Yes! Fair Elections in California. February 21 Event.

More than 100 people participated in the local campaign kickoff for Prop 15 last Sunday, February 21. People are galvanized by the deadlock at all levels of government. The rallying cry: Getting lobbyists' money out of politics is the one reform that makes all other reforms possible. Visit the San Francisco Fair Elections website often for updates and to see what you can do. Every little bit helps. Remember, we will be fighting those threatened lobbyists, and we know they have $$$$$.

As background, Proposition 15, the California Fair Elections Act (CFEA), represents fundamental election reform that will allow candidates and elected officials to get out of the money game and get back to solving California’s problems by creating a pilot project for a voluntary Fair Elections public financing system of campaigns similar to that successfully used in seven other states. The League of Women Voters is a CFEA sponsor.

At Sunday's event, Senator Loni Hancock, author of the bill that put Prop 15 on the ballot, Senator Mark Leno, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, and California Nurses Association Co-President Deborah Burger, RN spoke with passion about why they support Prop 15 and why all Californians should. Trent Lange, Chair of Californians for Fair Elections, provided detail about how Prop 15 works and how it will change the way we finance election campaigns.

The meeting transitioned into a brainstorming and organizing session for the new local grassroots coalition to support the statewide campaign for Prop 15 by building support locally.

Imagine what California could be if our elected officials could focus on governing instead of fundraising! Be part of making it a reality. Check out Yes! Fair Elections. We can do this. LLII.

2009 Lobbying of Members of Congress: $3,470,000,000 (That's Three Billion.)

The Center for Responsive Politics reports corporations and other interest groups spent a total of $3.47 billion to lobby members of Congress. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce led the top ten lobbying clients, spending approximately $144 million. Number two was Exon-Mobil, at $27.4 million. Analysis by OpenSecrets.org here.

The general business sector, which encompasses an array of industries from retail sales to manufacturing to business associations, experienced a nearly 19 percent increase in its 2008-to-2009 lobbying expenditures. The more than $558 million spent by the general business sector in 2009 is a record for any of the 13 broad sectors that the Center tracks.

It is followed closely in 2009 by the health sector, which includes a variety of health-related industries. In 2009, this sector spent nearly $544 million on federal lobbying efforts, up almost 12 percent from its 2008 total of about $487 million.

Money in politics. And what did it get us in 2009? Hmmm. Consider supporting Proposition 15, the California Fair Elections Act on the June ballot. Learn more this Sunday at a passion raiser starting at 1:00 p.m. at the Main branch of the City Library. Do something now toward achieving elections money can't buy. LLII.