Pacific Progressive

Public Opinion Snapshot: The Progressive Millennial Generation

By Ruy Teixeira

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

The 2008 election was the first in which the 18- to 29-year-old age group was drawn exclusively from the Millennial Generation (birth years 1978-2000), and they voted for Barack Obama by a 34-point margin, 66 percent to 32 percent, compared to a 9-point margin for John Kerry among 18- to 29-year-olds in 2004. Behind this striking result, however, is a deeper story of a generation with progressive views in all areas and big expectations for change that will fundamentally reshape our electorate.

Consider the sheer size of this generation. Between now and 2018, the number of Millennials of voting age will increase by about 4.5 million a year, and Millennial eligible voters will increase by about 4 million a year. That means in 2012 there will be 16 million more Millennial voters in the electorate than there were in 2008. And in 2020, the first presidential election where all Millennials will have reached voting age, this generation will be 103 million strong, of which about 90 million will be eligible voters. Those 90 million Millennial eligible voters will represent just under 40 percent of America’s eligible voters.

That’s a lot of progressive voters. And just to remind us of how progressive that generation is, even in the midst of the currently challenging environment for progressives, the Pew Research Center has just released a massive report on the Millennials that thoroughly documents their views on a wide range of issues. Consider two areas that vividly illustrate the progressive leanings of Millennials relative to older generations.

Public Opinion Snapshot: Public Says Tax the Rich, Regulate the Banks, and End the Filibuster

By Ruy Teixeira

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

There is clearly a lot of dissatisfaction in the country today. Much of it is traceable to the state of the economy. But it has clearly been exacerbated by the dysfunctional political process in Washington. And it’s equally clear that conservatives have had considerable success turning that dissatisfaction to their political advantage despite their own culpability in that dysfunction.

Dissatisfaction with the economy and the political process, however, is not the same thing as an embrace of conservative policies. Indeed, the public remains enamored of a wide range of progressive policies, as polling data regularly document. Consider these findings from the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. In that poll the public was asked whether the 2001 tax cuts for those making $250,000 or more should be allowed to expire, explicitly pointing out that that would raise taxes on that group of people. The public deemed it a good idea to eliminate these Bush-era tax cuts for the rich by a 2-1 ratio (62-31).

In the same poll, the public was asked whether we should increase regulations on banks to help prevent future financial crises or not increase regulations because that would discourage private investors. The public endorsed increasing bank regulation by 56-36.

Finally, conservatives have been very proud of their use of the filibuster in the Senate to “protect” the people from progressive legislation. But apparently the public is not convinced they need this kind of protection. By 50-44 the public backed eliminating the filibuster option and allowing legislation to pass with a simple majority.

Majority rule—now that’s a novel idea! Unfortunately, conservatives seem uninterested in promoting this concept, preferring to block progressive legislation by any means available, democratic or not. Perhaps it’s time for progressives to more forcefully remind the public of this conservative disregard for democracy. By these data the public is ready to listen.

Ruy Teixeira is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. To learn more about his public opinion analysis go to the Media and Progressive Values page and theProgressive Studies program page of our website.

Community United for Joe Shaw - Feb 28

Long Beach City Councilmembers Robert Garcia and Gerrie Schipske invite you to Join the LGBT Community for a fundraiser for Joe Shaw for Huntington Beach City Council.

Co-hosts: Jeff LeTourneau, Alica Berhow, Carina Franck-Pantone, ECCO, Harvey Milk Stonewall Dems of OC, Huntington Beach City Councilwoman Jill Hardy, former Huntington Beach Mayors Debbie Cook and Connie Boardman.

Joe Shaw is a longtime LGBT community volunteer. He worked as a volunteer for APLA in the 1990s as a benefits counselor, as a board member of The Wall-Las Memorias Latino AIDS Awareness program, and worked as Communications manager for AIDS Service Center in Pasadena. In 2007, he attended the Victory Fund's candidate academy.

Having served as a Huntington Beach planning commissioner, public works commissioner and charter review commissioner, Joe is positioned to become the only openly gay elected official in Orange County. 

LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Community Pioneer $520
Community Leader $260
Community Partner $130
Friend $60

RSVP: 714-858-0599

Contribute Online: 
http://www.joeshawforhb.com/joeshawforhb/Contribute.html

To make a donation by check, please mail to: Joe Shaw for City Council, 9114 Adams Ave. #292, Huntington Beach CA 92646

Joe Shaw For City Council 2010 ID # 1318702

Loretta Sanchez Campaign Kick Off - Feb 28

 "Serving the people of California’s 47th district in Congress is a great honor and a privilege, and I am so grateful that my constituents have elected me to represent their values and priorities for the past fourteen years, "  said Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who  is officially kicking off her re-election campaign on Sunday, February 28,2010.

Rep. Sanchez added, "I approach each and every decision I make by putting the families of my district first. Our country may be on the road to recovery, but there is much more work that needs to be done to jumpstart our economy. And with my seniority in Congress, I am well positioned to continue our critical efforts to put people back to work, improve education, and reform our health care system. 

I truly believe that I have the best job in the world, which is why I am proudly running again to continue to represent the great people of California’s 47th Congressional District." 

Sanchez, volunteers, and supporters will be door knocking in the Garden Grove area after meeting at Woodbury Park, 12800 Rosita Place, Garden Grove from 1-3 PM.

OC Registrar of Voters Offers App for Mobile Phones

The Orange County Registrar of Voters is now offering an application for mobile phones and PDAs.  Now you can follow elections in Orange County while on the go.  Whether you need a quick update on election results, want to view a video blog, or read a press release - the Orange County Registrar of Voters now has the options most convenient for anyone interested in elections.

It's also easy-to-use. There is no fee or sign-up required, but message and data rates may apply to you wireless provider.  All  you need is a mobile phone or PDA and your are ready to go.  For more information and to get started visit  ocvote.com/onthego

Shiva Farivar and Friends - Sunday, Feb 21

Shiva Farivar wants to be the first Iranian-American elected to office in Orange County.  Shiva is running for Irvine City Council.  Join her at the home of Farah and Reza Mahini in Newport Coast on Sunday, February 21 from 3 to 5 PM.  RSVP to shiva@shivafarivar.com or 714-878-2904

How to Address Corporate Political Spending: Recent Supreme Court Ruling Calls for Response

By Alex DeMots 

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

In Citizens United v. FEC, the Supreme Court late last month ruled that corporations are permitted to spend unlimited amounts of money on independent political advertising in U.S. elections. While conservatives and libertarians are cheering the ruling as a victory for free speech, many progressives are warning of a coming flood of corporate money buying elections, and pushing for a legislative response.

The Court’s ruling is simple: Laws that prohibit corporations from buying political advertising, simply because they are corporations, violate the First Amendment. Hence, the 63-year-old law prohibiting corporations from making “independent expenditures” expressly advocating the election or defeat of a federal candidate, as well as the prohibitionof corporate “electioneering communications,” enacted by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, were struck down.

Corporations are now permitted to spend as much as they want to say whatever they want about candidates, at any time and in any medium, provided they do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate. The Court’s holding applies with equal force to the mirror-image laws that had limited the electoral spending of labor unions.

Update on California Initiatives - Feb 3

New Initiative Cleared for Circulation

1439. (09-0089) Imposes Additional Requirements for Voters to Approve Legislature’s Two-Thirds Vote on State Taxes and to Approve Certain Local Taxes and Fees. Initiative Constitutional Amendment. 

Summary Date: 01/22/10 | Circulation Deadline: 06/21/10 | Signatures Required: 694,354

Proponent: Jon Coupal (916) 444-9950

Imposes new requirement for voters to approve state tax measures following a two-thirds vote by the Legislature. Exempts short-term emergency taxes from voter-approval requirement. Increases legislative vote requirement to two-thirds for certain fees and taxes currently subject to majority vote. Prohibits Legislature from imposing taxes, fees and assessments on real property and real property sales and transfers, and certain fines. Requires voters to approve by two-thirds vote certain additional local taxes, fees and charges. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potentially major decrease in state and local revenues and spending in the future, depending upon actions of the Legislature, local governing bodies, and voters

1440. (09-0092) Imposes Additional Requirements for Voters to Approve Legislature’s Two-Thirds Vote on State Taxes and to Approve Local Levies and Charges with Limited Exceptions. Initiative Constitutional Amendment. 

