CA-GOV: A Big Moment for Clean Money

This is This is pretty big news:

California State Treasurer and Democratic nominee for Governor Phil Angelides today endorsed the Clean Money Initiative, Proposition 89 on the November ballot.

"I am proud to join the ranks of California Nurses Association, The League of Women Voters, California Common Cause and so many others in supporting Proposition 89 - the Clean Money Initiative," said Angelides who was joined by California Nurses Association President Deborah Burger and Assemblywoman Loni Hancock. "It is time for the people of California to clean up the influence of money in our government. Our government should answer to the voices of Californians, not corporate special interests."

We all know that Angelides used independent expenditures up the yin-yang to get the nomination. But he's been pretty consistent in supporting campaign finance reform in the past, including the Clean Money Act that got as far as the State Senate this year. Those who would criticize him would have him fight with one hand tied behind his back. The playing field in California today is extremely broken, and Angelides has to do what he has to do to get elected. Arnold Schwarzenegger has accepted upwards of $90 million in campaign contributions. Is Angelides supposed to unilaterally disarm for the sake of comity? I welcome him coming aboard to the Prop. 89 campaign.

Modeled after successful laws now in place in Arizona, Maine and other jurisdictions, Proposition 89 would provide public financing to candidates who:

Reject private fundraising (except for a small amount of seed money) and agree to limit spending
to the amount provided by the public;

Demonstrate broad-based public support by gathering a set number of signatures and $5 qualifying donations (from 750 - $5 contributions for an Assembly candidate to 25,000 - $5 contributions for a candidate for Governor); and

Participate in at least one primary and two general election debates.

It's enormous to have a major-party frontline candidate in California pushing this bill. Candidates literally have no reason to change the system until forced. And the Clean Money Campaign is extremely important. As I've mentioned before, last week I met Julia Brownley, who's going to be my next Assemblywoman, and asked her how much was spent on her primary in June, because it seemed like I was getting 8 pieces a mail a day by the end.

"$3.5 million," she said casually. For a State Assembly primary.

What a waste of money. What a perpetuation of a system that shuts out independent voices.

This is one of my main priorities for November.

As a postscript, it’s so very interesting that in the opinion of the LA Weekly's Bill Bradley, Angelides’ move to endorse Prop. 89 is a craven play for votes from someone with dirty hands on the matter, yet three posts below, Schwarzenegger’s “deal” on finding global warming solutions with Britain, which is purely voluntary and opposed by such groups as Environment California, is somehow NOT a craven play for votes from someone with millions in contributions from Big Oil.

I know I’m not one of the Sacramento Kool Kidz and I don’t get press releases from campaigns and crap, but the logic of that set of statements escapes me. Maybe I should get some more inside sessions with operatives, that’d help with the edification. Or I could call Arnold myself. I could get the number from Bill.

Postscript to the postscript: I posted a version of this comment at Bill's New West Notes blog and got this in my email box:

Pretty sure you were already banned, sport.

Don't enjoy wasting any more of my time with nonsense.

My reply:

I don't read your site enough to know of my not being
wanted.

Incidentally, I suggest sweaters to help keep that
thin skin from any damage.

have a smurfy day!

p.s. I do enjoy wasting your time.

Ooh, blog-fight! This could get fun. Maybe he'll try to "out" me like Patterico did to TBogg.