[GPSCC-chat] Agenda Item--CA DISCLOSE Act Endorsement and Campaign Kickoff Co-sponsorship

[Brian Good]

2 issues:  Endorsement of the Act, and co-sponsorship of the January 7th
Campaign Kickoff in Palo Alto.

Remember the Passion Raiser for Proposition 15 (Public Finance of the Secretary
of State Election) a couple of years ago in Palo Alto?  There were about 8 GPSCC
folks there at the Unitarian Church among 150 friends or so, Sally Lieber gave 
a rousing speech, there was wine and cheese and a great time was had by all.  
That was put on by the California Clean Money Campaign.  

The same folks are putting on the 1/7 event.  Sponsors include the Dean Club,
GPSMC, 3 League of Women Voters chapters, WILPF Mid-Peninsula, UU Palo
Alto, UU Redwood City, San Mateo County Democracy for America, SCC 
Democratic Club.

Speakers will include 4 local Assembly members:  Rich Gordon, Paul Fong, 
Jim Beall, Jerry Hill, and Bob Wieckowski.  Also retired Assembly member
Sally Lieber.  Paul Fong is co-author of the bill.

To co-sponsor, call Nancy Neff at 650.858.2436.  Merriam and Dana already
know who she is.  

The bill, AB1148, the California DISCLOSE Act, requires that those who
pay for political advertising stop hiding behind vague names like "Citizens
for Tax Equity" and identify themselves by name on the ad if they contribute  
more than $50,000 and are among the top five funders.  

Polls show that 91% of Democrats and 87% of Republicans think this kind
of legislation is a good idea.  The Supreme Court noted in its Citizens United
decision the problems with ads run by groups "hiding behind dubious and 
misleading names".   Lawrence Lessig was on Jon Stewart last night and
the need for campaign finance reform is much on the public mind.  This is
an achievable goal, a first step.  Today campaign ad disclosure, tomorrow
the end to corporate personhood.

For more info about AB1148 see http://www.caclean.org/

For more about the Kickoff event:
http://www.yesfairelections.org/contacts/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=297























 		 	   		  
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