We’ve been watching the enormous amount of money being spent by big tobacco, oil and pharmaceutical companies, who have been pulling out all the stops to influence the outcome of the heavily contested California State Senate campaigns we’re highlighting on our Speak Out California’s Primary Voter Guide.
We’ve been talking about the need to get corporate money out of the campaign process to ensure that our elected officials are beholden to the people and not corporate special interests. As proud progressives, we expect our system of government to be “of the people, by the people and for the people.” But in modern-day election battles, in order to make that happen, it’s extremely important to keep following the money – who is supporting which candidate and with what money?
The Sacramento Bee over the last few days has done its best to expose who these groups really are. Their coverage is excellent and worth reading.

If there’s any question of who these groups are and their motivation (to protect and grow their profits at all cost) just consider the conduct of other similarly misnamed corporate groups like the Comptetitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) based in Washington, D.C.
According to our good friend, Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, this think tank, funded in part by the oil and automotive industries, recently purchased air time in California television markets to run ads which dismiss the dangers of carbon emissions and climate change by distorting legitimate scientific findings and misrepresenting the research and findings on global warming.
These big corporations and their well-funded off-shoots do not represent the people, and they are not interested in anything other than their own profits.
We’ll be reporting back regularly as we enter the final push toward election day, June 6th. Our goal is to provide information and help you stay informed and involved in the very important work of citizenship—and to assure a better and more progressive future here in our beloved California.
Remember to Vote on June 6th, and if you have an absentee ballot, remember it must be RECEIVED by June 6th to be counted!