National Nurses United

NewsBriefs 12/12/06 12:23 PM Page 5 Opposite page: Members of the CNA/NNOC board of directors and executive director Rose Ann DeMoro pose during a Prop. 89 event with Congresswoman Barbara Lee. This page, right: Batman 89 arrests a Jack Abramoff impersonator during a skit of the lobbyist's nefarious deeds. Above: RNs from UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica call voters about Prop. 89 from the mobile phone bank bus. one night because she wanted the campaign to "speak to average folks out there who may not pay attention to politics or thinks politics doesn't affect them." The rap and video was a big hit at campaign events, energizing people and attracting younger voters with its unusual approach. And in the final weeks of the campaign, supporters also released a Spanish-language song in a radio advertisement promoting Prop. 89. Both songs were distributed through various mediums, including the video website YouTube, the music download site iTunes, and made available as cellphone ringtones. The campaign also staged lively street theater by building on the idea that is was teaming up with a superhero, in this case Batman 89, to "clean up corruption." At many campaign stops, BatNOVEMBER 2006 man 89 would swoop in to arrest and frog march away someone playing a corrupt lobbyist or lawmaker. And in the last few weeks before the election, the Yes on 89 campaign attracted significant media attention by launching a fleet of bright red buses throughout California to visit shopping malls and hospitals to promote the initiative. When the buses stopped at hospitals, nurses getting off shift at those facilities boarded them and called local voters via cell phone to talk to them about Prop. 89, essentially turning the buses into mobile phone banking operations. Despite these efforts, the power of corporate money appeared to win again in November's election. News reports estimated the election as the most expensive in California history, with more than $550 million reported spent by October. W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G Nationwide, the November midterm election set records as well, with the Center for Responsive Politics estimating at least $2.8 billion spent. At the same time, California saw one of the lowest voter turnouts in years; only about one-third of eligible voters cast ballots. "Although we lost the initiative, our work has not been wasted," said Deborah Burger, RN and CNA/NNOC president. "Our nurses, patients, and the community are better off from all of our efforts. We will be able to mobilize our nurses and add to the coalitions that were formed during this last year, to get these reforms implemented in legislation. I am encouraged by the e-mails I've received that indicate a renewed commitment for single-payer, campaign finance reform, and to repair our social fabric." —staff report REGISTERED NURSE 5

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