In 2006, voters in 37 states faced a total of 203 state ballot initiatives and supporters and opponents of these measures raised and spent more than $350 million. Many ballot initiatives were sponsored and supported by labor unions, and often they received help from the little-known Washington, D.C.- based Ballot Initiative Strategy Center,
which quietly provides assistance in promoting ballot initiative campaigns in states where the initiative process exists.
But the Center plays another increasingly important role for Big Labor and its allies. It devises tactics for blocking
ballot initiatives by union opponents using aggressive methods.
Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, spoke to the Capitol Club and members of the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors about the pros and cons of Utah's caucus system.
The document discusses several topics related to political parties in the United States including what they are, their functions, the origins of the two-party system, different types of party systems, and aspects of how U.S. political parties operate such as nominating candidates, funding campaigns, and enforcing campaign finance laws.
The current Platform of the Democratic Party. 49% of Americans say the Democratic Party is “too liberal”; current trends point to a polarization of the Democratic Party that began with "Reagan Democrats" in the 1980s. This polarization indicates the possibility of a future split within the party of "Democrats" and "Socialists". Many policies in the party today mirror the far left policies of European socialist parties.
Democracy North Carolina analyzed election data and found that 2008 saw record voter turnout and participation in North Carolina. Same-day voter registration allowed nearly 250,000 people to register and vote at the same time. Early voting was also highly popular, with over 2.6 million people voting early, accounting for 61% of all voters. Both same-day registration and early voting helped boost turnout among groups like African Americans that have historically participated at lower rates. The increases in voter participation in 2008 helped elect the first female governor and record numbers of women to other state offices.
Virginia will hold statewide elections on November 7th, 2017 to elect a new governor, lieutenant governor, and House of Delegates members. The governor's race is highly contested between Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie. Northam currently leads in polls as the incumbent lieutenant governor. Justin Fairfax and Jill Holtzman Vogel are competing for lieutenant governor. Two incumbent delegates, Democrat David Toscano and Republican Bill Howell, are also running for reelection. New Jersey will also hold a competitive gubernatorial election on November 7th between Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Kim Guadagno to replace term-limited Governor Chris Christie. Recent polls show Murphy with a significant lead over Guadagno and other candidates
This document summarizes key points about legalizing marijuana in Canada. It discusses both the economic benefits as well as potential short-term and long-term side effects. Key points include estimates that legal marijuana sales could generate $5-8.7 billion annually for Canada's economy. However, it also notes potential increased costs for healthcare, addiction treatment and law enforcement. The document provides an overview of the UN drug treaties that Canada is a party to, and how legalization may conflict with those. It also discusses the market size for medical marijuana in Canada, estimated at $5 billion annually, and how legalizing recreational use may impact that industry.
This document outlines key concepts related to US campaign finance, including open and closed primaries, soft and hard money, and negative campaigning. It then discusses the history of campaign finance reform in the US, including the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 that set spending limits and disclosure rules in response to Watergate, but was weakened over time. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 further reformed rules around soft money and issue ads, but new groups like 527s still spent millions in elections.
Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, spoke to the Capitol Club and members of the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors about the pros and cons of Utah's caucus system.
The document discusses several topics related to political parties in the United States including what they are, their functions, the origins of the two-party system, different types of party systems, and aspects of how U.S. political parties operate such as nominating candidates, funding campaigns, and enforcing campaign finance laws.
The current Platform of the Democratic Party. 49% of Americans say the Democratic Party is “too liberal”; current trends point to a polarization of the Democratic Party that began with "Reagan Democrats" in the 1980s. This polarization indicates the possibility of a future split within the party of "Democrats" and "Socialists". Many policies in the party today mirror the far left policies of European socialist parties.
Democracy North Carolina analyzed election data and found that 2008 saw record voter turnout and participation in North Carolina. Same-day voter registration allowed nearly 250,000 people to register and vote at the same time. Early voting was also highly popular, with over 2.6 million people voting early, accounting for 61% of all voters. Both same-day registration and early voting helped boost turnout among groups like African Americans that have historically participated at lower rates. The increases in voter participation in 2008 helped elect the first female governor and record numbers of women to other state offices.
Virginia will hold statewide elections on November 7th, 2017 to elect a new governor, lieutenant governor, and House of Delegates members. The governor's race is highly contested between Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie. Northam currently leads in polls as the incumbent lieutenant governor. Justin Fairfax and Jill Holtzman Vogel are competing for lieutenant governor. Two incumbent delegates, Democrat David Toscano and Republican Bill Howell, are also running for reelection. New Jersey will also hold a competitive gubernatorial election on November 7th between Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Kim Guadagno to replace term-limited Governor Chris Christie. Recent polls show Murphy with a significant lead over Guadagno and other candidates
This document summarizes key points about legalizing marijuana in Canada. It discusses both the economic benefits as well as potential short-term and long-term side effects. Key points include estimates that legal marijuana sales could generate $5-8.7 billion annually for Canada's economy. However, it also notes potential increased costs for healthcare, addiction treatment and law enforcement. The document provides an overview of the UN drug treaties that Canada is a party to, and how legalization may conflict with those. It also discusses the market size for medical marijuana in Canada, estimated at $5 billion annually, and how legalizing recreational use may impact that industry.
This document outlines key concepts related to US campaign finance, including open and closed primaries, soft and hard money, and negative campaigning. It then discusses the history of campaign finance reform in the US, including the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 that set spending limits and disclosure rules in response to Watergate, but was weakened over time. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 further reformed rules around soft money and issue ads, but new groups like 527s still spent millions in elections.
Same day voter registration (also known as election day registration) allows eligible citizens to register and vote on the same day. States that allow this have higher voter turnout averaging 7% more than states without same day registration. Same day registration also results in fewer provisional ballots, insignificant increased costs, and enhanced citizen participation without evidence of increased fraud. Nine states currently allow same day registration which benefits all voters, young people, minorities, and recent movers by removing barriers to participation.
The document discusses the negative impacts of the war on drugs in the United States. It argues that the war on drugs has failed to reduce drug use and instead disproportionately impacts minorities and the poor. The war on drugs generates billions of dollars for the criminal justice system and private prisons but treats a small fraction of drug addicts while drug-related deaths have doubled. Some naturally occurring plants with therapeutic benefits have been made illegal due to the war on drugs despite evidence that legalizing and regulating certain drugs could generate tax revenue for treatment programs and have fewer negative consequences than current policies.
Callan Farm Legislation In An Election YearJames Callan
This document provides an overview and summary of recent farm legislation and policy developments. It discusses the key provisions and debates around the 2014 Farm Bill, including crop insurance which provides coverage for over 90% of planted acreage. The document outlines challenges for the next Farm Bill in 2018, including budget pressures, commodity prices, and ongoing attacks on "Big Agriculture." It also analyzes factors around the 2016 congressional elections and presidential race that could impact future farm policy.
A review in reverse chronological order of the global trends and major events in drug policy reform in 2013, updated on a regular basis.
2012 was a pivotal year for drug policy reform, and as we move into 2013, the momentum is accelerating. 2013 should deliver on the promises of 2012. This is a valuable resource for all those interested in drug policy. Make sure to share with your friends and on social networks.
More details on http://www.world-war-d.com/
2019 Election| Management of Cannabis| Canada| August 2019paul young cpa, cga
The document provides an overview of Canada's legalization of marijuana in August 2019. It discusses the economic and health effects of legalization, including costs to implement supply chains and regulation. It also covers topics like the marijuana market size, medical marijuana industry impacts, pricing statistics, and Ontario's plans to transition to a private retail model. The document presents information from various sources on these topics and notes challenges around international drug treaties and enforcement.
Supplementary data slides american governmentcompiled bcherry686017
This document provides summaries for multiple slides related to American Government. Each slide summarizes a source document on a different topic, such as the founding and constitution, federalism, civil rights, congress, and public opinion. The summaries are brief, between 1-3 sentences each, and highlight the key information or findings from the source document on that topic.
The legalization of cannabis was a key election promise in 2015. Cannabis has been legalized but there have been many issues with cannabis over the past two years.
