Vote No!

I received the following email from People for the American Way. Apparently I am not alone in thinking that this whole Special Election that Schwarzenegger has cooked up is a complete sham, and a waste of taxpayer dollars to boot.

================================================================ People For the American Way October 12, 2005 Vote NO on Propositions 73,74,75,76, and 77 ________________________________________________________________ California's voters have grown tired of the annual march to the polls for confusing, complicated, and frequently counter- productive ballot initiatives. Polls show that progressives are taking political strength for granted and are inclined to protest these elections by staying home. We could not make a bigger mistake! The right wing is counting on us to sit on the sidelines while they squeeze through their agenda. The only way we can protect California's progressive values is to vote on November 8th. Absentee voting has already begun, so forward this information on the ballot initiatives to your friends, family, and coworkers right away! If you want to vote absentee, you must apply by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1. Download an absentee ballot application at http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/Outreach/absentee/links/absentee_app_special.pdf Vote NO on 73, 74, 75, 76, and 77! Proposition 73 (Parental Notification): NO Proposition 73 requires teens to notify a parent 48 hours before receiving an abortion. This endangers teens who are unable to go to their parents -- they may resort to dangerous measures instead of getting the medical help and counseling they need. Vote NO on Prop 73! For more information, go to http://www.noonproposition73.com Proposition 74 (Teacher Tenure): NO Proposition 74 extends teachers' probationary periods from two to five years. Prop. 74 does nothing to improve student learning, reduce class size, or provide textbooks and computers for our schools. Prop. 74 unfairly penalizes teachers and will make it almost impossible to recruit or retain quality teachers in our classrooms. Vote NO on Prop. 74! For more information, go to http://www.betterca.com/prop74 Proposition 75 (Public Employee Union Dues): NO Proposition 75 would require public employee unions to get written consent from government employees each year before using their annual union dues for political purposes. At a time when big corporations already outspend workers 24 to 1, Prop. 75 will undermine the ability of nurses, police, and firefighters to protect the public policy that ensures quality schools, public safety, and health care. Vote NO on Prop. 75! For more information, go to http://www.betterca.com/prop75 Proposition 76 (State Spending and School Funding Limits): NO Proposition 76 undermines our system of checks and balances by giving the governor unprecedented power over the state budget unchecked by legislative oversight. This proposal overturns voter-approved guarantees of funding for public education and jeopardizes funding for police, firefighters, trauma centers, and other essential public resources. California already spends $1000 less per pupil than the national average for education. Prop. 76 will permanently reduce the money schools will get by over $4 billion -- $600 per student -- placing the state behind West Virginia and Kentucky in per pupil education funding. Vote NO on Prop. 76! For more information, go to http://www.betterca.com/prop76 Proposition 77 (Redistricting): NO People for the American Way supports inclusive and thoughtful redistricting proposals -- but proposition 77 poorly addresses the need for more competitive districts. Three retired judges would draw the district lines instead of a more inclusive commission that includes representatives of diverse CA communities and interests. Prop. 77 is also a politically- motivated attempt to hastily redraw the districts in time for the 2006 elections. It is based on out-of-date data that grossly undercounts the growing Latino and Asian Pacific American populations and limits citizen input by rushing the process. Vote NO on Prop. 77! For more information, go to http://www.betterca.com/prop77 Forward this email to your friends, family, and coworkers! --Your Allies at People For the American Way California If you're in the LA area, attend a forum on the ballot propositions at the UCLA School of Law! November 2, 12:15-1:15 pm UCLA School of Law Room 1430 RSVP Required (213) 252-4550 ca-info@commoncause.org ________________________________________________________________ People For the American Way 2000 M Street, NW | Suite 400 | Washington, DC 20036 http://www.pfaw.org/ 1-800-326-PFAW | 202/467-4999

It seems that the e-mail just keeps coming in. Here's some more, from the local chapter of the SEIU:

