California: Political reform measure [public financing of campaigns] faltering

San Diego Union Tribune ^ | October 22, 2006

[John Jorsett]

The small band of would-be political reformers gathered outside San Diego City Hall after taking a recent “corruption tour.”

They looked at the Del Mar-area home that former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham sold to a defense contractor at an inflated price, starting the unraveling of his career and landing him in federal prison.

[snip]

Their prescription: Proposition 89 on the Nov. 7 ballot that would set up a system of public financing for political campaigns for state offices. One problem: None of the examples they gave – involving federal and local offices – would be affected by the initiative.

“There is an accepted pay-to-play culture that we, as supporters of Proposition 89, are confident is going to end in the state of California,” said Ted Cahill, a field organizer for the California Nurses Association, which is sponsoring the initiative.

Proposition 89 would set up a “clean money” system of public campaign financing similar to ones in Maine and Arizona.

“It will provide a medium for folks to be able to run for political office without having to take any private contributions,” Cahill said. “They will be beholden to no one except the voters who put them into office. And it will be the systemic reform that will begin to end this culture of corruption.”

[snip]

Because opponents of Proposition 89 had nearly six times more money in the bank than supporters as of the end of September, the initiative appears unlikely to receive a major push before Election Day.

Judging from a poll conducted by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California last month, it needs one.

The poll showed that after likely voters were read the summary that will appear on their ballots, only 25 percent said they would vote “yes” and 61 percent said they would vote “no.”

[WOSG]

The idea of wasting taxpayer money on political campaigns and attacks is repellent to me. It's a violation of our rights and a clear case of Government spending that oversteps sensible bounds.

[rom]

Huzzah! Common sense prevails (for once) in CA.

[goldstategop]

Its a back door retaliation measure by the unions. It bans corporate contributions. Don't be fooled by the deceptive title. The purpose is to muzzle business and secondarily its to put politicians on the public dole for life. Fortunately voters are seeing right through the feel good rhetoric and the "clean government" smokescreen and are rejecting it. Vote NO on Proposition 89!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus