Right Wing Pulls Its Limp-Wristed Punch from California Ballot; Progressives Win

Tom Hiltachk, a California Republican political legal hack, apparently can't even throw a spit ball with a straight arm. He wanted to put a measure on the California ballot that would have taken twenty or more Electoral College votes away from the Democrats by changing the way we allocate those electors from winner take all to proportional by Congressional district.

So much for the sucker punch from the right hook of the Republican Party. After tens of thousands of people joined together in the netroots and grassroots to just say no, the initiative seems to have fallen apart. Courage Campaign worked with civilian leaders such as Brad Whitford (see his video here) and joined with the leading bloggers in California and across the country to make sure that if this got on the ballot, it would fail and that the conspirators would know that the more they cheated, the more they helped us to organize.

As Howie Klein says," It ('s defeat) has more to do with the grassroots action against it, the organizing efforts of the Courage Campaign and the fact that the shady Republicans behind it, Californians For Equal Representation are a bunch of cronies of David Dreier's from Missouri." Paul Kumar , Vice President of SEIU'S United Healthcare Workers West, one of the online community's best friends in labor, said, "Your work made it too hot for Schwarzenegger and other leading Republicans to handle and dried up our opponents' access to money. The netroots was way out in front of the party regulars and big institutional players on this one and you deserve the credit for it."

Courage Campaign and our online colleagues had support from a huge cross section of prominent leaders ranging from members of congress such as California Congressional delegation chair Zoe Lofgren, Hilda Solis and Jane Harman, members of the state legislature such as Karen Bass and Mark Leno, labor leaders such as Sal Roselli at SEIU and bloggers ranging from Arianna Huffington to John Amato and Jane Hamsher. We had folks from Hollywood such as Brad Whitford, Sherry Lansing and Judith Light as well as literally over ten thousand others.

It's not polite to toot one's own horn, but there's a lesson here. As Jane Hamsher noted here on HuffPost, the House and Senate took the time over the past week to attack MoveOn.org, the largest progressive on line organization in the country, for pushing them to end the war in Iraq. It's obvious that this attack, too eagerly joined by many supposed progressives, was meant to diminish the online communities. My guess is that those presidential candidates who joined in the condemnation on television or in votes or both were only too happy to feel that MoveOn was knocked down a peg or two in advance of what they hope will be their ascension to power. That way, when those who claim to be progressives act otherwise, they'll be able to say, "See? Those guys out there in the "blogosphere" are just not to be taken seriously. Both houses of Congress said so."

Not so fast. Had this initiative gotten on the ballot and passed, a Democratic White House victory would have been almost impossible. That explains why so many of Hillary Clinton's expectant operatives were hard at work on this (and they were very effective). And it explains why so many in the online community got on board so quickly. So let's note now that the online community is an ally to most Democrats in times of need. That's all good. Keep in mind what we do when you need us and keep in mind that we'll not be taken for granted.

We beat the right wingnuts on this one. As the Los Angeles Times reports this morning, we demonstrated that with discipline, organization and speed we can defeat the bad stuff. As we build power, we'll be there to support other progressives and remind those who claim to be what it really means to make progress.

Comments

[longnow]

It's good to know my $20.00 counts for something.

[longnow]

As one of the netrooters I am so HAPPY that
this 4th quarter desperato pass was intercepted
easily by thousands of defenders who collectively
marched down field for a defensive touchdown. All the while expecting this to be a false flag decoy by the Rovian Dark Lords the defense easily
assumed an offensive posture to mold reality
as momentum sees fit.

[jezuzhchryst]

Great football game imagery and All American victory against those "limp-wristed" Republican .... umm ... closet cases ... umm .... am I getting this right??

[Ottovbvs]

It's good to see this die although there are tremors of life. It was never going to pass even if it got on the ballot and that was a big if. The shady nature of it's financing, the Democratics throwing everything at it to moblize their vote. Democrats need to be aware of this and ready to weigh in but there was a lot of chicken little flavor to some of the reactions on blogs.

[sonofabastard]

Let's not declare victory just yet. This thing isn't over until after the November deadline. Keep up the good work Rick.

[eyeswideopennow]

So, factanonverba, you say, ... "Apparently, the sole financial backer of this initiative is Paul Singer, a billionaire hedge-fund operator of Elliott Associates, who has been a major Republican donor in the past and now works for the Guiliani campaign. Furthermore, Mr. Singer is a New Yorker with no domicile in California. He contributed $175,000 to fund the gathering of signatures on petitions to place the initiative on the ballot for our June primary."

Was Ghoulliani behind this unamerican activity to skew the voting in California? Did Singer contribute $175,000 to fund the gathering of signatures on petitions to place the initiative on the ballot? Did Mr. 9/11 know about it? Maybe it was his idea. It was a big secret who the benefactor was. If it was just Singer, why the secrecy?

