Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Nurses Association Is Joining the Fight!

Friends,
The Nurses Association is joining the fight for a Clean Money system. Together, with all our hard work, a Clean Money system for financing campaigns will be a reality. Here is an article by Lisa Vorderbrueggen of the Contra Costa Times detailing their effort.
Nurses Association targets lobbyists with new initiative
Flush with success after the special election showdown with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California Nurses Association has filed an initiative petition that would establish public financing of campaigns and bar contributions from corporations and lobbyists.
After the Attorney General's Office prepares the title and summary, the CNA has 150 days to collect roughly 600,000 signatures in order to qualify for the ballot.
The petition roughly mirrors AB 583 by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, which would create a voluntary "clean money" program in California. In addition, the initiative prohibits corporations and lobbyists from contributing to candidates who opt out of public campaign financing.
CNA Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro of Walnut Creek endorses Hancock's bill, but she is not optimistic that legislators will pass it or that Schwarzenegger will sign it.
DeMoro predicts, however, that the CNA will obtain the necessary signatures through the use of its statewide nurses' network and that voters will overwhelming approve the initiative in November.
"Working people have been cut out of the legislative process," said DeMoro. "Legislators cater to corporations and lobbyists that write big checks. It's time to level the playing field."
Ultimately, the CNA believes electoral reform is key to passing universal health care in California. "As long as corporations control the process through money, we will never see health care reform," she said.
The California Hospital Association, which represents private hospitals, had no comment regarding the petition.
The initiative would fund public campaign financing with either a surcharge on oil drilling or banking transactions

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