Author: Benjamin DeLuca
It is all too easy for voters to lose focus on the state ballot measures, especially when all eyes are on the presidential election. When voting on these initiatives it is crucial to take a principled stand against the corrupt mechanisms by which special interests, wealthy individuals or corporations attempt to shape policy in their favor. Looking back one hundred years ago, the initiative process originally had the job of navigating around the California Legislature, controlled by Southern Pacific Railway at the time. Direct democracy was given a leg-up on special interests. It’s tragic to think about the populist origins of the “initiative” in California and then see how its founding values are distorted today.
Chris Kelly is a former Facebook executive who unsuccessfully ran for California State Attorney General in 2010. He has spent over $2 million in his efforts to pass Proposition 35, which would increase punishments for human traffickers. Before making a decision, it’s worth taking into account that many institutions don’t support the initiative: the Sacramento Bee editorial board did not endorse Prop 35, citing evidence that the initiative is not forceful enough to accomplish what it says it will. Kelly is, in all likelihood, sponsoring a well intended but largely toothless ballot measure to beef up his political credentials for a future shot at the Governor’s office.
Billionaire businessman Charles Munger is spearheading Proposition 32 in his efforts to limit corporate campaign contributions, sinking almost $23 million into the measure. Prop 32 restricts how money can be raised and spent on political campaigns. In theory the initiative is not biased toward corporations, but it’s worth noting Munger’s personal ambition that prompted this initiative.
San Francisco businessman Tom Steyer’s $21 million have flooded the airwaves with ads urging Californians to vote “yes” on Proposition 39. According to the sample ballot, a ”yes” vote would “require multistate businesses to pay income taxes based on percentage of their sales in California.” California desperately needs this tax revenue, but Steyer’s methods and sponsorship undermine the goals of the initiative in the first place.
It’s not easy to draw a line in the sand, voting against popular opinion and even (in some cases) one’s own views on policy. But this is a necessary step to regaining for the California public the voice that, for too long, has been dominated by whoever could buy the most powerful megaphone.
Ben DeLuca is a junior ECLS major and the Weekly’s 2012 election columnist. He can be reached at deluca@oxy.edu.
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