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Rally
to stop budget cuts shuts down Illinois capitol
John Beacham, ANSWER Chicago Coordinator
No budget cuts
while the Pentagon and Wall Street get trillions for war
and oppression!
Chanting
“Stop the Cuts” and “Do Your Job”, 15,000
teachers, state workers, public service recipients,
community activists and their supporters surrounded and
shut down the Illinois state capitol building on April 21.
It was the biggest march and rally in Springfield in
decades.
The
demonstration was called to protest the Governor’s
proposed budget cuts, which will layoff 17,000 public
school teachers and cut a total of $2 billion in services.
For
the action, there were large mobilizations of union
members, who descended on the capitol in hundreds of
busses. American Federation of Teachers, National
Education Association, American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees and Service Employees
International Union all came out in big numbers.
The
proposed Illinois budget will cut assistance for the
people who need it the most. Students, the disabled,
seniors and poor children will have hundreds of millions
of dollars take away from them—all while the severe
unemployment and housing crises continue.
The
Illinois and federal governments continue to sit on their
hands and do nothing for the people as trillions of
dollars are being dolled out for imperialist war and
trillions of dollars in loans, tax cuts and subsidies are
handed over to Wall Street.
Students
and Teachers Fight Back!, an initiative of ANSWER Chicago
and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, participated
in the demonstration. Members and friends carried placards
that demanded, “Tax the Rich—Make them Pay their
Share!” and handed out thousands of statements that
detailed how small increases in taxes on the corporations
and the millionaires can easily solve the budget crisis
and greatly decrease hardship and suffering.
No
Budget Cuts while Wall Street and the Pentagon get
trillions for war and oppression!
To
get involved with Students and Teachers Fight Back! call
773-463-0311. Join the Facebook page by clicking here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Students-and-Teachers-Fight-Back/107138242653446?ref=ts
To
download the Students and Teachers Fight Back! statement
on the budget crisis click here
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