In the News - Nurses vs. Arnold: Terminating Political Corruption

Inside Bay Area:

The Oakland-based CNA had "Nurses vs. Arnold: Terminating Political Corruption" made by director and producer Robert Greenwald of Los Angeles, famous for liberal-leaning documentaries such as 2005's "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" and 2004's "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism."

The union premiered the film at simultaneous screenings Thursday night at Oakland's Grand Lake Theater, in Sacramento and in Los Angeles.

The CNA plans to use the film to create grassroots buzz around Proposition 89, the political-reform measure the union has sponsored on this November's ballot. CNA spokeswoman and organizer Liz Jacobs said the movie, about 20 minutes long, is "designed to be used as an organizing tool to get people motivated, especially nurses."

This is a very creative approach to earn support for Prop 89.

Modeled on systems in Maine, Connecticut and Arizona, Proposition 89 would raise the corporate tax rate by 0.2 percent — to a level still below that at which it stood from 1980 to 1996 — to bankroll campaigns for candidates who reject private fundraising and limit spending to the public dollars provided; show public support by gathering signatures and some $5 qualifying donations; and take part in debates.

Assembly candidates could get up to $250,000 in the primary and $400,000 in the general election; Senate candidates, up to $500,000 and $800,000; statewide office candidates, up to $2 million each in the primary and general; and gubernatorial candidates, up to $10 million and $15 million. Clean-money candidates facing rivals who reject this system could get four to five times these "baseline" amounts.

Also, a donor could give no more than $1,000 to any one independent expenditure committee, and no more than $7,500 per year to all such committees.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Phil Angelides has endorsed Proposition 89. Schwarzenegger says he opposes the tax hike and the whole notion of public financing; he touts transparency and strict, firm reporting periods in campaign finance but has proposed no specific campaign-finance reforms.

It is sad to see Governor Schwarzenegger refusing to support reform. During the recall election, the Governor campaigned against the "stranglehold" special interests have over Sacramento. But since he was elected, it has been business as usual (actually, Schwarzenegger has broken the special interest money records). No wonder people are creating entire movies against him.

Voters want reform, we want clean elections. Voters want Proposition 89.