National Nurses United

RAD.Sept 2006 8/31/06 11:30 AM Page 9 Rose Ann DeMoro Executive Director, CNA/NNOC Caring For Democracy Nurses have power at the polls, and we must use it this year and every year it's an election year, and every election year conjures up excitement and hope for some, annoyance and apprehension for others. For all too many, however, the most common sentiment aroused by the approach of an election is indifference. Politics in America all too often seems like a David-versus-Goliath situation, without the happy ending. Facing the insurmountable odds of well-funded lobbyists, social hierarchies, and back-door favors, the temptation to mask frustration with apathy can be overwhelming. We at CNA/NNOC are setting out to teach by example that individual citizens are still major shareholders in democracy, and that nobody can take power away from you without your permission. Not that I need to tell you—RNs have some of the best voting track records in America. Some studies have suggested that 1 out of every 44 voters is an RN, a ratio that shoots up to 1 out of 17 when you count only women voters. One out of 44 is a remarkable amount of power to wield. It is a huge influence on the democratic processes that shape our nation. It is more than a privilege, it is a right; more than that, though, it is a duty. Sadly, a lot of our friends and family are neglecting that duty. That slide into apathy is far more soothing than the uncertainty of being actively involved. But apathy will win no important victories, nor will it set any precedents for other states and the entire nation. This election year, then, consider it your duty not only to get out and vote, but to engage your friends, colleagues, and family in discussing the vital importance of participating in democracy. American RNs have proven that dedication, belief, and action can transform a vision of justice into a reality. Just look at the past several years in California alone. After a recall election that cost California SEPTEMBER 2006 taxpayers $66 million, a comically inept action film star with a history of sexual assault complaints became governor and soon set about rolling back the nurse-topatient ratios for which we had fought. Arnold Schwarzenegger waived a $9 billion dollar debt owed to Californians by energy companies like Enron and squandered an additional $300+ million on a special election which was vehemently opposed by taxpayers and achieved no new laws. And on top of it all, he had the nerve to say he was always kicking our butts. After that now infamous quip, there was a stunned silence among the nurses—followed by the collective cry of, "Oh, yeah?" Over the next several years, California's RNs showed Arnold who was kicking whose and will provide public funding for elections from a corporate tax. Maine and Arizona have both enacted Clean Money Election legislation in recent years. As a result, both states have seen a surge in the number of hard-working professionals, including RNs, running for office—and winning. Clean Money Elections represent a return to democracy, where neither politicians nor their offices are up for sale to the highest bidder, and where every citizen truly has a voice. At the very least, Clean Money Elections would ensure that California never sees another Arnold fiasco—at least, not in the Capitol. Movie screens are another issue altogether. Despite all the talk about California, these issues and events are not confined to the "Some studies have suggested that 1 out of every 44 voters is an RN, a ratio that shoots up to 1 out of 17 when you count only women voters. One out of 44 is a remarkable amount of power to wield. It is a huge influence on the democratic processes that shape our nation." butt: CNA successfully sued the governor to keep nurse-to-patient ratios in place and ran a triumphant campaign to defeat his special election initiatives against hardworking nurses, teachers, and firefighters. After his humiliating defeat last November, Arnold scuttled off on a diplomatic visit to China, while California's nurses gathered strength for the final push to make Arnold nothing more than a bad memory. Today, he faces the very real threat of being voted out of office. What's more, a new proposition on the ballot ensures that the real special interests, the corporations that buy laws and politicians with generous campaign "donations," will lose their bite in future elections. Proposition 89, when voted into law, will strictly limit contributions, totally banning them from lobbyists and state contractors, W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G Golden State alone. Another Arnold could happen in any state—a chilling thought. When RNs and other hardworking professionals like teachers and firefighters are being attacked, state lines disappear. What happens locally will influence our peers nationally and globally. Arizona and Maine have already set a precedent for California, just as California hopes to set a precedent for all the other states out there who need to rattle their governors' cages. This election year, let RNs set the precedent upon which all working citizens can model their participation in democracy. And let working citizens set the precedent upon which national and statewide democracy will flourish. I'll see you at the polls in November. ■ Rose Ann DeMoro is executive director of CNA/NNOC. REGISTERED NURSE 9

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