CFT President Hittelman on the election of Barack Obama

November 5, 2008—Today we are living in the best of times and the worst of times.  We are hopeful that with a new president and congress, we will finally be able to turn our country around.  President Obama has indicated that public education is one of his top priorities.  We look forward to the day when our country moves away from destructive and underfunded Bush initiatives such as the misnamed “No Child Left Behind" Act.  We look forward to ending the misguided occupation of Iraq and the money that continues to be wasted there. We look forward to the day when public agencies are again viewed as important vehicles for addressing the needs of our people. We look forward to a government that will work for the vital interests of all our people and not just those of the privileged few.

We see a real opportunity today to redirect public policy.  We see an opportunity to reshape public perception after decades of conservative propaganda blaming government for our problems instead of seeing government as the most effective solution.

In California we will need to harness the hope and determination the Obama victory has brought us to end the Legislative deadlock that has resulted in a continued structural under funding of state programs.  That work must begin today.  

With another budget crisis heading our way, there is only one way out, and that is to find the revenues to give Californians the education, health care, and public safety we all need and deserve. TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT—YES WE CAN.