The Senate Majority Press Office issued the following press release Friday:

Today, Senate Democrats responded to the Republicans “plan” to balance the budget and to oppose the budget balancing plan discussed on the Senate floor today with House Bills 1189-1199.  Yesterday the Republicans offered an ill-conceived plan to balance the budget which didn’t quite add up.  Today, Senate Majority Leader John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) addressed it on the Senate floor, as he held up a copy of “Cliff’s Notes: Basic Math”:

Senator Morse’s statement: “Today, I present the Minority Leader with the Cliff Notes version of Basic Math.  Because your math is so far off I’ve gotten you a book on math.  And I’ve gotten you a Cliff’s notes version since you are coming at the 11^th hour. With great honor I give you this book and look forward to your proposal.”

“After reading the Republican budget fix it is quite clear that they can’t add or subtract.  The budget shortfall is $1 billion.  The Republicans proposed a reckless “off the cuff” idea to fire state employees to save $17.8 million. $17.8 million in cuts to solve a $1 billion shortfall. Now they just need to come up with 50 more plans so the math will add up.  The problem is their plan doesn’t even identify the first $17.8 million.

“The Governor’s budget proposal cuts state spending by $700 million.  Removing corporate tax credits and exemptions provide the balance of the $300 million needed to balance the budget.  It’s a balanced approach to serious financial crisis. It preserves as best it can our core values.   It protects the most vulnerable of our citizens.  It asks everyone to pull together during these tough times. The Governor’s plan demonstrates leadership.  There’s an old saying that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.  It’s time the Republicans either offer a serious solution or get out of the way.”

Morse vented his irritation with Republicans at the Democratic El Paso County Central Committee Meeting yesterday. A former CPA, Morse claims that he immediately sensed something fishy with the numbers conservatives were touting. After his rant on the Senate floor, The Denver Post caught up with Republicans, who were already distancing themselves from their heinous math:

Senate Republicans now say their figures have been misinterpreted. On Thursday, they put out a statement that said their budget proposal “includes a 0.25 percent reduction in state payroll spending for the current fiscal year, and a 4.4 percent reduction for next fiscal year.” They also said the plan “would require Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter to cut the state’s $3.2 billion state payroll budget by $19 million for the current fiscal year.” Republicans said the plan would save $306 million in the next fiscal year.

Republican staff told reporters that the 0.25 percent figure pertained to payroll.

But by Friday evening, they said that what they meant was that they were calling for a 0.25 percent cut in the state’s total general fund operating budget. That’s roughly $7.5 billion.

Republican State Senator Shawn Mitchell took anti-Obama politics to a new low in a recent status update posted to Facebook Wednesday night during the State of the Union Address:

What does this hustler know about creating jobs, opportunity, or wealth? “Community Organizers” don’t increase the pie. They help people move faster in line to get a piece. He’s earnest but has not a clue. NOT A CLUE. 40 years ago he would have been planting bombs with Bill Ayers to bring down the oppressor.

Bill Ayers was co-founder of the 1960s revolutionary group Weather Underground, which gained recognition for its bombing of public buildings. Obama was previously linked to Ayers during his presidential campaign because they served together on the board of an anti-poverty group, the Woods Fund of Chicago, from 1999-2002.

Perhaps Sen. Mitchell will be the next Colorado representative to earn on a place on Keith Olbermann’s illustrious “Worst Person in the World” list.

Will Phillips, a 10-year-old boy from Washington County in Arkansas, refuses to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in class. He maintains, “There really isn’t liberty and justice for all. Gays and lesbians can’t marry. There’s still a lot of racism and sexism in the world.” Until gays and lesbians have equal rights, Phillips says, he doesn’t want to say the pledge.

Phillips told the Arkansas Times that he argued with his substitute teacher, who tried to make him say the pledge and threatened to tell his mother if he didn’t.

“She got a lot more angry and raised her voice and brought my mom and my grandma up,” Will said. “I was fuming and was too furious to really pay attention to what she was saying. After a few minutes, I said, ‘With all due respect, ma’am, you can go jump off a bridge.’ ”

Will was sent to the office, where he was given an assignment to look up information about the flag and what it represents. Meanwhile, the principal called his mother.

When Phillips’ mother asked for an apology from the teacher, his principal responded, “Well, I don’t think that’s necessary at this point.”

Phillips, who hopes to be a lawyer, has since been harassed by his classmates. “In the lunchroom and in the hallway, they’ve been making comments and doing pranks, and calling me gay,” he said. “It’s always the same people, walking up and calling me a gaywad.”

In 1943, the Supreme Court ruled in West Virgina State Board of Education v. Barnette that a student’s right not to say the pledge or perform the flag salute is protected under the First Amendment.