[GPCA Updates] Greens charge initiative process as ‘manipulated' by ‘big-monied interests'

[Jim Stauffer]

                 News Advisory
           THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
               www.cagreens.org
	
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 					     
Tuesday, November 8, 2005



No matter what the results Tuesday night,
Greens charge initiative process as ‘manipulated'
by ‘big-monied interests' to control state's voters

SACRAMENTO  (Nov. 8, 2005) – The Green Party of California criticized
Tuesday night's Special Election – the final vote count notwithstanding –
and charged the initiative process had been manipulated by big monied
interests to control voters in the state.

Although the final results were still too close to call, the GPCA said the
Gov. Schwarzenegger's initiative gambit hurt the people of California no
matter who won or lost Tuesday night.

"Arnold's initiatives are just another example of how big money controls
politics in this state and country," said Forrest Hill, a California Green
national delegate.

"How can we expect Americans to take government seriously, when what passes
for leadership is trivial television ads, mean-spirited initiatives
targeting working people and red-herring solutions like redistricting to
solve the undemocratic nature of our 
government," he said.

Hill suggested that if "we truly want to stop gerrymandering and get money
out of government as Arnold says he want to do, then let's move to a system
of proportional representation like most every other democracy in the
world."

The GPCA endorsed only Prop. 79, a drug discount measure opposed by
pharmaceutical companies but supported by consumer groups. It was losing
Tuesday night. Greens offered "no position" of Prop. 77 and Prop. 80 – also
both losing Tuesday night – and opposed all other propositions on the
ballot.