La Opinión Endorses Proposition 89

The most important spanish language newspaper in America:

Sí a la 89

California tuvo, en las primarias de junio, una cifra récord de abstencionismo electoral. Una de las razones es el desencanto de los votantes con el sistema político y el dominio del dinero en las campañas políticas.

La Proposición 89 contiene una serie de reformas a las leyes de financiación de campañas y, en general, reduciría la cantidad de fondos de intereses especiales que fluye en cada elección estatal.

La medida establecería un sistema de financiación público de campañas, pagado por un impuesto a las corporaciones, que aseguraría fondos a candidatos legítimos que cumplan con ciertos requisitos. Aceptarlo es opcional, pero los candidatos que no lo hagan tendrán límites estrictos de recolección de fondos.

La proposición también limita el dinero que una corporación puede desembolsar para financiar u oponerse a una iniciativa electoral. Podrían continuar donando a través de comités que reciban contribuciones individuales, pero se eliminarían los donativos millonarios que salen de los tesoros de compañías.

Medidas similiares han comenzado a tranformar el sistema en siete estados. La 89 es una reforma indispensable si se quiere dar algo de confianza a un sistema electoral en el que el dinero parece más importante que el voto.

Vote sí en la Proposición 89!

Last month, the National Latino Congreso unanimously voted for a resolution calling for public financing of election campaigns in California.

Quote of the Day

"There is a very radical measure which would, I believe, work a substantial improvement in our system of conducting a campaign, although I am well aware that it will take some time for people so to familiarize themselves with such a proposal as to be willing to consider its adoption. The need for collecting large campaign funds would vanish if Congress provided an appropriation for the proper and legitimate expenses of each of the great national parties, an appropriation ample enough to meet the necessity for thorough organization and machinery, which requires a large expenditure of money. Then the stipulation should be made that no party receiving campaign funds from the Treasury should accept more than a fixed amount from any individual subscriber or donor; and the necessary publicity for receipts and expenditures could without difficulty be provided."

-Theodore Roosevelt, 1907 State of the Union Address

Fight Corruption

Mike Kirchubel says:

Almost all voters, regardless of party affiliation, agree that there is entirely too much greed and corruption in Sacramento and Washington these days. Most of us are just plain disgusted. Granted, politicians need money for their signs, ads, and commercials in order to be elected or re-elected; unfortunately, today’s high-stakes Pay-to-Play is completely dominated by corporate lobbyists. We ordinary folks have been priced out of the access game. Furthermore, these lobbyists have vastly different agendas than you or I. While we spend our days working for our dollars, they spend theirs dreaming up novel ways to snatch those dollars from us. To them, politicians are simply highly paid employees facilitating the exchange. We should make politicians cover their expensive suits with sponsor patches, like NASCAR drivers, so we can all tell where their loyalties truly lie.

If you’ve ever thought, “There must be a better way;” wondered why corporations with billions in profits legally pay less in taxes than you; or swore you would “never vote for those crooks ever again;” rejoice! Proposition 89, the Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, is coming soon to a ballot near you. If we all work hard and get this passed in November, Prop 89 will allow candidates to remain “Clean” with public financing for their campaigns. Our representatives would actually represent us, not the special interest lobbyists. Imagine, taxation WITH representation. What a revolutionary concept! Yes on 89.

There is a better way. Clean money elections are working in Maine, they are working in Arizona, and with your support this November we can have fair elections in California.

Featured Letter to the Editor

San Rafael's Dan Farthing in the Marin Independent Journal:

Prop. 89 will clean up politics

The IJ's "Fill-up of the future" article (Aug. 25) was encouraging indeed; imagine what biodiesel could do if it were available cheaply and used throughout Marin and elsewhere. Less foreign oil, clean air, invigorated regional agriculture.

But with special interest groups and their lobbyists controlling Sacramento, biodiesel and similar issues aren't likely to get much support without the passage of Proposition 89 on Nov. 7.

Proposition 89 would provide optional public financing of campaigns for any legislative candidate, who then, if elected, would not be under the influence of campaign contributors. Legislators could then vote according to their own consciences for such worthwhile projects as biodiesel, other alternative fuels, and universal health care.

This "clean money" system works in Arizona, where the governor and most other statewide elected officials were elected with clean money under a similar law.

Let's vote "yes" on Proposition 89 for good government, with legislators accountable only to the voters.

On issue after issue, it is the big money special interests blocking reform. Ending the auction in Sacramento is the first step towards sound policy for California.

Make Elections About Voters

While not specific to California's Proposition 89, Patrick Bosold lays out a solid case for clean money campaigns in the Des Moines Register:

Clean elections make elections about voters, not campaign donors. Candidates can spend their time talking to constituents instead of spending countless hours wooing major donors. Once in office, clean-elections officials are no longer beholden to special interests and lobbyists.

Candidates who participate in clean elections are supported by voters. In Maine, 83 percent of the state Senate and 77 percent of the state House is made up of legislators who ran as clean-elections candidates. In Arizona, 10 out of 11 statewide offices are held by clean-elections candidates.

I'm very concerned about the role of money in politics and the scandals in Washington. The best way to make elections fair and to restore accountability to people is to implement public financing of elections.

Mr. Bosold isn't the only voter who is concerned about the role of big money in politics. We need reform.