Political Contributions by Employees, Union Members, Foreign Entities. Initiative Statute.
	Rebuttal to Argument against Proposition 226

Powerful union leaders are waging a deceitful campaign to defeat proposition 226, because it will eliminate their ability to direct tens of millions of dollars to political candidates and causes without approval from their members. THEY KNOW THEY CANNOT DEFEAT 226 ON THE MERITS, SO IT IS THEIR INTENT TO MISLEAD VOTERS.

UNION LEADERS SO FEAR HAVING TO ASK THE MEMBERS' CONSENT TO SPEND THEIR MONEY, THEY'LL SAY ANYTHING TO DEFEAT 226.

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

• Union leaders say 226 will silence unions politically. WRONG. IF RANK AND FILE MEMBERS BELIEVE THEIR LEADER'S POLITICAL AGENDA WILL BENEFIT THEM; THEY WILL GIVE THEIR CONSENT.

• UNION MEMBERS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT 226, AND THE CALIFORNIA POLL SHOWS THAT 72% OF CALIFORNIANS SUPPORT 226.

• Opponents make deliberately misleading claims that EXISTING law prohibits foreign contributions to CANDIDATES. They know that only FEDERAL law does so, and the state has no power to enforce federal law. That's why 226's STATE prohibition is required.

• Opponents claim 226 says that foreign nationals "should be allowed to contribute" to ballot measures. IT DOES NOT. Read it: 226 only provides that its foreign contribution prohibitions "shall not apply" to BALLOT MEASURES, leaving that to EXISTING STATE LAW (signed by Governor Wilson) THAT PRESENTLY PROHIBITS foreign contributions to ballot measures.

REMEMBER: EVERY TIME YOU SEE AN AD TRASHING PROPOSITION 226, IT IS BEING PAID FOR BY UNION LEADERS --WITH MEMBERS' MONEY--BUT, WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.

PROPOSITION 226 IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT.

MARK BUCHER
President--California Foundation for Campaign Reform
LINDA HUNT
Member--California Nurses Association
ROGER HUGHES
Member--California Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO