Leftists attack Prop. 32 campaign reform

Commentary

July 24, 2012

By John Seiler

Anyone who observes California politics knows that the government-worker unions dominate the state from top to bottom. They forced union pension spiking on the state a decade ago, leading to the spate of bankruptcies by cities here; and to the effective insolvency of the state government itself. The state simply cannot pay the $500 billion unfunded liability for state pension funds, according to a Stanford study.

Union dominance means that union bosses effectively sit on both sides of the negotiating table: as workers, and as employer — because union clout at the polls means the elections make union hacks like Gov. Jerry Brown the employer.

Proposition 32, on the ballot in November, would curb union power. According to the official ballot summary, it “Restricts union political fundraising by prohibiting use of payroll-deducted funds for political purposes.” Union members still could contribute to political causes. But they wouldn’t have their paychecks directly pilfered for union campaigns.

Not surprisingly, the major leftist organizations in the state oppose it, beginning with Common Cause and the supposedly unbiased League of Women Voters.

“It’s not at all what it seems,” said Trudy Schafer, of the state League of Women Voters, as reported in the Mercury News. “It promises political reform but it’s really designed by its special interest backers to help themselves and harm their opponents.” The backers are anti-union activists in Orange County.

But without this reform, the state really will go bankrupt — if it hasn’t already — because of union looting.

Common Cause

“I’m all for campaign finance reform,” said Derek Cressman, western regional director for Common Cause. “I’ve spent the last 15 years of my life working for campaign finance reform. I know campaign finance reform, and, friends, Prop. 32 is not campaign finance reform.”

Actually, Common Cause has worked to suppress free speech. Back in the 1970s, in the wake of the Watergate scandal, at the national level the group was instrumental in the so-called Watergate reforms that severely restricted campaign contributions. Doing so made elections so complicated that only professionals and rich people could run for office — not just for national office, but in many cases even for local offices.

It was a typical liberal “reform” that had the opposite effect of what was intended. Instead of reducing the power of the rich, it increased it. Before, a candidate for the U.S. Congress, for example, could tap a few rich people for campaign contributions. After the “reforms,” the candidate has to be rich himself to fund much of his campaign; or he has to spend most of his time fundraising small amounts. The result was that a good local candidate with ideas and character finds it almost impossible to run for office.

Political vacuum

Another result was that unions filled the political vacuum once they were given collective bargaining rights, which they were in California in 1977 with the Dills Act. It’s the same old story: The Left empowers itself and calls it “reform.”

Reported the Mercury News, “Still, labor groups view the ballot measure as a deadly threat and have far outpaced supporters in the money chase. Since the most recent finance reports on April 30, they’ve added $3.4 million to the $3.9 million cash they had on hand for a total of $7.3 million. The Yes side has $1.9 million.”

So it’s going to be tough the get this reform passed. A similar reform, Proposition 75, was on the ballot in 2005 as one of four initiatives on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s reform platform in that year’s November Special Election. The whole reform plank was badly conceived. And Schwarzenegger gave it his usual half-hearted attempt. He only ever campaigned hard for himself. After his reform plank was defeated, Schwarzenegger turned sharply to the left, passing massive new regulations, such as AB 32 and tax increases, that left the state in ruins similar to those on that island at the end of his movie “Commando.”

But the joke is on the unions, unCommon Cause, the League of Liberal Women Voters and their leftist cohorts. There’s no more money. Business and jobs are fleeing the state. California is going to have to cut union pay, perks and pensions — no matter what.

When you strangle the goose it no longer lays Golden State eggs.

35 comments

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  1. Donkey
    Donkey 24 July, 2012, 08:54

    John Wrote: “But without this reform, the state really will go bankrupt — if it hasn’t already — because of union looting.”

    The state is already BK John, all we are waiting for is the fat lady to sing. If a mature adult does not come forward and propose real cuts to the pay, benefits, perks, and pensions of the RAGWUS feeders the whole system is going down.

    Like you wrote:”There’s no more money. The state is going to have to cut union pay, perks and pensions — no matter what.” You understand the RAGWUS thieving ways quite well John. 🙂

    Reply this comment
  2. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 24 July, 2012, 09:14

    What does ragwas stand for again>?

    Reply this comment
  3. Dyspeptic
    Dyspeptic 24 July, 2012, 10:20

    It would be nice if Prop. 32 passed but as I have said before Kalifornia is beyond repair. The entire state should be sent to a recycling center and turned back into raw materials for a more useful project. Now that is a green jobs program I could get behind!

