National Nurses United

NewsBriefsJuly 2006 7/25/06 7:46 PM Page 6 NewsBriefs Prop. 89, the Clean Money Initiative, Makes the Ballot alifornians will have a chance this November to make state elected officials accountable to the public instead of big money campaign donors by voting on Proposition 89, a CNA/NNOCsponsored initiative that would radically reduce the influence of money on politics. Prop 89, also known as the "Clean Money and Fair Elections Act," is the most significant of many recent efforts by frustrated citizens across the country to purge what's widely accepted as the corrupting influence of money on candidates running for office. "Political corruption is not just about a greedy politician taking money," said Rose Ann DeMoro, executive director of CNA/ NNOC. "That corruption has a direct impact on all of us every day as Californians. It means we pay higher drug prices, it means we breathe dirtier air, it means we pay higher gas prices, it means that we are paying a greater proportional share of taxes than corporations do. It's time we cleaned up this corruption. We believe we can pass this initiative here with a broad-based coalition of all sorts of Californians and act as a catalyst for political reform across the country." California nurses with CNA/NNOC developed this idea to place a Clean Money measure on the state ballot after realizing that the current political system does not allow them to protect their patients. Every day, nurses see the fallout from the political influence of healthcare corporations: inadequate funding for healthcare, more uninsured people showing up in emergency rooms, and growing numbers of patients who can't pay for medications they have been prescribed. At the same time, they observe corporations enjoying tax breaks and what appear to be special favors, such as legislative vetoes, in return for their campaign contributions. Modeled after systems already used in other states, Prop 89 would establish a system of public financing for statewide candidates who reject private fundraising and also set tougher limits on contributions from corporations, unions, and private individuals. It C As a result, states and municipalities are bans contributions from lobbyists and companies that do business with the state, as well increasingly turning to publicly-financed elecas providing for stronger enforcement of tion systems to clean political house, making campaign laws. The California Secretary of campaigns more fair and competitive. Maine State announced June 26 that the 620,000 and Arizona have used public financing for signatures CNA/NNOC had submitted were several years and found that voter turnout has more than enough to qualify the initiative for increased, and the numbers of women and non-White candidates has grown. North Carthe state's November ballot. Political contribution scan- olina uses it for judicial candidates. Portland, dals have repeatedly dominated Or. in June just held its first publicly-financed state and national headlines over elections. Cities such as Los Angeles, San Franthe past few years, with the pros- cisco, Berkeley, Sunnyvale, and San Jose are ecution of congressmen such as seriously considering Clean Money systems for Duke Cunningham and Tom DeLay, and lob- some elected positions. Under these systems, candidates can volbyists such as Jack Abramoff. In many of these unteer to run without raising cases, the elected officials private funds. Instead, they depended on lobbyists and Visit our website at raise a certain number of corporate donors to help raise www.yeson89.org for small donations and meet the large war chests needed information on upcomother eligibility requireto win races. Once in office, ing Clean Money house ments to receive a public they'd return the favor by parties, phone banking, grant to run their campaign. passing or blocking legislaand other events! In addition to these monies, tion as their donors wished. CALIFORNIA 6 REGISTERED NURSE W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G J U LY 2 0 0 6

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