The Republicans have been holding firm about obeying the Arizona constitution and balancing the budget. But the pressure on them is TERRIBLE. They are getting hundreds of email messages per day from teachers (especially) telling them to raise taxes and not throw the teachers out of work. You would not believe the pressure -- phone calls, email, etc. Every agency of government is lathering up their employees to contact the legislators with a sob story about how terrible it would be cut THEIR budget! Some of the legislators are finding it hard to withstand that kind of pressure. The lobbyists prowl the hallways and call to try to get in the office. The legislators can't go to the bathroom without a lobbyist hitting on them to urge them to give them a break. Some legislators are starting to plead for this program or that program to be spared. When told that the Arizona constitution _REQUIRES_ a balanced budget, they say, well, then raise taxes! That is their solution -- raise taxes. 

So far, my senator told me he has received only ONE letter asking him to be responsible and make whatever cuts are necessary to bring the budget back in line. ONE!! Where are our people? These poor legislators are being put through a meat grinder and they have virtually NO support. Today, the students from colleges all over the state will be holding a protest at the capitol. The university’s administrators themselves have lathered up the students, paid for the buses, and told the kids they will get credit for going to the protest. This is rather similar to what Lenin did during the Russian Revolution. He lathered up the factory workers who were suffering during an economic turndown and organized huge protests which pretty much shut down the country.

Please can you put the word out today that you want the legislators to hold firm. Give our legislators some moral support! They need to hear from the folks that you don't want tax increases -- you want tax cuts! Cutting taxes is the "freedom" way to stimulate the economy! Tell them to hold the line, balance the budget, and not to give in to the special interests. There is no government program that is so wonderful that it needs to be propped up with a tax increase.