John Kerry Campaigns Against Prop. 75 in Los Angeles

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry Campaigns Against Prop. 75 in Los Angeles
October 13th, 2005

John Kerry was in Los Angeles today with Mayor Antonia Villaraigosa to support the fight against the Governator’s Proposition 75.

Proposition 75 is a ballot initiative on union dues that could end up depriving union members and working people of having a say in California politics. It would require public employee unions to seek written permission from members before using dues for political purposes.

Kerry, speaking outside a downtown firehouse, said the initiative would condemn workers to “a completely unfair system.”

The proposal “represents part of an ongoing effort by the Republican Party to create an unfair playing field, to change the balance of democracy in America,” the former Democratic presidential nominee said. “They want a one-sided argument — their side.”

While pharmaceutical, insurance and other industries pump millions of dollars into political races, the California proposition would “take away the voices of the firefighters, the police officers, the teachers, the nurses,” the Massachusetts senator said.

MORE, LINKS & PHOTOS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=839

[JI7]

1. he is so wonderful , he cares so much about the people

[GRLMGC]

2. Good

I freaking hate Arnold and his stupid fascist propositions. I went to protest against his lame ass yesterday in Santa Barbara. I'm glad Kerry did this

[Mass]

3. Great job, KG - Kerry's statement on his website

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2005_10_13.html

John Kerry Says No on Proposition 75
For Immediate Release

Washington, DC - John Kerry stood with California’s firefighters, teachers and nurses today to announce his opposition to Proposition 75.

“We need to do more to empower Americans’ voices in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. – not silence them,” said Kerry. “Proposition 75 isn’t reform, it's an assault on the right of working people to speak up against corporate interests and powerful lobbyists. This initiative is nothing more than yet another recycled attempt to limit the power of the people who work the hardest to educate our children and keep us safe and secure – our firefighters, our teachers, our nurses and our police officers.”

“To deliver reform, government needs instead to stop giving all the breaks to all the special interests,” Kerry continued. “I urge Californians to vote no on Prop 75. The special interests who stand to benefit from this initiative are counting on a low turnout in the election this November. They wanted to force taxpayers to pay an extra $54 million for a special election in November because they know special elections have lower turnouts. But we aren’t going to let that happen. Californians know how powerful their votes can be and will not be silenced by these cynical tactics.”

Proposition 75 is a deceptive measure put on this fall’s special election ballot designed to silence the voices of firefighters, teachers and nurses and increase the power corporate special interests have over government. It is similar to the so-called Paycheck Protection Bill that failed in California in 1998 but it only targets public sector employees like firefighters, police officers, teachers and nurses.

Kerry has helped to lead the fight against the control of corporate special interests in Washington, calling for more accountability in Washington and fewer special giveaways for the big corporations and special interests. Whether it was fighting alongside John McCain to pass campaign finance reform, joining Paul Wellstone as a champion of “Clean Campaigns, Clean Elections” political reform, or standing up to powerful lobbyists to eliminate wasteful corporate subsidies, Kerry has been an independent voice working to put power in the hands of average Americans. He is also a long time supporter of campaign reform initiatives that truly reform the system. Prop 75 does not.

[blm]

4. FINALLY!!!! Someone's reading DU. I've been pushing that point about

working with Wellstone on the Clean Elections bill for 3 years now.

I can't tell you how many battles I've fought with those who are so historically challenged that they lump him in with corporatists.

PLEASE put this up in GD.