Former Member US Congress Ernie Konnyu Supporting Prop. 32 and Opposing Prop. 30

 

September 12, 2012

Stop Special Interest Money Now!

My good friend, the Honorable Ernie Konnyu, a former member of the US House of Representatives whose district was in the Silicon Valley explains why it is vital we vote YES on 32 and NO on 30 on the November 2012 ballot.  Please help to get the word out. Used with permission.

Hello Friends,
We Taxpayers have a real fight on our hands stopping Jerry Brown's Prop. 30, the $8 billion-plus tax increase, and pushing Prop 32, the Stop Special Interest Money Now effort across the finish line that would stop BOTH corporations and unions from giving money to the politician's campaigns.
The crony-capitalism that Sarah Palin first made famous is alive and well in California. That's because the California Chamber of Commerce decided NOT to stand on the side of taxpayers' and taxpayer organizations like the Small Business Action Committee, the National Federation of Independent Business, California and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association to oppose Prop. 30 and  support Prop. 32.
As Jon Fleischman wrote in the Flash Report, "I guess with the CalChamber’s refusal to step up and defend the thousands (if not tens of thousands) of small businesses around California that will see their tax burden significantly increase with the passage of Proposition 30, it probably should come with no surprise that this group (the State Chamber) that advocates for a more business-friendly state legislature has also refused to take a position on Proposition 32, the Stop Special Interest Money Now initiative that the state’s massive public employee unions are fighting with tens of millions of dollars."
Fleischman continued, "The reality is that this measure (Prop 32) would end the domination of the status quo in the State Capitol — a status quo that apparently many leaders within the CalChamber want to leave in place. At least in the closing days when the Prop. 32 campaign is making its final sale to the voters, they will be able to truthfully say that none of the special interests that dominate Sacramento, Big Labor or Big Business, are supporting the measure. Speaking of big business, it is no wonder that according to a Rasmussen poll from earlier this year, 68% of Americans believe that government and big business work together against the rest of us."
As a former state Assembly lawmaker I can knowledgeably tell you the truth about campaign donations and Prop. 32. My friends, Prop. 32 FORBIDS BOTH UNIONS and CORPORATIONS from contributing even a penny to the campaigns of politicians. Only individuals, be they Hollywood stars, attorneys, business people or ordinary taxpayers, can contribute and only from their personal funds. What a clean-up relief from daily lawmaker corruption that would be.
Let me close with Fleischman's conclusion, "Sometimes I half-jokingly refer to the California Chamber as the “Chamber of Horrors” — but that is exactly the title which they deserve today. Pathetic is the work that comes to mind to describe their inaction on these two critical measures (Props. 30 and 32). Just pathetic."
Your individual effort to stop Prop 30 and back Prop 32 is crucial.
Ernie Konnyu
Former Member, U.S. Congress

Why this is important to small business. Big Government-Big Business= Crony Capitalism