Tomorrow, the San Diego Unified School board will vote on laying off more than 900 teachers in the face of budget cuts rippling down from the state's current fiscal crisis. That's an average of more than four teachers leaving every school in the district. While the future of our next generation becomes cloudier, Republicans in the legislature continue to defend tax free yachts. It tells you a lot about where their priorities lie. Driving home this point as the state wades through the budget process is vitally important, and that's why Courage Campaign and the California Nurses Association have come together, producing a new Yacht Party ad that needs your help to reach the air. Arianna Huffington emailed Courage Campaign supporters earlier today to explain the importance of this ad and this meme overall:



The tax cut cult.

That's what I call Republicans in "Right is Wrong", the new book I just wrote about how the right-wing lunatic fringe has hijacked America.

Unfortunately, the most extreme high priests of the tax cut cult operate right here in California. Because Democrats do not hold a two-thirds majority in our state legislature, a small minority of Republicans is able to hold Californians hostage to a $20 billion state budget deficit, refusing to raise taxes on the super-rich.

It gets worse. Much worse. While California's future is being put in grave jeopardy, the tax cut cult is refusing to close a tax loophole for yacht and private jet owners.

Schools closing. Social services slashed to the bone. And right-wing Republicans are letting the uber-wealthy off tax-free on yacht and private jet purchases. It's no wonder the California Republican Party has been re-branded as the "Yacht Party" by the netroots.

To increase the pressure on Republicans in Sacramento to close this yacht tax loophole, we need to make this "Yacht Party" brand stick. That's why my friends at the Courage Campaign and California Nurses Association have just teamed up to produce a new 60-second TV ad that strips naked the shocking nature of the California Republican Party's priorities.

This extremely provocative new ad is must-see TV. And I'd like your help making sure as many Californians see it as possible this Thursday -- the day after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announces his bloody budget cuts. Click here to watch "Yacht Party 2" and support the spot so it can air in Sacramento and across California on Thursday:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/yachtparty2

In writing about how the "Right is Wrong" on economic policy, my new book exposes how the tax cut cult greases the wheels of greed:

"We can hope that the housing and subprime mortgage crash, the credit crunch, and the recession might humble the Right a bit, since their policies have been rendered so transparently bankrupt. But as long as they have their private bubbles to live inside, bursting bubbles elsewhere will have little effect. That's what tax cuts and deregulation do: they widen the gulf that separates the two Americas."

Those bubbles are bursting across California, as tens of thousands of teachers receive pink slips, parks and beaches are closed, and tuition skyrockets. Meanwhile, head-in-the-sand California Republicans care more about protecting tax loopholes for the super-rich.

It takes 60 seconds to watch this new TV ad produced by Courage and CNA. And just a few more seconds to show the Republicans that -- until they get real and close the yacht-tax loophole -- we will air "Yacht Party 2" from San Diego to Sacramento. Please show your support now so we can put this ad on the air across California on Thursday:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/yachtparty2

I know people who own yachts and private jets -- and, trust me, they can afford to pay sales tax. It's simply un-American to have to pay sales tax on a toaster but not on a yacht.

Do you feel the same? If so, please spread the word by forwarding this urgent message to at least five of your friends as soon as possible.

Thank you for supporting this spot and helping us push back against the tax cut cult and its corporate cronies.

Arianna Huffington
Editor-in-Chief
The Huffington Post

P.S. On Wednesday night from 6-7 p.m., I will be joining Rick Jacobs for a "Courage Campaign Conversation" conference call about this budget crisis as well as my new book, "Right is Wrong: How the Lunatic Fringe Hijacked America, Shredded the Constitution and Made Us All Less Safe (And What You Need to Know to End the Madness)".

I'd love it if you joined us on Wednesday's special conference call. Stay tuned for an email announcement in your in-box on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, if you can contribute at least $100 to put "Yacht Party 2" on the air, I'll sign my book and send it to you ASAP:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/yachtparty2