PSL candidates support California state workers

Statement from the campaigns of Nathalie Hrizi, U.S. Congress, District 12, and Lucilla Esguerra, California State Assembly, District 48.

Nathalie Hrizi, PSL candidate for U.S. Congress, District 12.

Both Hrizi and Esguerra are members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation running on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket. Click here for more info on Hrizi’s campaign. Click here for more info on Esguerra’s campaign. Click here to download this statement as a PDF flyer.

Our campaigns support the California state workers and everyone protesting the budget crisis in Los Angeles, Sacramento and other cities. We oppose any cutbacks in health, education and other vital programs in the state. Working people are not the cause of the budget crisis and we should not be the ones who are made to pay the price for it. The problem isn’t lack of money in California. We live in a very rich state. If it was an independent country, it would be one of the top 10 economies in the world. The problem is who owns and controls the wealth.

Lucilla Esguerra, PSL candidate for California State Assembly, District 48.

The governor is a rich man who serves the interests of far richer oil companies, banks and other multibillion-dollar corporations that have grown rich by exploiting workers and resources in California and throughout the world. They are responsible for the economic crisis, which in turn has caused the budget crisis.

A major cause of the crisis is the subprime mortgage disaster created by the big banks and investors in their endless greed for unlimited profits. Another major cause is the jacking-up of gas, diesel and other energy prices to the highest levels in history by the oil companies.

We are seeing rising unemployment, rising prices for food, fuel and everything else. Instead of laying off workers, cutting wages and programs, or raising the sales tax (which will hit low-income people the hardest), the state should tax the rich, the banks and corporations. There should be a windfall profits tax on Big Oil, which is reaping record profits. There should be a sales tax on stocks and bonds. While we have to pay sales tax on many necessities, why is there no sales tax on stocks or bonds?

The budget disaster is a bipartisan crisis. The Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature are afraid to take on big business. Many are, in fact, in the pocket of Corporate California. Only the independent action of the people can bring a just end to the crisis.

No cutbacks!

No wage or program cuts!

Make Big Oil, the banks and corporations pay!