2019 Election| Legalization of Cannabis (Pot) | Canada | July 2019paul young cpa, cga
Passing a bill and having full efficient supply chain for cannabis are two different issues
Feds push the cannabis law before law enforcement and the provinces were ready to handle the legalization of pot
Annual retail sales market for marijuana is running about $1B. The GST from the sales is estimated to be about $70M / year https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/190621/dq190621a-eng.htm
Healthcare only recently finalized process and sale of edibles - https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2019/06/health-canada-finalizes-regulations-for-the-production-and-sale-of-edible-cannabis-cannabis-extracts-and-cannabis-topicals.html
Liberals rushed out the legalization of pot as way to get a win when they are failing as a govt - https://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/justin-trudeau-and-liberals-success-or-failure
This document provides an introduction and background on campaign finance law and regulation in the United States. It discusses key Supreme Court rulings on campaign finance from Buckley v. Valeo in 1976 to Citizens United v. FEC in 2010. Scholars are divided on whether Citizens United represented a break from precedent or was consistent with previous rulings. The author argues that FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life Inc. in 2007 established the framework that Citizens United built upon, not representing a true break from precedent. The document aims to examine these court rulings in detail to determine how and why campaign finance regulation changed over time.
This document provides an overview of NPMA's Legislative Day event scheduled for March 15-17, 2015 in Washington D.C. It outlines the schedule of meetings and events, including committee meetings on Sunday and a legislative update on Monday morning. On Tuesday, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with their Members of Congress to discuss important issues like pollinator health, pesticide regulations, and exempting pest control applications from Clean Water Act permitting. The summary highlights that constituent visits have significant influence on legislators and that Legislative Day allows pest management professionals to directly impact public policy.
Political Parties: In the Philippine SettingZenpai Carl
This document discusses political parties and electoral systems in the Philippines. It defines political parties as organized groups that seek to win government power by attracting popular support through votes. There are three main types of party systems: a one-party system, a two-party (or bi-party) system, and a multi-party system. The Philippines has a multi-party system, with several active political parties, and uses a plurality electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they do not receive a majority.
This document provides an overview of voter fraud in the United States. It discusses what constitutes voter fraud, the methodology used in previous research on the topic, and a framework for understanding fraud. Key points include that organized fraud is more common than individual fraud, local political machines historically played a role in election fraud but have since declined, and election administration has become stronger over time which has reduced opportunities for fraud. Major cases of alleged fraud are also examined. The document aims to provide better information and analysis on voter fraud to inform election reform debates.
Slide 9 WestCal Political Science 1 - US Government 2015-2016WestCal Academy
American Leadership Policy Studies (ALPS) is a for-college credit certificate program that teaches the fundamentals of American government. ALPS includes a custom tailored Political Science 1 – US Government course taught in partnership with accredited colleges to assure students receive college credit. The class is taught from the perspective of industry professionals who work in local/state/federal bureaucracies and/or political/union campaigns. This course program may operate at the site of a partnering college or instructor of record who licenses ALPS course materials from WestCal Academy or at WestCal Academy’s main campus in partnership with an accredited college. WestCal Academy
This slide covers the following:
1. Difference Between The US & California Constitution
2. Primary & General Elections
3. Party Qualification & Disqualification
4. Closed Primaries
5. Open Primaries
6. California’s Modified Closed Primary
7. Cross-filing System
8. Presidential Primaries
9. Recall Elections
10. Partisanship
11. Political Parties In California
12. Interest Group Conflict
13. Ways Elites Counter Mass Protest
14. Masses Acquiring More Power
15. Progressive Issue Campaigns
16. Modern Technology Amplifying Voices
17. How The Masses Perceive The Parties
The document summarizes information about the 1996 US presidential election between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. It discusses the primary process, Clinton securing the Democratic nomination without challenge, and the uneventful 1996 Democratic National Convention where Clinton was unanimously renominated. It also briefly outlines Clinton's strategy of focusing on economic prosperity and avoiding bold policy statements to win back public trust and defeat Dole in the general election.
The document discusses the nomination process for political candidates in the United States. It outlines the main methods of nomination, including self-announcement, caucuses, conventions, direct primaries, and petitions. It also discusses the differences between open and closed primaries, and debates the pros and cons of different nomination systems. General elections are the final elections where voters select between nominated candidates.
This document provides an overview of lecture topics, highlights, and content covered in Dr. Tabakian's Political Science 1 course. The lecture topics include America's democratic republic, political parties, elections, money in politics, interest groups, and political action committees. Key concepts discussed are partisanship, America's two-party system, the power of money, and how elections symbolize democratic choices. The document also examines theories of pluralism and elitism and how they relate to democracy, capitalism, and influence over public policy. Specific policies and historical events like the 2000 US election and 9/11 are analyzed in the context of these theories.
This start-up company aims to develop a tool to help with price decision making and reduce uncertainty in markets. The tool will allow for real-time pricing planning and flexibility. It will explore customer needs and sensitivity to pricing through various research methods like surveys, online services, and blogs to help analyze buying patterns and determine optimal pricing. The tool aims to help customers determine reliable pricing strategies to successfully enter markets and win bids.
Collaborative defence strategies for network securitysonukumar142
This ppt describes Environmental comparison of Collaborative defence strategies for network security. Collaborative defence Strategies accumulates several algorithms and techniques to enhance and enrich network security.
Same day voter registration (also known as election day registration) allows eligible citizens to register and vote on the same day. States that allow this have higher voter turnout averaging 7% more than states without same day registration. Same day registration also results in fewer provisional ballots, insignificant increased costs, and enhanced citizen participation without evidence of increased fraud. Nine states currently allow same day registration which benefits all voters, young people, minorities, and recent movers by removing barriers to participation.
The document discusses the negative impacts of the war on drugs in the United States. It argues that the war on drugs has failed to reduce drug use and instead disproportionately impacts minorities and the poor. The war on drugs generates billions of dollars for the criminal justice system and private prisons but treats a small fraction of drug addicts while drug-related deaths have doubled. Some naturally occurring plants with therapeutic benefits have been made illegal due to the war on drugs despite evidence that legalizing and regulating certain drugs could generate tax revenue for treatment programs and have fewer negative consequences than current policies.
Callan Farm Legislation In An Election YearJames Callan
This document provides an overview and summary of recent farm legislation and policy developments. It discusses the key provisions and debates around the 2014 Farm Bill, including crop insurance which provides coverage for over 90% of planted acreage. The document outlines challenges for the next Farm Bill in 2018, including budget pressures, commodity prices, and ongoing attacks on "Big Agriculture." It also analyzes factors around the 2016 congressional elections and presidential race that could impact future farm policy.
A review in reverse chronological order of the global trends and major events in drug policy reform in 2013, updated on a regular basis.
2012 was a pivotal year for drug policy reform, and as we move into 2013, the momentum is accelerating. 2013 should deliver on the promises of 2012. This is a valuable resource for all those interested in drug policy. Make sure to share with your friends and on social networks.
More details on http://www.world-war-d.com/
2019 Election| Management of Cannabis| Canada| August 2019paul young cpa, cga
The document provides an overview of Canada's legalization of marijuana in August 2019. It discusses the economic and health effects of legalization, including costs to implement supply chains and regulation. It also covers topics like the marijuana market size, medical marijuana industry impacts, pricing statistics, and Ontario's plans to transition to a private retail model. The document presents information from various sources on these topics and notes challenges around international drug treaties and enforcement.
Supplementary data slides american governmentcompiled bcherry686017
This document provides summaries for multiple slides related to American Government. Each slide summarizes a source document on a different topic, such as the founding and constitution, federalism, civil rights, congress, and public opinion. The summaries are brief, between 1-3 sentences each, and highlight the key information or findings from the source document on that topic.
The legalization of cannabis was a key election promise in 2015. Cannabis has been legalized but there have been many issues with cannabis over the past two years.