    Reply this comment
  4. Hondo
    Hondo 24 July, 2012, 10:35

    Hey, unions; There’s no more money left to steal.
    Those gigantic unfunded pension funds are real. The funding of those pension funds were based on our economy growing at the greatest rate in the history of mankind. And it was liberal policies that blew up the economy in 2008. Fannie may and Freddie mac should have never been allowed to hold 95% of Americas mortgages.
    And the union thugs have made it legally impossible to fire pedophile teachers. Browns and Munger’s new tax increases could really be called ” The pedophile teacher pension protection acts”. You can molest kids while teaching and keep your pensions.
    Vote early and often.
    Hondo…..

    Reply this comment
  5. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 24 July, 2012, 10:55

    Hondo— Actually, those “unfunded” liabilities are a misnomer. Like your home mortgage, you’ll pay them in time……don’t drink the tea baggy kool aid, you’re better than that, aren’t you?

    Reply this comment
  6. SkippingDog
    SkippingDog 24 July, 2012, 10:59

    Prop 32 is just another anti-union push by the right-wing interests of California and their toady mouthpieces like John Seiler.

    Common Cause and the League of Women Voters are two of the most sane and rational political organizations we have in our state, and their opposition to this stealth attack on worker rights is both welcome and likely to drive much of the narrative for the upcoming campaign.

    California certainly has its problems, but they’re far more likely to be fixed by a thoughtful and balanced approach than by the corporate opportunism so clearly present in Prop 32.

    Reply this comment
  7. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 24 July, 2012, 11:13

    Spirited debate and voting are always good for California. It is so cleansing to see those special interest wallets get cleaned out protecting their bloated, coveted interests.

    Would love to see more and more….nudge em to spend into oblivion.

    Reply this comment
  8. Bob
    Bob 24 July, 2012, 11:27

    What else can one expect?

    After all, Darrell Stinkbug is a public union lawyer and Johnny Perez is a union organizer.

    The people running the state, our overlords, ARE the unions for crying out loud! It’s gotten to the point where they don’t have to buy off the politicians because they ARE the politicians.

    Reply this comment
  9. Rex The Wonder Dog!
    Rex The Wonder Dog! 24 July, 2012, 12:17

    I love the low life trough feeders claim Prop 32 is anti union and “right wing”……yet 60%+ of the electorate will deny it and the tax increases Nov 6.

    I am going to LMFAO when it 32 fails and the Clown pension tax fails, and the low life trough feeders take the haircuts they so deserve. In fact I am throwing a partay!

    The public pension scam game is over and the low life troughies knwo it…….

    Reply this comment
  10. Rex The Wonder Dog!
    Rex The Wonder Dog! 24 July, 2012, 12:19

    Hondo— Actually, those “unfunded” liabilities are a misnomer. Like your home mortgage, you’ll pay them in time……don’t drink the tea baggy kool aid, you’re better than that, aren’t you?

    Actually the unfunded liuability is 100% accurate, it is like having a million dollar home mortgage with a minimum age job and making the whopper claim that you’re “paying it off in time”……..Hhahahahahahaahah, oh lordy, oh brother, this is like taking candy from a …well a Teddy Steals 🙂

    Reply this comment
  11. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 24 July, 2012, 12:26

    Your getting boring. Have any new material for all of us to enjoy.

    Reply this comment
  12. CalWatchdog
    CalWatchdog Author 24 July, 2012, 14:43

    SkippingDog: “Toady” or not, as I said, there’s still no money. Whether or not Prop. 32 passes, the unions’ time is up. They bankrupted California. No more money for them or anybody else except the bankers holding the debt notes.

    — John Seiler

    Reply this comment
  13. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 24 July, 2012, 16:13

    I don’t think so John– Unions are here to stay— your best bet? — Col bargaining little buddy.

    ps– poody, it is exactly like a mortgage….unfunded liability is just like the one you own on your home—– or your single wide. oh my.

    Reply this comment
  14. Rex The Wonder Dog!
    Rex The Wonder Dog! 24 July, 2012, 16:58

    Teddy Doofus: “Unions are here to stay”…private sector union membership have gone down every year for the last 35 years…..and now the public sector unions out number the private sector unioons even though the private sector is 500% larger…..Oh Teddy, you are such a troll clown 🙂

    Reply this comment
  15. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 24 July, 2012, 17:25

    Prop 32 was intentionally written to exempt Super PACs, which can raise unlimited amounts of money from business special interests and billionaires to influence elections!! But that’s all good and ok with you john seiler,right?? Prop 32 does absolutely nothing to stop Super PACs from funding their political crooked buddies!!If Prop 32 passes, Super PACs and committees backed by business special interests which are free of many of the spending restrictions or transparency requirements that limit campaigns themselves will become the primary way campaigns are funded in California. These outside groups have already spent more than $95,000,000 in California elections since 2004.

