Schwarzenegger Plan Can't Succeed Without Taking Big Money Out of
State Politics
Green Party of California
www.cagreens.org
January 10, 2007
Contact: Susan King, spokesperson, 415.823-5524 funking@mindspring.com
Sara Amir, spokesperson, 310.270-7106 saraamir@earthlink.net
Cres Vellucci, press secretary, 916.996-9170 civillib@cwnet.com
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Schwarzenegger's state of state message delivered late today gave priority to schools, the
environment, prisons, political reform and healthcare - but his plan has no
real chance of succeeding because the governor refuses to address the seedy
influence of big corporate money in politics, responded the Green Party of
California.
"The governor wants a redistricting plan, but the real problem - at the
heart of voter discontent - is that powerful special interests simply buy
the legislation they want through obscene campaign contributions to both
Democrats and Republicans. Big money needs to be taken out of politics. The
governor did not mention it because he knows it fuels his party, and the
Democratic Party," said Erika McDonald, San Francisco Green Party spokesperson.
Greens also said Schwarzenegger had it wrong when he called for more money
for more prisons rather than take a hard look at mandated sentencing guidelines.
"But before we talk about spending more taxpayer money on incarceration
instead of education, let's talk about reforming "3-strikes" law, so that
the prisons are not full of thousands of people serving life sentences,
many who have committed crimes no more serious than stealing a lawnmower or
cheating on a DMV test," said Michael Feinstein, former mayor of Santa
Monica and co-chair of the GPCA Coordinating Committee.
And, although he made it to sound very theatrical, the governor's promise
to sign an executive order mandating a reduction the carbon content in
fuels by 10 percent rang hollow because the order wouldn't go into effect
until at least 2020.
"Again, the governor make it sound good and look good, but he misses the
mark in solutions - in large part because big political money spenders are
pulling his strings," added McDonald.
The Greens already criticized Arnold's health plan because it gives too
much to powerful insurance interests, yet mandates health insurance purchases by the working poor and strapped middle class.