2019 Election| Legalization of Cannabis (Pot) | Canada | July 2019paul young cpa, cga
Passing a bill and having full efficient supply chain for cannabis are two different issues
Feds push the cannabis law before law enforcement and the provinces were ready to handle the legalization of pot
Annual retail sales market for marijuana is running about $1B. The GST from the sales is estimated to be about $70M / year https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/190621/dq190621a-eng.htm
Healthcare only recently finalized process and sale of edibles - https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2019/06/health-canada-finalizes-regulations-for-the-production-and-sale-of-edible-cannabis-cannabis-extracts-and-cannabis-topicals.html
Liberals rushed out the legalization of pot as way to get a win when they are failing as a govt - https://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/justin-trudeau-and-liberals-success-or-failure
This document provides an introduction and background on campaign finance law and regulation in the United States. It discusses key Supreme Court rulings on campaign finance from Buckley v. Valeo in 1976 to Citizens United v. FEC in 2010. Scholars are divided on whether Citizens United represented a break from precedent or was consistent with previous rulings. The author argues that FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life Inc. in 2007 established the framework that Citizens United built upon, not representing a true break from precedent. The document aims to examine these court rulings in detail to determine how and why campaign finance regulation changed over time.
This document provides an overview of NPMA's Legislative Day event scheduled for March 15-17, 2015 in Washington D.C. It outlines the schedule of meetings and events, including committee meetings on Sunday and a legislative update on Monday morning. On Tuesday, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with their Members of Congress to discuss important issues like pollinator health, pesticide regulations, and exempting pest control applications from Clean Water Act permitting. The summary highlights that constituent visits have significant influence on legislators and that Legislative Day allows pest management professionals to directly impact public policy.
Political Parties: In the Philippine SettingZenpai Carl
This document discusses political parties and electoral systems in the Philippines. It defines political parties as organized groups that seek to win government power by attracting popular support through votes. There are three main types of party systems: a one-party system, a two-party (or bi-party) system, and a multi-party system. The Philippines has a multi-party system, with several active political parties, and uses a plurality electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they do not receive a majority.
This document provides an overview of voter fraud in the United States. It discusses what constitutes voter fraud, the methodology used in previous research on the topic, and a framework for understanding fraud. Key points include that organized fraud is more common than individual fraud, local political machines historically played a role in election fraud but have since declined, and election administration has become stronger over time which has reduced opportunities for fraud. Major cases of alleged fraud are also examined. The document aims to provide better information and analysis on voter fraud to inform election reform debates.
Slide 9 WestCal Political Science 1 - US Government 2015-2016WestCal Academy
American Leadership Policy Studies (ALPS) is a for-college credit certificate program that teaches the fundamentals of American government. ALPS includes a custom tailored Political Science 1 – US Government course taught in partnership with accredited colleges to assure students receive college credit. The class is taught from the perspective of industry professionals who work in local/state/federal bureaucracies and/or political/union campaigns. This course program may operate at the site of a partnering college or instructor of record who licenses ALPS course materials from WestCal Academy or at WestCal Academy’s main campus in partnership with an accredited college. WestCal Academy
This slide covers the following:
1. Difference Between The US & California Constitution
2. Primary & General Elections
3. Party Qualification & Disqualification
4. Closed Primaries
5. Open Primaries
6. California’s Modified Closed Primary
7. Cross-filing System
8. Presidential Primaries
9. Recall Elections
10. Partisanship
11. Political Parties In California
12. Interest Group Conflict
13. Ways Elites Counter Mass Protest
14. Masses Acquiring More Power
15. Progressive Issue Campaigns
16. Modern Technology Amplifying Voices
17. How The Masses Perceive The Parties
The document summarizes information about the 1996 US presidential election between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. It discusses the primary process, Clinton securing the Democratic nomination without challenge, and the uneventful 1996 Democratic National Convention where Clinton was unanimously renominated. It also briefly outlines Clinton's strategy of focusing on economic prosperity and avoiding bold policy statements to win back public trust and defeat Dole in the general election.
The document discusses the nomination process for political candidates in the United States. It outlines the main methods of nomination, including self-announcement, caucuses, conventions, direct primaries, and petitions. It also discusses the differences between open and closed primaries, and debates the pros and cons of different nomination systems. General elections are the final elections where voters select between nominated candidates.