    Reply this comment
  16. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 24 July, 2012, 17:30

    Hey Hondo,
    what is a union thug??

    Reply this comment
  17. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 24 July, 2012, 17:36

    Hondo,
    I have read some of your comments and you spout off that your a retired firefighter,I doubt it!! Were you a city or county ff,what rank,what retirement system are you in? The way you come off like a moron about the subject just goes to show how little you know. So,what else do they teach you at your local teabagger meetings!!!

    Reply this comment
  18. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 24 July, 2012, 19:12

    oooouch NTHEOC nailed it !

    Reply this comment
  19. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 24 July, 2012, 20:04

    What is a moron?

    Reply this comment
  20. Rex the Wonder Dog!
    Rex the Wonder Dog! 24 July, 2012, 21:53

    LOL @ ntheoc’s major meltdown……breathhhhhhh 🙂

    Reply this comment
  21. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 24 July, 2012, 22:14

    Pooddy —- What makes you think everyone has had melt downs? Seems like you’re the only melted troll amigo. You melt down out here all day every day. Why don’t we agree to give this blog back to the normal people?

    You can’t stop posting, huh, little buddy? OCD?

    Reply this comment
  22. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 24 July, 2012, 22:36

    Teddy….your on…..repeat repeat repeat….boring boring borning.

    If they are RAGWUS hunters, they have not bagged anything.

    Whine, moan, cry, name call….all signs of third stringers and camp bodies!!!

    Reply this comment
  23. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 24 July, 2012, 23:20

    True enuf.

    Reply this comment
  24. Rex The Wonder Dog!
    Rex The Wonder Dog! 25 July, 2012, 01:45

    Teddy talking to himself 🙁

    Reply this comment
  25. Rex The Wonder Dog!
    Rex The Wonder Dog! 25 July, 2012, 01:45

    I just “BAGGED” myself a teddy sock puppet 😉

    Reply this comment
  26. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 25 July, 2012, 07:54

    RAGWUS Baggers wake up!

    Reply this comment
  27. BobA in San Diego
    BobA in San Diego 25 July, 2012, 09:03

    Well, as I told a group of friends recently, public workers don’t work for us, we work for them.

    Reply this comment
  28. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 25 July, 2012, 09:12

    Everyone out here is me. Yes. I admit it. You can’t fool the poodle ™ !

    Reply this comment
  29. stevefromsacto
    stevefromsacto 25 July, 2012, 09:45

    Pure bunk, John.

    Since stockholders and workers in corporations don’t have payroll deductions taken for political purposes, and since corporations don’t have to get stockholder approval before using company money for political purposes, the idea that this flawed Proposition would “level the playing field” is an absolute joke.

    Prop. 32 is just a new version of an initiative that has already failed twice at the polls. And it will fail this time as well. No matter how you dress up a pig, it is still a pig.

    Reply this comment
  30. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 25 July, 2012, 11:07

    BobA in San Diego says:
    Well, as I told a group of friends recently, public workers don’t work for us, we work for them.
    =======
    What a stupid thing to say!! Was this at your local teaparty meeting?

    Reply this comment
  31. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 25 July, 2012, 11:09

    stevefromsacto,
    Great points!! I have also brought up these facts. Don’t expect john to respond.

    Reply this comment
  32. NTHEOC
    NTHEOC 25 July, 2012, 11:11

    Ulysses Uhaul says:
    July 25, 2012 at 7:54 am
    RAGWUS Baggers wake up!
    ===========
    They are still recovering from their night of protesting the police up in anaheim!!!

    Reply this comment
  33. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 25 July, 2012, 11:26

    NTH. Sharp tongues leave long lasting scars…there are about five steady posters boiling oil for Ragwus….

    RAGWUS Baggers will always be with us!

    Reply this comment
  34. Ted Steele, Associate Prof.
    Ted Steele, Associate Prof. 25 July, 2012, 11:50

    U Haul——- You do it like no one else. Some describe your postings as merely: one fluid motion. I salute you sir and your existential puppeteering — Godspeed!

    Reply this comment
  35. Ulysses Uhaul
    Ulysses Uhaul 26 July, 2012, 08:15

    I learn daily from you Master!

    Reply this comment

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