Wendy Sherman: “I spent over 20 years working for genuine campaign finance reform. Nothing does that effort more harm than the mutant…”

“I spent over 20 years working for genuine campaign finance reform. Nothing does that effort more harm than the mutant and perverted effort at campaign finance reform symbolized by Proposition 226. In California we spend too much money on campaigns, but at least often, that money is balanced, and often, the interests of corporations are well represented, but the interests of working men and women are represented by organized labor. We need to hear from both sides in California campaigns. Unfortunately, Proposition 226 is intellectually dishonest. It says that the money of labor union members cannot be spent by labor leaders on political efforts, but at the same time, it welcomes corporate money, money that belongs to shareholders, to be spent on politics by corporate management. What it does is it gives us a lopsided input into California politics. Mr. Speaker, in the last election we in California raised the minimum wage. We did so because of the input of organized labor and working men and women. I urge Californians to join with the Sierra Club and the League of Women Voters in opposing Proposition 226.”