This document provides an overview of lecture topics, highlights, and content covered in Dr. Tabakian's Political Science 1 course. The lecture topics include America's democratic republic, political parties, elections, money in politics, interest groups, and political action committees. Key concepts discussed are partisanship, America's two-party system, the power of money, and how elections symbolize democratic choices. The document also examines theories of pluralism and elitism and how they relate to democracy, capitalism, and influence over public policy. Specific policies and historical events like the 2000 US election and 9/11 are analyzed in the context of these theories.
This start-up company aims to develop a tool to help with price decision making and reduce uncertainty in markets. The tool will allow for real-time pricing planning and flexibility. It will explore customer needs and sensitivity to pricing through various research methods like surveys, online services, and blogs to help analyze buying patterns and determine optimal pricing. The tool aims to help customers determine reliable pricing strategies to successfully enter markets and win bids.
Collaborative defence strategies for network securitysonukumar142
This ppt describes Environmental comparison of Collaborative defence strategies for network security. Collaborative defence Strategies accumulates several algorithms and techniques to enhance and enrich network security.
O documento discute o que constitui uma creche. Uma creche fornece uma das primeiras experiências sociais para crianças fora do ambiente familiar, onde elas podem desenvolver habilidades. Experiências na primeira infância estão ligadas ao desenvolvimento futuro. O governo brasileiro lançou iniciativas como o Brasil Carinhoso para expandir vagas em creches, principalmente para famílias de baixa renda.
SEO : Boostez la visibilité de votre site d'e-commerce !Eroan Boyer
Le diaporama projeté par Eroan Boyer pour la conférence "Boostez la visibilité de votre site d'e-commerce", donnée le samedi 1er juin 2013 au SEOCamp d'Angers.
Plus d'infos : http://www.eboyer.com/referencement/1109-seocamp-angers/
Mon twitter : http://twitter.com/eroan
This document appears to be the cover of a magazine or periodical. It contains common elements found on magazine covers such as a main image, masthead, cover lines providing a brief description of stories inside, and identifying information like a barcode and publication date. The document gives a high-level overview of the content that readers will find within its pages.
Cultura afro brasileira ¬ revoltas populares no período das regências- a re...Claudia Martins
O documento descreve duas revoltas no século XIX na Bahia contra a escravidão e o governo português: a Revolta dos Malês em 1835 e a Sabinada em 1837. A Revolta dos Malês envolveu cerca de 1500 negros muçulmanos que queriam acabar com a escravidão e estabelecer uma república islâmica. A Sabinada derrubou o governo imperial e proclamou a República Bahiense, mas foi sufocada pela força do governo central.
Jan Hendrik Hammer, Fraunhofer, KIT, Eyetracking and Gaze Analysisscotdigich
Jan Hendrik Hammer, Fraunhofer, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, "Eyetracking, Gaze Analysis and Gaze-based interaction. Paper presented at the 3d workshop 'Evaluating Use and Impact' of the Scottish Network of Digital Cultural Heritage Resources Evaluation, Glasgow, 31 March 2016
Bring life to your events with Bedouin tents! These tents make a great alternative option for venue when it comes to your event planning. Parties, corporate functions, branded promotions, weddings and in fact all special events. Our stretch tents come in a wide variety of styles, sizes, and colours. Visit http://www.tentickle-stretchtents.com
El documento explica los pasos para ingresar a la plataforma LMS de Santillana para estudiantes del Colegio Jean Piaget. Primero, los estudiantes deben ingresar la dirección http://santillanacompartir.com.mx/ en su navegador. Luego, deben hacer clic en "Llave Digital" y después en "LMS" e ingresar su usuario y contraseña. Finalmente, encontrarán las clases a las que están matriculados y podrán acceder a las actividades correspondientes.
This job posting is for a SQL Enterprise Database Architect position in Houston, Texas. The role involves providing advanced technical support including database architecture, integration, and management. Responsibilities include building data interfaces, creating architectural standards, developing data models, implementing replication plans, and ensuring database performance and scalability. Required skills are 3-5 years of enterprise database architecture experience, expertise in SQL Server and other RDBMS systems, ability to interpret business logic and communicate with technical and non-technical teams. A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field is required.
Mammals are vertebrates that give live birth, have fur or hair, breathe oxygen with lungs, drink mother's milk, and most have four legs. They can be herbivores, carnivores or omnivores. Birds are also vertebrates with lungs that lay eggs, have feathers, two wings, two legs and a beak, and can be carnivores, herbivores or omnivores, with most able to fly.
Free 13-Week Course: American Workers, Communities and Economy. Instructor: Sherlene Stevens. Provided by A Time To Learn Academy. Web www.easysite.com/atimetolearn
Este documento presenta el programa "Vida Saludable Escolar" de la Administración Federal de Servicios Educativos en el Distrito Federal de México. El programa busca promover la salud integral de los estudiantes a través de actividades físicas diarias, una alimentación nutritiva y un estilo de vida saludable. El documento explica los objetivos, estrategias y actividades del programa, incluyendo talleres, charlas y brigadas de limpieza, con el fin de crear conciencia sobre el cuidado del cuerpo, el entorno y el descanso
California allows citizens to directly participate in the legislative process through initiatives, referendums, and recalls. While some argue this makes democracy more direct, others counter that these tools are actually used by wealthy elites and special interest groups to push their agendas. Additionally, many initiatives end up being poorly written or invalidated in court due to the public not having sufficient expertise to craft legislation. Overall, there is debate around whether direct democracy through these processes truly empowers citizens or is susceptible to manipulation.
The document discusses the dominance of wealthy interests in politics undermining middle-class views. It proposes a constitutional amendment for public funding of elections to address this issue. It would prohibit private contributions and expenditures to political campaigns, with campaigns receiving only public funds. The amendment could be proposed through a joint congressional resolution or citizen ballot initiatives in states allowing them. If approved by Congress and ratified by 38 states, it would become a constitutional amendment.
This document summarizes key aspects of political campaigns and elections in Texas. It discusses how campaigns have changed with new media like the internet and social media. It also outlines obstacles to voting that historically disenfranchised groups in Texas, such as literacy tests and poll taxes. Finally, it notes reforms to campaign finance and increasing diversity in elected offices in Texas in recent decades.
Forms of Political Participation1. Political participation refer.docxshericehewat
Forms of Political Participation
1. Political participation refers to a wide range of activities designed to influence government. Political participation can fall into two major categories: traditional political participation and online digital political participation
2. Common forms of traditional political participation are voting, protest, and volunteering or fund-raising for a campaign
3. Throughout American history, there has been a progressive, if uneven, expansion of suffrage to groups previously denied suffrage, such as African Americans, women, and youths
4. Though the United States now has a system of universal suffrage, voter turnout continues to be low
5. Digital political participation influences government by using the internet, including mobilizing support through email, visiting candidate websites, and campaigning on social networking sites, and signing online petitions
6. By 2016, virtually every serious candidate for higher office has social media accounts to reach supporters, who in turn can signal amplify the candidate's message to their own friends and followers
7. Research suggests that digital politics does have an impact on participation, and new forms, like expressive politics, such as the sharing of hashtags and symbolic profile pictures
8. The 2016 election showed some of the dark side of digital politics, with allegations of Russian attempts to motivate Trump supporters and suppress Clinton supports through fake news, propaganda, and other social media manipulation.
9. Digital participation reproduces some of the inequalities of offline life, but candidates have found campaigning online extremely attractive because it is cost-effective and reaches a wide audience
Who Participates?
1. Americans with a high socioeconomic status are much more likely to participate in politics than those with less education and less income
2. One of the most significant patterns in political participation is that older people have much higher rates of participation than young people
3. Several strategies of mobilization emerged to guide African Americans' quest for equality in the twentieth century, including protest, legal action, and political pressure. But the question remains whether political participation can improve the lives of African Americans, especially the poor
4. Latinos, the largest minority in the United States, have relatively low levels of political participation, partially due to a low naturalization rate. In many years, Latino political organizations have attempted to tap this "sleeping giant" of political influence
5. The diversity of national backgrounds among Asian Americans has impeded the development of group-based political power
6. The ongoing significance of gender issues in American politics are best exemplified by the gender gap and the increase in the number of women holding public office
7. Some of today's most divisive political conflicts hinge on differing religious and moral beliefs, and religious c ...
Initiative and Referendums process- Anderson High Schoolzneal
A pro of initiatives and referendums is that they allow every voter to express their views directly and can be used to resolve misunderstandings or conflicts.