It's Time to Raise Our Voices: Human Voices vs. Corporate Voices in Elections

by Melissa Fox

 The Supreme Court's recent decision giving the green light to unlimited corporate spending on elections means that the voice of the people is in danger of being completely drowned out by the money of big banks, oil companies, and other giant corporations.

I am an unwavering defender of the First Amendment.

Corporations, however, are not persons and should not be allowed to use the First Amendment to dominate and distort our democratic process.

I agree with dissenting Justice John Paul Stevens: “In the context of election to public office, the distinction between corporate and human speakers is significant. Although they make enormous contributions to our society, corporations are not actually members of it. They cannot vote or run for office. Because they may be managed and controlled by nonresidents, their interests may conflict in fundamental respects with the interests of eligible voters. The financial resources, legal structure, and instrumental orientation of corporations raise legitimate concerns about their role in the electoral process. Our lawmakers have a compelling constitutional basis, if not also a democratic duty, to take measures designed to guard against the potentially deleterious effects of corporate spending in local and national races.”

Lessons From Massachusetts: Campaigning Beats Governing Into Submission, Again

by Austin Frakt and Steve Pizer

This article was published by Kaiser Health News (KHN).

Politicians, as a group, are not well-known for their courage or responsibility. Instead, they like to give passionate speeches about broad, simple principles that are overwhelmingly popular in their districts. In other words, they like to campaign. This is to be expected, given that winning elections is both a necessary and sufficient condition for holding the job. But the desire to be popular can conflict with the need to address serious, long-run problems of the country. 

We knew this to be true, yet we were shocked and dismayed by the epic collapse of health reform last week. With the loss of a single Senate seat as an excuse, the most liberal Democrats chose en masse to give up on critical reforms that were on the brink of passage. Their stated positions sounded principled, but made no policy sense. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama backed away from health care and changed the subject to banking. The desire to implement a real policy response to a major problem simply evaporated. 

Why were we surprised? Perhaps we were drawn in by the rare display of responsibility on the part of Democratic leaders and Obama in 2009. Their attempt at comprehensive health care reform revealed knowledge and commitment to the issue. Our mistake was to believe that rank-and-file members of Congress shared their leaders’ interest in governing. Last week the truth was exposed. Was our earlier optimism foolish? Is health care reform simply too difficult for elected leaders to tackle? 

Ballot Initiative Update - Auto Insurance Item Qualifies for Ballot and 2 More in AG Office

The initiative which allows auto insurance companies to base their prices is part on a driver's history of insurance coverage has qualified for the June 9, 2010 primary. This initiative was sponsored by Mercury Insurance.  

1381. (09-0028) - Allows Auto Insurance Companies to Base Their Prices in Part on a Driver's History of Insurance Coverage.

Proponent: Christina L. Wilson c/o Chip Nielsen (415) 389-6800

Changes current law to permit insurance companies to offer a discount to drivers who have continuously maintained their auto insurance coverage, even if they change their insurance company, and notwithstanding the ban on using the absence of prior insurance for purposes of pricing. Establishes that lapses in coverage due to nonpayment of premiums may prevent a driver from qualifying for the discount. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: This measure would probably have no significant fiscal effect on state and local governments. 

Two additional initiatives about ballot reform are in the Attorney General's office for review.  Both items are being brought forth by David Spady, a columnist for the conservative Townhall.com site.  Recent posts by Spady include "Schwarzenegger's Costly War on Climate Change" and "Obama Meets Latin America's Left."  He is the President of Media and Public Affairs Strategy in Camarillo and has served as Director of National News and Public Affairs for Salem Communications since 2000.  Salem is a media  company which operates conservative and Christian radio stations, syndicated talk shows, web and print media.  Salem publishes Townhall magazine and website.  

The two initiatives deal with information on ballots.   One deals with the title and summary language of ballot initiatives. The other one deals with putting more complete ballot initiative information on the internet.  

