Why should I care?

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This is a question that has been asked quite a lot during this special election campaign. We thought it would be useful to break it down.
The bottom line: This special election is about a small minority of people trying to undermine our progressive values in California during an off-year with a conservative wedge issue on the ballot. It is the Bush agenda, coming to California.
Aside from the arguments we have made against each of the measures baced by Gov. Schwarzenegger in our voter guide, here are four big reasons why on November 8, you should vote No on Props 73 through 78, or Nix the first six:

  • If we don’t show up and vote, we lose. This is basic, but true.
  • If we lose, we will be handing the right wing movement, led by President Bush, major ideological victories. These victories would have large implications because they are on issues that progressives are fighting and will continue to fight across the country: a woman’s right to choose (prop 73), taxes (Prop 76) and attacks on organized labor (Props 74, 75 and 76).
  • It’s anti-democratic. Gov. Schwarzenegger called this special election, months before a regularly scheduled election, in a blatant attempt to push through hostile ballot measures when he hoped most Californians wouldn’t be paying attention. The initiative campaigns are being funded by a small group of very wealthy conservative business interests. We have to show we are paying attention, and we say: No.
  • The progressive movement in California is in broad agreement about Schwarzenegger’s agenda. As you can see in our voter guide, old-school good-government groups like the League of Women Voters came to the same conclusions as MoveOn.org, which polled its members via email to produce their recommendations.

Deep down, underneath the cynicism that exists for so many about this special election in particular and even politics in general, Californians do care about their state, and about its future. That’s what this election is about. That’s why you should care enough to vote on Tuesday, and to get involved beyond Tuesday to make sure nothing like this happens again in California.