National Nurses United

NewsBriefs. Oct 2006 10/11/06 10:41 AM Page 6 NewsBriefs ABOUT TIME FOR 89 earing the election Nov. 7, CNA/ NNOC's campaign to clean up political corruption in California by passing Proposition 89 kicked into high gear, releasing a groundbreaking music video about the initiative to energize voters and a study showing that big donors had shelled out nearly $2 billion in donations over the last five year to influence lawmakers. Supporters of Prop. 89 also continued to pound the pavement and work the phones to educate voters, and a growing number of prominent groups and individuals, including United Teachers Los Angeles, AARPCalifornia, and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, had endorsed the initiative. And a poll released in September by the Public Policy Institute of California reported that 61 percent of voters believed that campaign contributions have a bad effect on the public policy decisions made by state elected officials. N Above: Nurses and members of the community show their support for Prop. 89 outside the Governor's annual conference for women in Long Beach. Right: Colette Washington leads a parade of nurses during a live music video shoot for her song that calls voters to action, About Time for 89. Still, the campaign readied itself for an uphill battle. Campaign finance reports show that opponents, mainly big insurance companies, the pharma industry, HMOs, oil companies, and Chamber of Commerce groups, had raised almost $3 million since July to defeat the campaign finance reform measure. Much of these funds came in the large donation chunks, such as $250,000 from Chevron Corp., that Prop. 89 is intended to stop. "We are very used to coming from behind and winning," said Rose Ann DeMoro, CNA/NNOC executive director. "We are trying to change the status quo—this system that CALIFORNIA 6 REGISTERED NURSE W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G works for big pharmaceutical companies and rich CEOs—and that is always hard. What we have on our side are the hardworking people of California who believe in social justice. We can win this thing if we get our message out, and if everyone talks to their family, their friends, their neighbors, their coworkers, and then everyone goes out and votes." One never-before-tried strategy that the campaign is using to rouse voters is to circulate a rap song and music video written and OCTOBER 2006

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