a history of trying to keep the state’s air and waters clean. Now they’re tackling language. The state Assembly is scheduled to vote on a resolution Thursday calling for a statewide “Cuss Free Week,” to occur annually during the first week of March. If approved, it would go to the state Senate for a final vote on Monday. The rest of next week will be officially swear-word free if both houses approve the resolution.
I am just glad to see how far along these “Progressive” legislators have gone to solve the “gargantuan” problems in the fantasy state. Hundreds of thousands of people are leaving the state as fast as they can so not to be caught up in the final liberal story line in the demise of the state. The liberal’s agenda is starting to reap what it has sown. Example: Assemblywoman and retired banker Diane Harkey of Dana Point (Orange County) said the state is “literally bankrupt.” She compared the state’s situation to a family with a mortgaged house, maxed out credit cards and zero savings. She said her outspokenness on the topic at public meetings and other forums has caused some at the Capitol to tell her she is apocalyptic, and she said she has been asked to quiet down. “It would be nice if we could hide our problems like nobody knew about them, but the bond market is watching. It’s not a secret,” Harkey said, adding later: “I’m scared. I want to get the state fixed.” Statements like Harkey’s could actually hurt the state, said Tom Dresslar, spokesman for Treasurer Bill Lockyer. “You might score some political points by saying the state is bankrupt, but you’re hurting taxpayers when you do that. We are not basically bankrupt,” Dresslar said. “When you have that kind of talk out there and it makes it into the papers, it poisons the market when you go to sell bonds.” What do most people think about Dresslar’s opinion about protecting the state’s reputation? How cares Tommy Boy when everyone is running away? Why? California is full of pudknockers like Mr. Dresslar. Sounds like they are really nipping the problems in the bud with this resolution though. I am sure than when they present this to the pornography, violent video game, the satanic music industry, and the thousands of prospering gangs, they will work it out with no problems what so ever. I guess they will be praying for guidance too?  I do have an idea that will help though. Get a bunch of elitist movie stars to get behind a movement to push some more manifesto ideas out to the poor uninformed masses, yea, that’s the ticket. Maybe, they could also give out awards to the people who are the best at pretending?

The state has changed pay levels every year for decades. There was never any problem giving state workers pay increases before. But now cutting them is too difficult. I was a computer programmer, this is complete BS.