California Propositions

CA Democratic Party: Unofficial Proposition Endorsements

A member of the CalProps network who is colsely connected with the Ca Democratic Party was kind enough to share the attached "unofficial" list of the CDP's endorsements for the November election. See the attached pdf or the Calprops blog for more complete background, but here is the quick overview:

Proposition 1A: Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century. YES

Authorizes bonds to build a high-speed train system serving major population centers, potentially allowing passengers to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in as little as two and a half hours.

Proposition 2: Treatment of Farm Animals. YES

Requires that enclosures confining farm animals allow the animals to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up, and turn around.

 

Proposition 3: Children’s Hospital Bond Act. YES

Authorizes bonds to fund children’s hospitals.

Proposition 4: Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor’s Pregnancy. NO

Amends the California Constitution to prohibit abortion for minors except in certain circumstances.

Proposition 5: Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation of Nonviolent Offenders. YES

Requires the state to increase funding and oversight for treatment and rehabilitation for nonviolent drug offenders and parolees. Reduces criminal consequences for nonviolent drug offenses.

Proposition 6: Criminal Penalties and Public Safety Funding. NO

Diverts state funds currently spent on K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, and environmental protection in order to increase spending to operate prisons and combat crime.

Proposition 7: Renewable Energy. NO

Requires all utilities to generate 20% of their power from renewable energy by 2010 and raises requirement to 40% by 2020 and 50% by 2025. This is a poorly constructed plan with no estimate of potential increased costs and reduced revenues to state and local governments resulting from the measure’s potential to increase retail electricity rates. If passed, cannot be changed except by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. Opposed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the California League of Conservation Voters, the Unionof Concerned Scientists, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies.

Proposition 8: Limit on Marriage. NO

Amends the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Proposition 9: Criminal Justice, Victims’ Rights, and Parole. NO

Requires notification to victim and opportunity for input during the criminal justice process, including bail, pleas, sentencing, and parole. Will increase state prison and county jail operating costs due to provisions restricting early release of inmates and will lead to prison overcrowding.

Proposition 10: Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds. NEUTRAL

Authorizes bonds to purchase high and alternative fuel vehicles, primarily natural gas, and provide incentives for research and development. Subsidizes foreign manufacturers at the expense of U.S. companies and jobs, and duplicates a pre-existing subsidy for natural gas vehicles. Opposed by the Consumer Federation of California and the Utility Consumers’ Action Network (UCAN).

Proposition 11: Redistricting. NO

Creates a 14-member redistricting commission responsible for drawing new district lines for State Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts. This measure is a Republican power grab that will result in the net loss of State Senate and Assembly seats held by Democrats in California and a net loss in minority representation. Opposed by Senator Barbara Boxer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the NAACP, the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF), and the Asian- American Pacific Legal Center.

Proposition 12: Veterans’ Bond Act of 2008. YES

Authorizes bonds to provide loans to California veterans for the purchase of farms and homes.

Ballot initiatives embrace new campaign tools

Its a brave new world out there. Of course, I might be biased but I believe that this November will be a watershed year in the world of campaigns. My bold prediction: November 2008 will be the last year where major political campaigns will have no internet presence.

In a great article covering this dynamic Anthony York writes in Capitol Weekly about the Proposition 2 campaign enlisting the support of on-line political guru Joe Trippi. Remarkably, the campaign suggests that it began its efforts with 40,000 email addresses of very motivated volunteers. From that volunteer base grew a signature gathering effort that yielded 500,000 signatures toward qualifying their effort.

If the claim is true - and there's no reason to believe it isn't - using the internet to qualify measures is quickly going to become the method of choice for practitioners in the field of propositions. Imagine, a world with no ironing boards, hostile encounters with paid gatherers in front of Costco, and exponentially expensive price tags for average people looking to be involved in the process. 

Sounds a lot like the idea of direct democracy is catching on. Imagine that.