California Prop. 32: Fraud of all Frauds!
Much to my alarm, I keep seeing ads here on the DU to vote "yes" on Prop. 32--a California ballot measure--and yes, I know these things are automatic, popping up because the ad-bot knows I'm from CA. However, unlike the some of the political ads I see here (which don't seem to know what site they're on), these ads are a wolf in DU clothing. Meaning, they look like something that a DU person might, indeed, support and vote for ("Break the chains of corporations!" it says--or something like that). Which is why I felt I should post this article. While the ads seem to suggest that 32 is on our side, it's just the opposite. 32 is a dirty, nasty trick. And everyone here--whether or not you're a voter in California--should be aware of it. Because if this passes in CA, it's going to be showing up as a ballot measure in other states. You can bet on that. It's a trick right out of Fox News, pretending to be "fair and balanced" while being no such thing.
On the surface, this measure seems to be on the side of all of us angry at the Citizen's United decision. It's using that anger, all right. To trick everyone into voting for an anti-union measure that wouldn't do a thing to stop corporations from funneling in money, but would stop unions from being able to do the same! This from an article written by Michael Hiltzik:
In this state, we've come to expect ballot initiatives sponsored by business interests to be, essentially, frauds. But it's hard to conceive how one could be more fraudulent than Proposition 32. If there was any doubt left that the initiative process has been totally corrupted by big business and the wealthy, this should put it to rest for all time.
Proposition 32 is nothing but an attack by Republicans and conservatives on unions and their members. Two previous attempts by the same gang failed at the ballot box, in 1998 and 2005. What's new about this effort is that it's dressed up as a broad reform aimed at "special interests," and it's even more union-unfriendly than its predecessors.
We'll start by examining what Proposition 32 purports to do.
On the grounds that "special interests have too much power over government," the measure bans direct contributions to California candidates by corporations and labor unions. It prohibits the collection of "political funds" from corporate employees and union members via payroll deduction, even if the employee or member voluntarily approves. (That's more stringent than the previous versions, which merely required that union members give written permission for political expenditures once a year.) Political funds include money spent for or against a candidate or ballot measure or for a party or political action committee, or PAC.
Sounds pretty good so far, doesn't it? "It looks temptingly like reform," says Trudy Schafer, program director for the League of Women Voters of California. "But it's not."
That's because Proposition 32 bristles with enormous loopholes tailor-made for businesses and their wealthy backers. To begin with, it exempts such common business structures as LLCs, partnerships and real estate trusts. If you're a venture investor, land developer or law firm, Proposition 32 doesn't lay a finger on you.
Alas, there's more! Full article here: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/19/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120819
Give it a read, especially if you're a CA voter. And make sure you spread the word about 32.
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