Insurance

PROPOSITIONS — Public Works Package Leads the Way

October 15, 2006 · Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Prop 89 - Public financing of campaigns. What it would do:Â Raise corporate and banking taxes by $200 million a year to pay for public financing of campaigns for state office; cap donations to state candidates; limit the amount contributors could can give per year to candidates and political parties; and restrict corporate and probably union donations to ballot measures. Chief proponents: California Nurses Assn., state Treasurer Phil Angelides, California Common Cause, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, California Clean Money Campaign.</p>

Stem cell board plans to make big grants in ’07

October 12, 2006 · Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE</p> <p>"No matter how good the scientific strategic plan is, it's meaningless without the proper policies in place," said John Simpson, director of a Prop. 71 monitoring project at the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Los Angeles. "I don't think they're there yet."</p>

Schwarzenegger Cracks Jokes on Leno Show as Angelides Fumes

October 12, 2006 · Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Meanwhile, supporters of Proposition 89, the campaign-finance initiative on the November ballot, attempted to capitalize on the situation by purchasing advertising time during the show. They have produced a 30-second ad that suggests that Schwarzenegger broke his promise to clean out special interests from Sacramento, and scheduled it to run in Monterey, Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs and Santa Barbara during the show. "This initiative is finally giving people the opportunity to do something about the problem they thought they were answering in the recall," said Jamie Court with FTCR in Santa Monica, a backer of the public-financing initiative.</p>

So Much Cash, So Few Votes — Less Corporate Money, More Voters;

October 10, 2006 · Jamie Court

<h3>Proposition 89 would loosen corporations' stranglehold on elections, a major factor in keeping turnout low.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Proposition 89 would start restoring sanity in political spending, and not just by reforming the financing of ballot measures. It also would provide for public funding for candidates willing to forgo private fundraising from special interests, which is likely to reduce overall candidate advertising. Ironically, the voters who would benefit most from the reform are the ones most likely to stay home, discouraged and disgusted by the power of money. The question is whether they will see past the blitz of deceptive, negative advertising to find out what the power of one more vote could be</p>

So Much Cash, So Few Votes — Less Corporate Money, More Voters;

October 10, 2006 · Jamie Court

<h3>Proposition 89 would loosen corporations' stranglehold on elections, a major factor in keeping turnout low.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Proposition 89 would start restoring sanity in political spending, and not just by reforming the financing of ballot measures. It also would provide for public funding for candidates willing to forgo private fundraising from special interests, which is likely to reduce overall candidate advertising. Ironically, the voters who would benefit most from the reform are the ones most likely to stay home, discouraged and disgusted by the power of money. The question is whether they will see past the blitz of deceptive, negative advertising to find out what the power of one more vote could be.</p>

Proposition 89

October 8, 2006 · Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>Proponents say a public financing system (Prop 89) would free elected officials to pursue the needs of regular Californians rather than big business or labor benefactors, and also allow elected officials to spend less time fund-raising.</p>