[Ptarmigan06]

No wonder Arnold "didn't know" what was in the Initiative, and didn't need to read it

Hendrik Hertzberg wrote in the New Yorker:
"Nominally, the sponsor of No. 07-0032 is Californians for Equal Representation. But that’s just a letterhead—there’s no such organization. Its address is the office suite of Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk, the law firm for the California Republican Party, and its covering letter is signed by Thomas W. Hiltachk, the firm’s managing partner and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s personal lawyer for election matters. Hiltachk and his firm have been involved in many well-financed ballot initiatives before, including the recall that put Arnold in Sacramento. They specialize in initiatives that are the opposite of what they sound like—the Fair Pay Workplace Flexibility Act of 2006, for example. It would have raised the state minimum wage slightly—by a lesser amount than it has since been raised—and, in the fine print, would have made it impossible ever to raise it again except by a two-thirds vote in both houses of the legislature, while, for good measure, eliminating overtime for millions of workers."
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2007/08/06/070806taco_talk_hertzberg

[factanonverba]

Apparently, the sole financial backer of this initiative is Paul Singer, a billionaire hedge-fund operator of Elliott Associates, who has been a major Republican donor in the past and now works for the Guiliani campaign. Furthermore, Mr. Singer is a New Yorker with no domicile in California. He contributed $175,000 to fund the gathering of signatures on petitions to place the initiative on the ballot for our June primary. The Governor showed no leadership on this issue beyond effusive statements about changing the rules of the game mid-game. The real leader in fighting this initiative was Senator Barbara Boxer and the real heros is the blogosphere that kept the pressure up and made Californians aware of this attempt to subvert the Constitutional electoral process.
Those who believe that the Republicans will now suddenly stop their nefarious tricks however are deluding themselves. Their collection of intimidating voters, challenging the rights of minorities to vote and pulling stunts like registering voters but then discarding the registration of independents and Democratic voters but submitting those of Republicans will continue. The Republicans realize that they are on the wrong side of demographic trends (just like the Israelis) and thus will stop at nothing to prevent their demise.

[SteveL]

Never could figure this one out. The republicans have won California as many or more times than they have lost it in the last 50 years

[factanonverba]

Yes but they haven't won California since 1988 and demographics don't augur well for them. Prop 189, a State initiative against illegal immigration, galvanized Hispanics in the state with many finally actually becoming citizens who vote Democratic. The key election was the House seat for Garden Grove in Orange County that was held by Robert Dornan a conservative Republican and unseated by Linda Sanchez, a liberal Democrat in 1996. And there was Governor Pete Wilson who single handily destroyed the state Republican party with his anti-immigrant rhetoric. And our current governor is both out of step with his party and his popularity is not translating into Republican votes. Beyond Arnold Schwarennegger there isn't a state-wide Republican figure.

[viflyer]

When are we going to take Medicare back from the insurscam companies. Those of us in traditional Medicare are being penalized and our supplemnatal insurance premiums are going through the roof. Meanwhile, the Government is subsidizing Medicare Advantage plans to the tune of 20% so insurance companies can make 35% profits while they ration care to seniors and call it CHOICE.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DEFINED BENEFIT????

When are we going to expose PRIVITIZATION of Government services for what it IS, a grand plan to LOOT the treasury and screw average Americans.

When are Democrats going to muster the courage to have this debate? Why are they Soooo scared to challange proposition that our government is by and for the PEOPLE not FOR the greed of corporations?

[Idiocracy]

We had a micro-version of the Repuke-licans power grab happening in my community last year. They hid the truth about what was happening in our "hood", They stole money from the HOA homeowners, stopped all communications, newsletters, etc. The list goes on and on... There was nothing but lies, deception and propaganda. Most homeowners likened it to the way Bushco is running things on the big scale.

With my own money, i sent a letter to all homeowners letting them know about the propaganda and promising change in the way of "Accountability and Responsibility". I showed how this could be done and how negligent the current HOA board was.

We won the election and now have our community back.

Lesson learned:
Fight hard for what you believe to be truth and justice.
Grass roots can work even on the smallest scale. The power of truth will prevail always.

We must never stop fighting for our country. We must rid ourselves of these powerful criminals (Bushco) and take back what his rightfully ours. AMERICA

I am tired of being held hostage by these crooks.

[PaHairO]

I agree with the both important facets of this comment string:

1. Congrats to the fighters. Fight Fight Fight.

2. Watch our back. Be on the lookout in particular for government spying online and increasing curbs on internet freedoms.

[kellygrrrl]

Excellent News!!!!!!
California is beginning to emerge as finally having a say in the Presidential election. This is the first time we will have our primary in January AND the Democratic party is allowing ANYONE (not just registered dems) to vote in the Primary.

CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS:
get Senator Dianne Feinstein out of office.
she continues to vote along Bush lines.
she has had 15 years of free ride and it's time to put her out to pasture.
Please make yourselves aware of her voting record.

Support Barbara Boxer!

[Kendo Nagasaki]

Feinstein is a Republican. Her husband has $1 billion of contracts in Iraq. Claerly a conflict of interest. This is why the Democrats fluff us off instead of withholding funding. Its a farce.

[realpolitic]

Congratulations! A great victory! A victory for democracy that benefited all the people.

[FeelinGroovy]

Bravo!

[IntegrityIntact]

Wonderful story! A great way for this progressive to start off their day. I'm very active in the netroots realm (and not just in blogging ;) and this was brought to our light again and again so as to not be avoided. We paid attention, took action and it worked.

Thank you everyone!

[ResearchGuy]

Even had it gotten on the ballot (HIGHLY improbable right from the start), it would have lost by a wide margin, as California voters are reluctant across the board to change electoral rules. The last significant change was term limits (for state legislative and constitutional offices) in 1990, and that was a special case (and recognized by many now as a mistake). The Democrats have gotten their knickers in a knot over nothing here.