Transcript The Corporate Deception Act
SAY
NO STOP
TO PROP.
32
THE SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS ACT
Coming to a ballot box near you this November
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Current Reality in California 1 in 8 students in America are educated here 9 th largest economy in the world 47 th in per-pupil funding 49 th in student to teacher ratio 50 th in student to counselor & nurse ratio
•
IN THE PAST 4 YEARS
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$56 billion cut for health and human services
• •
$20 billion + 40,000 +
has been cut from k-14 teachers and education support professionals have lost their jobs • Tuition has
increased 300% at our colleges
Prop. 32 -- November’s Anti-Union Ballot Measure
Much different and much worse than previous anti-union measures
Backers claim it’s campaign finance reform – they even call it the “Stop Special Interest Money Now Act”
Prop. 32 -- A Deceptive Power Grab
Takes away union members’ voice in politics
Riddled with EXEMPTIONS for corporate interests and billionaires
What We’ve Won Through Politics – And Stand To Lose
• • • • • • • • • • Prop 98 55% vote on bonds Class size reduction Prop 25 – budget vote Governor Brown SPI Tom Torlakson Pro-public education majorities in Assembly and Senate Health Benefits Defined Pension STRS Grievance process • • • • • Sick leave FMLA leave Job security Due Process Defeated Payroll Measures (98, 2005 and 2012) • • Defeated Vouchers (‘93 and 2000) Collective bargaining (Jerry Brown)
Prop. 32 is the First Blow of a “One-Two” punch
Remove unions from politics in 2012, then come after our rights in in 2014
Next are local and state measures that gut pensions, de-fund public schools and even strip collective bargaining rights
And we’d have no ability to fight back
Fair and Balanced? Backers claim that the measure:
Bans both corporate and union contributions to candidates
Prohibits campaign contributions from government contractors
Prohibits corporations and unions from collecting political funds from employees and members via voluntary payroll deduction
Makes all employee political contributions by any other means strictly voluntary, requiring annual written consent.
“Fair and Balanced” Really?
PROHIBITS unions from making ANY contributions to state or local candidates or political parties EVER.
Backers claim it’s “balanced” because the same ban applies to “corporations” but…
Riddled with exemptions: Wall Street hedge funds, real estate investors, insurance companies and billionaire businessmen would be able to contribute directly to candidates
“Fair and Balanced” Really?
Claims to prohibit corporations AND unions from using payroll deductions for politics.
Unions collect dues through payroll deduction. Corporations don’t use payroll deduction for politics; they use their massive profits.
Exempts Corporate Super PACs and front groups allowing them to spend with NO Limits!
Prop. 32 Eliminates Our Voice UNIONS WON’T BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO:
Candidates – Local or State
Ballot Measures – Local or State
Independent Expenditures
We couldn’t even communicate with our own members on politics
Who It Restricts
ALL UNIONS in California will be affected - public and private sector, service, trades, EVERYBODY!
Who Can Spend Without Limits (THE 1%)
Corporate Super PACs – No Limit Chamber of Commerce – No Limit Michelle Rhee’s PAC – No Limit Karl Rove’s PAC – No Limit Wal-Mart – No Limit Companies like Blue Cross, Pfizer, Casinos – No Limit
Wealthy CEOs like Sheldon Adelson, the Koch Brothers and Tim Draper (Voucher proponent 2000) – No Limit
Who's Behind It
Wealthy corporate interests
Orange County millionaires
Anti-union activists
Charles Munger, Jr.
Pro-Voucher proponents like Tim Draper Democrats for Education Reform – Gloria Romero
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Lincoln Club of OC (backers of Citizens United case)
Our Opponents’ Message Now U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz: "This initiative gets to the heart of one of the most corrosive elements in politics: campaign contributions. For too long, special interest money has dominated our politics, muting the voice of average Californians.”
Why Their Message is so Dangerous
“ Campaign Finance Reform” is very popular with the public
Eight in 10 voters say there’s too much big money spent on political campaigns
How We’re Going to Win – Message Misleading, Unfair, Unnecessary
It’s not what it seems. Not campaign finance reform. This is an attack on our jobs and our wages, on school and university funding – personalize fight for members!
2) It’s not real reform – it’s unbalanced, unfair and full of exemptions for the wealthy and corporations
3) Union members can already opt out of paying dues for political purposes. The Supreme Court ruled that no one can be forced to join the union or contribute to campaigns.
How We're Going to Win – Field and Paid Media We need more education than ever – MUST reach every union member in the state to win
Build internal capacity by doing Member to Member Program – in worksites, phoning, walking and social media
Building a broad coalition of partners
Voter persuasion and GOTV campaign to general voters through Alliance for a Better CA
Statewide paid media – TV and radio, social media and mail
For More Information:
Go to www.CaliforniaLabor.org
Un: LaborFriend Pw: GoLabor2012!
Contact California Labor Federation Communications Director Steve Smith at [email protected]