Dan Jacobson and Hon. Larry Agran Welcome Melissa Fox - Jan 27

On Wednesday, January 27, 2010, join Dan Jacobson of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County (DFOC) and the Hon. Larry Agran at an event for Melissa Fox, candidate in the 70th AD.  The event will be held from 6-8 PM at the Offices of Jacobson and Associates, 315 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780.   RSVP on Act Blue.

How the Budget Reconciliation Process Works

by Eric Planin, KHN Staff Writer

This article is published by Kaiser Health News.

After Scott Brown's (R) win in Massachusetts' special election, Democratic leaders no longer have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and are weighing the use of arcane budget rules to pass at least part of the long-debated health overhaul package.

The procedure, known as "budget reconciliation," likely would limit the scope of the legislation. But it would also permit a bill to pass with a simple majority of 51 votes. 

What Is Reconciliation? 

Budget reconciliation, a provision of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act, is designed to force committees to make changes in mandatory – or entitlement – spending and revenues, such as Medicare. It was conceived by lawmakers as a way to bring down the deficit by easing the path for budget and tax deals. 

The rules for budget reconciliation in the Senate restrict the procedure to provisions dealing with the budget. They also set strict protocols for consideration of the bills in both chambers. Under the procedures for reconciliation bills, debate in both houses is limited to 20 hours, and no Senate filibusters are allowed. 

Congress has used reconciliation occasionally for non-budget legislation, including rewriting health care and welfare policy, as the Republican majority did in passing major welfare reform in 1996. 

Think Again: Tea Party/Fox Party

By Eric Alterman, Mickey Ehrlich

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

Success has many fathers, and few successes have enjoyed more fathers than Scott Brown’s shocking victory in the race for Ted Kennedy’s—and before that Jack Kennedy’s—Senate seat in Massachusetts. While many have focused on Brown’s “Tea Party” base, one proud papa whose work has gone relatively unnoticed so far is Fox News.

The network repeatedly gave Brown a platform on its shows for him to promote his campaign website and to solicit funds for his campaign. Dick Morris told “Hannity” viewers to go to his website to help elect Brown. “Fox and Friends” produced a segment entitled “What Can Brown Do For You? A boost in your 401k may be in the cards. ” Indeed, it’s hard to imagine Brown and his Tea Party supporters pulling off his historic upset without them.

This is a piece of Fox’s philosophy and day-to-day operations. As Howard Fineman ofNewsweek observed, “In a relentless (and spectacularly successful) hunt for cable ratings, [Fox President Roger] Ailes has given invaluable publicity to the tea partiers, furnished tryout platforms to GOP candidates, and trained a fire hose of populist anger at the president and his allies in Congress.”

Can Fox do for a Sarah Palin-for-president campaign what it helped do for Brown’s successful Senate effort? On January 13, Palin made her debut as a Fox analyst (The announcement came just days after the world learned that she would also deliver the keynote address at the first Tea Party Convention to be held in Nashville in February). Rather than appear on panels to discuss issues other than herself, Palin instead began her tenure as a “political analyst” with two extended interview segments with Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck.

3 New Ballot Initiatives Cleared for Circulation - Corporate Political Contributions and Foster Children

These ballot measures have been cleared for circulation.

1438. (09-0088)

Imposes Political Contribution and Expenditure Restrictions on Corporations. Initiative Statute.

Summary Date: 01/15/10 | Circulation Deadline: 06/14/10 | Signatures Required: 433,971

Proponent: Lance H. Olson (916) 442-2952

Prohibits corporations or other business entities as defined from making contributions or expenditures related to any elective office, ballot measure, or for issue advocacy, unless approved by resolution of the shareholders. Requires that authorizing resolutions specify the recipient, amount, and purpose of the contribution or expenditure, and time period the authorization is valid. Prohibits corporate officers and directors from consenting to prohibited contributions. Prohibits candidates, political committees, and persons from knowingly receiving prohibited contributions or expenditures. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: State enforcement costs potentially totaling a few hundred thousand dollars annually, partially offset by increased fine revenues. (09-0088.) (Full Text)

1437. (09-0087)

Imposes Political Contribution and Expenditure Restrictions on Corporations. Initiative Statute.