******** The Alliance for a Better California ******** Newsletter: Alliance Net News Oct. 13, 2005 ********************************************* ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Millionaires for Prop. 75 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The latest campaign finance reports are in - 97% of the funds for Prop. 75 have come from millionaires, billionaires, rightwing ideologues and corporate special interests. These shadowy corporate fat cats are trying to deceive voters by calling their campaign committee "Teachers, firefighters and law enforcement". At Millionaires for Prop. 75 the truth is right there in green and white. Prop. 75 was conceived by, is paid for by, and is designed to push the agenda of millionaires, billionaires, and the Governor's corporate special interests. Find out more ... http://seiuaction.org/ct/t7zMCNn1oq5V/ ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Sup. Jack O'Connell & California PTA Speak Out Against Prop. 76 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell joined with California State PTA President Brenda Davis and over 100 members of the PTA to oppose Prop. 76, the "Cut School Funding Act", citing the initiative's devastating impact on public schools if it were to pass on November 8th. "At a time when our state is already 8th from the bottom in per pupil spending, Prop. 76 would reduce school funding by $4 billion every year, about $600 per student - and that is unacceptable. It eliminates Prop. 98, the voter-approved minimum school funding guarantee and locks school spending in the basement. Our students deserve better than that." Find out more ...http://seiuaction.org/ct/57zMCNn1oq5J/ ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Four Short Days: Volunteer Election Weekend ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: With just 26 days left until Election Day, we are ramping up for a big push to turn out voters. We need your help. Think about taking some time out on election weekend to help SEIU Local 715 reach out to your friends and neighbors. Make sure they know how important this election really is, and make sure they make it to the voting booth. Just a few hours of your time in the last four days of the campaign could make all the difference. Together, we can keep the Governor and his friends from taking California down the wrong path. Contact your worksite organizer to find out how you can help. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Only 3 Days Remain to Help Beat Big Pharmacy! On October 16th the doors shut forever on submissions to the "Better Ads for Cheaper Drugs" ad contest. Create your own ad and submit it to BetterCA.com, contribute to help air the winning ad, and let let your creatively inclined friends know about the contest. They could see their ad air statewide in the final days of the campaign. View ads now, and vote for your favorites on October 17th & 18th! Find out more ...http://seiuaction.org/ct/vpzMCNn1oq5G/ ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: In The News ... ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Huh? Governor's Prop. 75 foe is a Republican - San Jose Mercury News, October 9, 2005 Did you notice that glamour puss firefighter on the anti-Proposition 75 television ad? It's Mark Skeen, a veteran San Jose fireman ... Skeen, the anti-Schwarzenegger campaigner, is (drum roll, please) a registered Republican! Just like the governor he's going after! Read more ...http://seiuaction.org/ct/t1zMCNn1oq5K/ Sitting Out This Election Could Backfire - L.A. Times, October 10, 2005 ..That's what the governor and Republicans are banking on: disgusted Democrats so repulsed by the special election that they'll refuse to take part, thinking, this'll show him. Read more ...http://seiuaction.org/ct/tdzMCNn1oq5Z/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: In The Blogs ... ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Out of the Box: Through the wonders of this thing called technology, we've gotten our hands on an exclusive TV ad - one you won't see on during the local news. "Boxes" never aired but it's hilarious - and now you can see it here. Read More...http://seiuaction.org/ct/51zMCNn1oq5F/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- With Friends Like These: You know that old phrase- something 'bout "guilt by association"? Well, it's a good thing that in this country we don't use that particular aphorism as a part of our legal system, because otherwise our esteemed governor might be finding himself in an uncomfortable place. See, in the last few days the special election festival of greed has continued with the governor and his friends accepting donations from just all sorts of people. Provided of course, that they're filthy rich. Read More ...http://seiuaction.org/ct/5pzMCNn1oq5D/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Profits over Consumers, a Tale of Two Propositions: Propositions 78 and 79 are unique compared to the others on the ballot. It is an either or proposition. Either voters will choose the drug industry backed proposition or they will vote for the consumer group sponsored one. If both are approved by voters then the one that garners the most votes would become law, while the other would die. Read More ...http://seiuaction.org/ct/5dzMCNn1oq5-/ ********************************************* The Alliance for a Better California, educators, school employees, health care givers and labor organizations. Major funding by California Teachers Association Issues PAC and CA State Council of Service Employees Issues Committee. The Alliance for a Better California, 1401 21st Street 4th Fl. Sacramento, California 95814 Phone: (916) 492-1962 | Fax: (916) 492-1977 http://www.betterca.com ********************************************* --------------------------------------------------