Schwarzenegger: “Prop 23 is a job killer that will crush California’s fast growing clean energy economy and result in more pollution. We must send a strong message to the greedy Texas oil companies by voting No on 23.”
Today at Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Latino business groups and leaders from around the Southland met to denounce Proposition 23. The business interests at the event represented the strong support in much of California’s business community for A.B. 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act. This support stems from the increased opportunities in research and innovation that A.B. 32 has created for California through promoting renewable forms of energy.
The Governor noted that A.B. 32 has created jobs throughout the state, causing even some of the most conservative areas in the state to support California’s role in addressing global warming. He once again added his voice to the thousands of businesses and municipalities that have come out against Prop 23.
As Governor Schwarzenegger said, “Prop 23 is a job killer that will crush California’s fast growing clean energy economy and result in more pollution. We must send a strong message to the greedy Texas oil companies by voting No on 23.”
PG&E and SDG&E have rejected Proposition 23, as well as two of the state’s major health care providers. Levi Strauss, Google and Meg Whitman‘s eBay all oppose Prop 23. As Jonathan Port, CEO of PermaCity Solar said, “If Proposition 23 passes, my company could be forced to scale back operations or take our business elsewhere. . . . Prop 23 is bad for the environment, and for California’s economy.”
Today’s event reminded Californians why preparing for a new energy economy is just good business sense; and why calling Prop 23 a “jobs initiative” is jaded, oil-soaked doublespeak. Study after study has come out to show that conservation and developing new sources of energy has created thousands of jobs for California. And seeing the diversity of the speakers on the dais inspired confidence that voters saw through the smoke screen of false ads and rumors spread by oil companies..
Prop 23 is opposed by the traditional green groups – the Sierra Club, NRDC, Environment California. But what is interesting is that No on 23′s co-chairs are Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State and the director of one of the world’s largest investment fund to oppose 23. Now that is not your normal pairing.
As Mary Leslie, President, Los Angeles Business Council said, “Seven of the top 10 U.S. clean energy companies are located in California, and California received 60% market share of national venture capital investment in clean energy in the last year alone – five times more than our nearest rival state, Massachusetts. California is home to 12,000 clean energy businesses. We have 500,000 clean energy jobs Prop 23 jeopardizes all those jobs, and all those investments.”
When the sitting Governor, the state’s environmental groups and Southern California’s business leaders all get together to oppose an initiative, it must be for a good reason. If you can judge a proposition by its enemies, then 23 has something for everyone. Something for everyone to dislike”¦.
– Guest blogger Araceli Ruano is the Senior Vice President for CAP’s California Office. Andrew Fitzgerald Adams also contributed to this post.
JR: Here are five things you can do to win this fight:
- Visit the “No on 23″³ website, learn the facts & sign up: www.StopDirtyEnergyProp.com.
- Educate yourself on how California’s climate & energy laws have created companies & jobs: www.CABrightSpot.com.
- Tell your friends by email, on Facebook, at work, & everywhere else.
- Participate in the debate. Write letters to the editor and post comments on blogs & websites.
- Contribute (click here). The other side’s leader, right-wing California Assemblyman Dan Logue, has publicly said he expects the oil companies to spend $50 million.
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Please don’t just do 1/2 the job. Don’t let Dan Logue go back for a second term!
Individuals and organizations need to get onboard the NO MORE LOGUE efforts NOW. Make sure my friend Mickey Harrington soundly defeats Dan Logue (so he cannot author another bad proposition using the “weight” of his Assembly perch. Mickey’s campaign email is: voteformickey@sbcglobal.net. His campaign web site is:
http://harrington4assembly.org/4.html
This is a bit about Mickey from his site:
Michael “Mickey” Harrinton
In my senior year of high school I joined the US Navy Reserves. After I graduated I spent two years on active duty. I served six years as a active reservist and two years inactive duty. I was honorably discharge as Sea Bee CMA-2.
I married my high school sweetheart Joan Swanzy during the time I was on active duty. We raised three children and now have 5 grand children and 5 great great grand childern. My wife Joan Harrington lost her battle with cancer on June 30 2009, after 51 years marriage, I miss her ever day.
I worked for Pacific Gas & Electric Company for about 20 years and left PG&E as an Equipment Operator and Foreman. I was very active in my Local Union IBEW 1245 and served as a shop steward, Board Member, Bargaining Committee Member and Officer in my Local Unit. I was hired as a Business Representative and served for 22 years. I was an organizer, grievance handler and chief negotiator for a number of companies and districts during my tenure.
My educational experience includes the following: Konocti Leadership Conference 1969, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1992 and 1996: Leadership Conference Dr. Morris Hurley’s Management and Industrial Relation Program, Attended UC classes on the following Subjects: Public-Private Sector Negotiations, Communications, Cost of living Adjustments, Labor Law, Bargaining Techniques, Interest Arbitration, Training Union Leaders, Psychology of Leadership Work Shop and Mutual Gains Bargaining at University of California at Berkeley, and Labor Management at American River College.
I am a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local Union 1245 and serve as the President of the Butte-Glenn Central Labor Council.
I am a member of the Workforce Investment Board, a 32 degree Mason and an Elk. I was active in the Boy Scouts in the seventies (Committee Chairman) taught several merit badges: Archery, Cycling, Rifle and Shot Gun and Pioneering and was a Certified Hunter Safety Instructor.
I am a member of the Democratic Party (but I am a independent thinker) and, Ex-Officio officer of all the Central Committees in the Third Assembly District and I am a member of four local Democratic clubs: Marysville, 2 Chico and Paradise.
My daughter Dawn Ward has taken on the duties of Treasurer of my campaign and is a great resource, together with the many volunteers helping.
Joe, that is a good list of thins to do. I have done them all and I am still concerned that those who will vote FOR Prop 23 are not paying any attention to what I say. In imitation of Saint Ronald, they roll their eyes and say “There you go again.”
In my local town, there are 3 candidates for Mayor. In preparation for an item to run in the local newspaper I asked them all a question on climate change. One called it “junk science” and another said that we can not afford to do anything now with the economy in shambles and unemployment running high. In other words, their ideology trumps common sense.
What we also need in CA is a well organized GOTV effort to defeat Prop 23 and Fiorina and every other, mostly Republican, climate denier. The votes are there as long as people vote.
[JR: I agree. GOTV is now being organized, I'm told.]
Thanks, And . . .
Thanks for the helpful and uplifting post this morning. Bravo!
And thanks to Arnold and to George Shultz and all the others (though there aren’t many) who are speaking out in favor of sensibility even though it’s apparently unfashionable to do so these days among most members of their party.
All I would add is this: We’ll be needing to send many more signals — and much larger ones — to the greedy oil companies from Texas (and from elsewhere). I say this as a former chemical engineer, a former employee of Chevron, long ago, and someone who had offers from both Exxon and Shell, as well as from Chevron, as a chemical engineer. There is something broadly greedy (even beyond the norm), unwise, confused, and harmful about the way that oil company leaders and boards are behaving, and until we let them know what we think about that — in civil and responsible ways, of course, but effective ones! — they’ll keep doing it.
Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Jeff
Great idea. Get the endorsement of a man with a 28% approval rating and a legislature with a 16% rating. That’s the key to victory over the common people of California.
But there’s… “No Pressure.”
Comprehensive information on Proposition 23, including donors for and against, and polling.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_23_%282010%29
Thank you, Sir, for presenting a plan of action for those of us living outside of California. I know just the right kids to help.