ballot choices. I may pass on rec's for other offices, details or
reasoned differences, but this is bottom line. -Ed
Jackie Goldberg's ballot recommendations, Part 1 and 2
Dear Friends,
This is your friendly, unsolicited ballot recommendations letter. If you do
not want to receive these emails, just write me and let me know.
First things first: Everyone who receives this letter needs to take the
time to vote, and the responsibility to get others to vote in this election.
If you are thrilled with Obama, lukewarm with him, or even very
disappointed, this election is not about him. It IS about the wealthy using
their money to buy elections so that they can continue to increase their
wealth at the expense of the middle class. To be sure, there are some
Democrats who behave like Republicans and toady to the needs of the wealthy.
But most Democrats still believe that government has a role to play in
protecting us, and providing all of us with services we pay for, but which
all receive regardless of how much they pay: firefighters, police, schools,
hospitals, roads, bridges, parks, highways, public pools, as well as a
safety net for the frail, the disabled, the injured, the poor and
unemployed, and the elderly.
What this is leading up to is a plea that you personally do all you
can-donate money, phonebank, walk precincts in these last few days to
prevent the Republicans from taking over the House of Representatives and
/or the Senate. If the Republicans take over the House, for example, all
good legislation will stop. Social Security and Medicare will be cut. And
there will be endless and expensive investigations of every excellent member
of the House of Representatives, the President of the U.S. and of the
President's Cabinet. NO work to help the economy, restore jobs, or fix
those deregulated industries so that they can no longer rip off people just
because they can. This is serious business. And this is NOT the Republican
Party of your youth, or of your parents. There will be permanent tax cuts
for the rich, and there will be no end to the breaks in both taxes and
regulation for the very financial and other corporations that put the nation
into the mess it is in.
So, message #1, VOTE, VOTE EARLY, VOTE BY MAIL, BUT VOTE!
And then, be sure that you get at least three people to vote who may not
actually get around to it if YOU don't push them, drive them, or remind them
to get their whether you like her or him or not! Even with not-so-good
Democrats, we have room to fight again another day. With Republicans, they
only listen to the millionaires and billionaires and the massive
multi-national corporate agenda. We cannot afford to go back to the BUSH
agenda (though the tea-baggers think Bush was too liberal!).
Now to the ballot issues; there are many important items on this years
ballot.
First, here are my recommendations in brief:
Proposition 19: YES This measure legalizes the use, possession,
transportation and cultivation of marijuana for personal use for
Californians 21 years of age or older. At least 35,000 Californians are
arrested each year for the actions this measure would legalize.
Proposition 20: NO This measure would give a non-accountable 14-person
commission power to redraw our state's Congressional districts. Funded by
Republican and out-of-state corporations, the goal is to make it possible to
send more Republicans to Congress from California.
Proposition 21: YES This measure creates funding to preserve our heritage
state parks by adding an $18 surcharge to the vehicle license fee, and gives
those vehicles free park admission to stat e parks and beaches in return.
Though not a progressive tax, it is still a better idea than closing state
parks and beaches!
Proposition 22: NO This measure prohibits the state from borrowing
funds from cities and counties in time of crisis. And while I was a city
councilmember, and hated it when the State "took" our money, I believe
schools and the safety net for those who need health and human services
"trumps" most local needs. And the money must be paid back.
Proposition 23: Hell NO This measure, paid for entirely by Texas oil
companies such as Tesoro, and Valero, suspends the air pollution control
laws passed by the Legislature to limit emission of greenhouse gasses known
to cause global warming.
Proposition 24: YES This measure repeals $1.7 billion in corporate tax
breaks passed during last year's backroom budget deal. Each year, because
of the 2/3 vote needed to pass a State budget, Republicans insist on some
corporate giveaway, or tax break for the wealthy, in return for the 2-6
votes they will reluctantly give in order to get a budget passed. These
corporate tax breaks are for the 2% of corporations that are the largest and
wealthiest in California, and would do absolutely nothing for small
corporations, or mom-and-pop businesses.
Proposition 25 YES This measure could be the most important measure on
the ballot. It would change the California Constitution to requiring a 50%
+1 vote to pass a budget. Without this measure, each year, terrible tax
breaks and even worse legislation is added to the budget in order to get a
few Republican votes. Without this measure, the "last one out should turn
out the lights" on California. We will continue to tank. IMPORTANT-THIS
DOES NOT CHANGE THE 2/3 VOTE NEEDED TO CHANGE TAX LAWS. The opponents to
this are lying in their ads. They say that it will mean higher taxes for
everyone. And they are lying that it will increase government officials
tax-free expense accounts. Well, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS HAVE NO EXPENSE
ACCOUNTS (except for gasoline) TO RAISE in the first place! Don't be
fooled by the lies. It is well past time for California to join the 47
other states who pass budgets with a majority vote.
Proposition 26 NO Paid for by oil, tobacco and alcohol corporations,
this measure would redefine "fees" charged to oil, tobacco and alcohol
companies for the harm to public health and the environment to "taxes" so it
would take a 2/3 vote to pass them instead of the current majority vote
needed.
Proposition 27 YES This measure returns to the Legislature the power to
create the districts in which Assembly Members and State Senators run. It
would repeal Proposition 11 that was passed and financed by a billionaire in
2008 that created a 14-member commission to do the once-in-a-decade
redistricting based on population growth and shifts in population. Many
will say that legislators should not created their own districts. But the
Commission is NOT REQUIRED to take into account efforts to increase access
to public office for persons of color. And Commissions are only on the
ballot in states whose legislature is controlled by Democrats. When Texas,
Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Utah, Montana, and other "red" states
go to a Commission, I will support a Commission for California. Otherwise,
it is asking Democrats to give up using their majority to decide districts
while Republican controlled state legislatures blithely continue to use
their power for their own purposes.
Well, that is it: The Good: Propositions 19, 21, 24, 25, and 27 = vote
YES.
The Bad: Propositions 22, and 26=vote NO
And truly THE UGLY: Propositions 20 and 23=vote NO and remind
others to do the same.
Tell Fiorina and Whitman that California's Senator and Governor are NOT for
sale. And let's take back this state, and hold on to this nation by getting
out and voting, and getting others to do the same.
With warmest regards, and much love,
Jackie
P.S. (The following have the same positions as I do, or took no position on
the item: Courage Campaign, CREDO, CA Democratic Party, California
Federation of Teachers, the California Labor Federation, California League
of Conservation Voters, the California Nurses Association, and Calitics.
The League of Women Voters also shares almost all the same positions, except
they recommend a "no" vote on Proposition 27, which is consistent with their
support of Commissions to draw voting district lines).
November Ballot Part 2
Key Races:
U. S. Senator: Barbara Boxer
Governor: Jerry Brown
Lt. Governor: Gavin Newsom
Secretary of State: Debra Bowen
Controller: John Chiang
Treasurer: Bill Lockyear
Attorney General: Kamala D. Harris
Insurance Commissioner: Dave Jones
The election for Attorney General and Insurance Commissioner
are both very important. Each of the two above candidates
is THE PROGRESSIVE in the race; and each has had huge
amounts of right-wing money spent against them in order to elect
conservatives to these offices.
Judges of the Superior Court (L.A.)
Office 28- MARK K. AMELIA
Office 117-- ALAN SCHNEIDER
L.A. County Assessor -- JOHN R. NOGUEZ
In the Bay area, up north, for Judge, I recommend Michael Nava
(I am still looking into the races for Santa Monica as requested.)
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