Posted on 10/26/2005 4:49:32 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Opponents of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's attempt to change the way legislative districts are drawn are using retired Judge Joseph Wapner, former star of the television program "The People's Court," in commercials attacking the ballot initiative and its corporate supporters.
The three television ads, which began running Monday in most of the state, accuse oil and insurance companies, developers and Wal-Mart heirs of contributing heavily to Yes on 77 committees to elect lawmakers who will support their agendas.
The ads also contend that Proposition 77 would give too much political power to retired judges. Wapner served 20 years as a Los Angeles County judge before presiding on "The People's Court" in the 1980's and early 1990's.
"Judges should decide legal disputes. Judges should not make law," Wapner says in one of the ads.
Proposition 77, backed by Schwarzenegger, would take the power to draw legislative and congressional districts away from the Legislature and give it to a panel of three retired judges.
Schwarzenegger and other supporters say it's a conflict of interest for lawmakers to draw their own districts and that redistricting plans produced by the Legislature tend to protect incumbents.
Democrats and their union allies fighting Proposition 77 say it's an attempt by Schwarzenegger and his business supporters to elect more Republicans to the Legislature and Congress. Some GOP congressmen also oppose the proposal, however, fearful that it could cost them seats.
The commercials:
- Title: "Backroom."
- Length: 30 seconds.
- Airing: Began Monday in most California media markets.
- Dominant Images: Wapner on "The People's Court" and standing in front of a judge's bench talking to the camera. A fake newspaper quoting Wapner saying "No on 77." A gavel slamming down on the numbers 77.
Script:
Wapner: "You may remember me from 'The People's Court,' but I was a real life judge. In fact, I was presiding judge of the LA County Superior Court."
Announcer: "Judge Wapner says no on Prop. 77."
Wapner: "If Prop. 77 passes, retired judges like me will be given a lot of power, too much power. Judges, retired or not, especially in a political back room, should not make law. Don't give up your power. No on 77. No on 77. No on 77."
---
- Title: "Make Law."
Length: 30 seconds.
Airing: Began Monday in most California media markets.
Dominant Images: Same as in "Backroom" ad.
Script: Almost the same as in "Backroom" ad.
---
- Title: "Money."
- Length: 30 seconds.
- Airing: Began Monday in most California media markets.
- Dominant Images: Wapner on "The People's Court" and standing in front of a judge's bench. Donation totals to Proposition 77 from insurance industry, oil companies, developers and Wal-Mart heirs appear on the screen, along with an "update" announcing the League of Women Voters' opposition to the measure.
Script: "I'm Joseph Wapner. You may remember me from 'The People's Court.' But today I'm here to express my outrage at the obscene amount of money backing Prop. 77. Insurance and oil companies, developers, even Arkansas based Wal-Mart are funding 77. They want to roll back protection for the environment and the working man and deregulate the insurance industry. They're selling this as reform? Don't give up your power. No on 77. No on 77. No on 77.
----
Analysis: Proposition 77 opponents are hoping Wapner will prove to be a believable authority figure who will convince voters that the ballot measure isn't the good-government reform that it might seem to be at first glance.
"Who is more qualified than Judge Joseph Wapner to articulate the problems posed both to the judiciary and to the public by Prop. 77's ill-conceived and unprecedented mid-decade redistricting scheme?" the opponents said in a press release announcing the ads.
"Who is more qualified than Judge Joseph Wapner to know the dangers of Prop. 77's mandate that volunteer, unelected, retired judges, unaccountable to the public, allocate political power in California?"
It's true that the California Chamber of Commerce, a number of corporations and business executives have contributed heavily to Yes on 77 committees, but anti-77 committees also have drawn money from business heads as well as labor unions and Democratic lawmakers, a fact Proposition 77 supporters point out.
Most Democratic officials oppose the initiative, while most Republicans support it. But it has also been endorsed by some Democrats and opposed by some Republicans, who fear that it could backfire on the GOP and lead to Democratic gains.
Proposition 77 also has won support from some government watchdog groups, including Common Cause and the California Public Interest Research Group.
Schwarzenegger has said he wants to change the way districts are drawn to increase competition for legislative seats and elect more moderates from both parties. He has repeated a stark statistic from the 2004 elections: Of 153 state legislative and congressional seats, none changed party hands last November.
Wapner's comment in the ads telling voters "don't give up your power" refers to a particular provision in the measure. Redistricting plans approved by the former judges would go on the next general election ballot - but after the districts take effect.
The lines would be redrawn if voters rejected a plan, but the new districts wouldn't be used until the next election.
I need to know how Doug Llewellyn and Rusty the bailiff feel before I can make a decision.
uh oh. four minutes to wapner!
Rusty passed away some time back.
I imagine the the old coot thinks all retired judges are as senile as he is.
Well, I am sorry to hear that. Rusty was the only sympathetic person on the show.
A real irony would be that he be appointed in the pool of judges to be considered and make it thru the process. Nyyaahhh. not likely.
Toooooo late! I already voted!
Good for you. As winter approaches here in the North East, I'm wishing I was back in CA myself, voting and enjoying the weather.
You know, that's true -- all the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray! When I moved from LA to NYC, I used to think of that old Tradewinds song that had the line "My woody's outside, covered with snow." Our lives at 45 rpm.
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