Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/custom/admark/la-me-reiner20feb20" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/busines s/custom/admark/la-me-reiner20feb20</a>,1,6157173.story?coll=la-headlines-business-advert >>Reiner heads the First 5 California Children and Families Commission, a panel of seven members appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. It was created by an initiative Reiner sponsored in 1998 to promote early childhood development. The measure, which raised cigarette taxes by 50 cents per pack, has generated $4 billion so far, much of it used for childhood healthcare, preschool and anti-tobacco efforts. Under Reiner's leadership, the commission has: • Spent $23 million for the "Preschool for All" ads, which ran from November to mid-January, making it one of the largest state-funded advertising campaigns ever in California. In January, Reiner's new initiative, also called "Preschool for All," qualified for the June ballot as Proposition 82. • Given $230 million in advertising and public relations contracts — including the preschool ad blitz — to firms that helped Reiner create the First 5 commission. As companies competed for the business, Reiner wrote a letter recommending one firm, which won. • Paid $206,000 of the tax money to three political consultants, though they had no contract. One of them — Benjamin Austin, a former Los Angeles deputy mayor — said they helped coordinate the government activities of Reiner, the First 5 commission and the media consultants. Austin and the others subsequently joined the Proposition 82 effort, with Austin as campaign manager. The contracts for the ads and the public relations work were awarded legally. But given the winning companies' relationship with Reiner, "there is a question of … who really has a chance of getting a contract," said Bill Whalen, a Hoover Institution fellow and former Pete Wilson administration official. "Insider connections are rewarded." The twinning of First 5's ads and Reiner's initiative campaign troubles state Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles). "Taxpayer dollars should not be used to sway election results," she said. "Do that with campaign money."<<
Originally Posted By Darkbeer >>Meanwhile, William Deaver, a former member of the Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces campaign laws, has asked his former agency to investigate whether the juxtaposition of the preschool ads and the Proposition 82 initiative effort violated the law. An FPPC spokesman declined to comment. Deaver, a Republican who served on the FPPC from 1999 to 2003, said the promotion of preschool is "admirable" but added: "I don't think you can use public money to support a ballot measure. I don't care what it is."<<
Originally Posted By TomSawyer >>"Taxpayer dollars should not be used to sway election results," she said. "Do that with campaign money."<< I agree. The president shouldn't be able to use Air Force One for campaign trips.
Originally Posted By imadisneygal This type of thing happens in more than just the Presidency. All members of congress and, I suppose, other government officials can use tax money to send out campaign information including the printing, materials, and cost of mailing. With those type of funds it's no wonder so many incumbents get re-elected. They get their names out there and with those resources they do it very effectively. Not that all incumbents should be dumped from office, but it's easy to make a case that some of them get re-elected simply by being the man or woman who is already there. They're familiar and then with the marketing tools they are able to utilize for free they're in a great position to be re-elected.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/01/BAG4VHGFQV1.DTL" target="_blank">http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/ article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/01/BAG4VHGFQV1.DTL</a> >>Senate leader Don Perata withdrew his support for Proposition 82 on Tuesday, saying it costs too much to provide state paid preschool to all 4-year-olds and that the measure would be a subsidy to families who can already afford it. The Oakland Democrat's defection is the latest blow to the June ballot measure, which is sponsored by film director Rob Reiner. Lawmakers have called for audits and investigations of spending by a state children's commission -- also created by a Reiner-backed initiative -- that spent $23 million on television spots and other ads promoting preschool that ran between November and January, when Prop. 82 qualified for the ballot. << >>Perata said he is troubled by the commission's spending on the ad campaign. "That was over the line. A blatant effort to promote the initiative," Perata said. First 5's executive director, Kris Perry, said the commission had been spending money promoting preschool since 2002 and ended the ad campaign when Prop. 82 qualified for the June ballot, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Perata sent a letter to Reiner on Tuesday saying he was withdrawing support for Prop. 82. The measure would increase state income taxes to 11 percent on individuals with taxable income of $400,000 or more and couples with $800,000 or more. The money, some $2.6 billion annually, would be used to create a state-run half-day preschool program for all 4-year-olds. Perata objected that the initiative does not focus on lower-income California families. "I question if the billions of dollars mandated for preschool in Prop. 82 is equitable. Critics argue that Prop. 82 wouldn't improve access to those who need it most: poor, disadvantaged and English learners," Perata wrote. "Instead, the initiative would be a financial boon to families that already pay for their children's preschool education." Perata also said the half-day program was expensive -- some $8,000 per student -- which is more than some kindergarten through Grade 12 schools pay for a full day. <<
Originally Posted By cape cod joe Knowing Arnold, he's always trying to help the kids and fight off his in-laws buffoonery
Originally Posted By Beaumandy I was a HUGE Arnold fan up until a few months ago. He's way to moderate and his effectiveness is shot.
Originally Posted By cape cod joe I know--maybe he's getting too political? He is the best there is in Cal. it seems. It's not my state so I don't know as much as the locals so let them check like Tom, etc.
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Originally Posted By StillThePassHolder Schwarzenegger faces an uphill fight if he wants to be re-elected. He's managed to alienate just about every support base there is at one time or another. If the election were held today, while I couldn't predict the winner, I can say with certainty it wouldn't be him.
Originally Posted By Dirk_D_from_Oregon " while I couldn't predict the winner, I can say with certainty it wouldn't be him." Absolutely, positively wrong. Arnold will hold that office as long as he wants to have it. Does Ca. have term limits for governors?
Originally Posted By Beaumandy I don't know Dirk. Arnold has pissed off the conservative base that put him over the top. I hoped Arnold could take the heat from the moonbats he is surtrounded by, but it seems he finally caved.
Originally Posted By Dirk_D_from_Oregon You and I disagree on this one Beau. Unlike you, I am much more moderate on social issues. Moderates from the left and right combine to outnumber extremists of both sides combined. You dont want to drop the gloves with me Beau. LOL.
Originally Posted By Beaumandy No dropping the gloves man.. I'm just really let down by my man Arnold lately. I LOVED him when he was talking trash and calling the democrats girlymen. But, once he lost his ballot measures he lost his nreve it seems... I hope I am wrong because I really liked him in Kindergarten Cop.
Originally Posted By StillThePassHolder "Absolutely, positively wrong. Arnold will hold that office as long as he wants to have it." Apparently you haven't been paying sttention to California politics, what with not living here and all. The guy's in trouble. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-arnold24feb24" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/news/po litics/la-me-arnold24feb24</a>,1,7060762.story?coll=la-headlines-politics&ctrack=1&cset=true
Originally Posted By StillThePassHolder Heck with the link. Any google search on his war chest, which is nearly empty, and his re-election chances, which are slim at this point, will reveal plenty of articles.
Originally Posted By cmpaley >>Does Ca. have term limits for governors?<< YES, we do. Thanks be to God. Hopefully, Schwarzenegger will be removed this coming November...but if he isn't, we will only be saddled with his puppetness for another four years only.
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