No matter what the results Tuesday night, Greens charge initiative process as ‘manipulated' by ‘big-monied interests' to control state's voters

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Contacts:
Cres Vellucci, State Press Office, 916-996-1970,
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,
Sara Amir (Los Angeles) 310-270-7106,
Susan King (San Francisco) 415-823-5524,

SACRAMENTO (Nov. 8, 2005) – The Green Party of California criticized Tuesday night's Special Election – the final vote count notwithstanding – and charged the initiative process had been manipulated by big monied interests to control voters in the state.

Although the final results were still too close to call, the GPCA said the Gov. Schwarzenegger's initiative gambit hurt the people of California no matter who won or lost Tuesday night.

"Arnold's initiatives are just another example of how big money controls politics in this state and country," said Forrest Hill, a California Green national delegate.

"How can we expect Americans to take government seriously, when what passes for leadership is trivial television ads, mean-spirited initiatives targeting working people and red-herring solutions like redistricting to solve the undemocratic nature of our government," he said.

Hill suggested that if "we truly want to stop gerrymandering and get money out of government as Arnold says he want to do, then let's move to a system of proportional representation like most every other democracy in the world."

The GPCA endorsed only Prop. 79, a drug discount measure opposed by pharmaceutical companies but supported by consumer groups. It was losing Tuesday night Greens offered "no position" of Prop. 77 and Prop. 80 – also both losing Tuesday night – and opposed all other propositions on the ballot.

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The Green Party of California
http://www.cagreens.org
P.O. Box 2828, Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
gpca@greens.org