Initiatives and Referendums process-Anderson High Schoolzneal
A pro of initiatives and referendums is that they allow every voter to express their views directly and can be used to resolve misunderstandings or conflicts.
This document provides an analysis of the 1993 documentary film "The War Room" by D.A. Pennebaker. It discusses how the film uses editing techniques like cutting between sides of phone conversations to show the interconnected nature of communication within a political campaign. It also contrasts scenes of strategists debating details with the polished final outputs, revealing the intentional work behind constructing a public narrative and image. The analysis argues the film lays bare the hidden layers of communication and shows viewers the tactical brilliance of the campaign staff through Pennebaker's filmmaking choices.
A2 Edexcel Government & Politics Unit 3 examples and case studiesitskit
This document provides information on various topics related to government and politics in the United States, including elections and voting processes, political parties, pressure groups, and racial and ethnic politics. It describes primary election systems used by different states, campaign fundraising and voter turnout in presidential elections, and factors that influence congressional voting. It also discusses the decline and attempted renewal of political parties, the roles of prominent pressure groups, Supreme Court rulings impacting racial issues, and debates around affirmative action.
The document discusses voting and political participation in the United States. It covers the history of voting rights in the country, from only white male landowners being allowed to vote initially, to the gradual expansion of suffrage to all adult citizens over time through constitutional amendments and legislation. The document also examines factors that influence voter turnout, such as demographics, methods of voting, and comparisons to turnout rates in other established democracies.
National elections are held every two years to elect representatives and senators, and presidential elections occur every four years. Candidates begin organizing over a year in advance and must raise hundreds of millions of dollars. Primary elections are held in the spring for parties to select their nominee. The general election is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Voting rights have expanded over time to include more groups, such as women gaining suffrage in 1920 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 protecting African American voting rights.
This document discusses lobbying and nonprofits. It defines lobbying and the different types, such as direct lobbying and grassroots lobbying. It outlines the regulations around lobbying for charities and foundations, including the insubstantial test and optional expenditure test. The history of lobbying laws and regulations are covered, from the Revenue Act of 1934 to recent acts like Citizens United. State lobbying laws are also briefly discussed.
This document discusses several key Christian Right organizations in the US, including Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, and Concerned Women for America. It also discusses other related groups and how the Christian Right aims to influence politics through supporting candidates, mobilizing voters, and advocating for issues at the local, state and national levels through various tactics like initiatives and lobbying efforts. The Christian Right primarily partners with the Republican party and seeks to advance its agenda through the presidency, congress, courts and other levels of government.
This document summarizes key issues regarding election systems in New York and the United States, focusing on campaign finance, access to voting, and voter eligibility. It provides a brief history of laws and debates around each issue area. For campaign finance, it discusses the history of expenditure limits, contribution limits, disclosure requirements, and public financing. For access, it examines voting methods and identification requirements. For eligibility, it outlines who is allowed to vote. The document also summarizes current debates around strengthening enforcement of campaign finance laws in New York State.
Elections allow citizens a direct say in who leads through voting. While providing accountability, elections can also lead to instability if the victor lacks a clear majority. The US system incorporates mechanisms like the Electoral College to prevent pure direct democracy and reduce instability. Over time, constitutional amendments and laws have expanded voting rights and standardized election procedures, though turning out voters remains a challenge and money plays a large role in political campaigns.
The document discusses various topics related to voting restrictions and Republican policies including:
- Laws passed in several states requiring photo ID to vote and reducing early voting periods.
- Over 180 restrictive voting bills introduced in 41 states since 2011, with 25 laws passed in 19 states.
- Analysis of voter ID and other laws aimed at fighting alleged voter fraud but which disproportionately impact poorer, minority, and elderly voters.
- Discussion of Republican support for reducing restrictions on corporate political spending and influence.
Slide 8 WestCal Political Science 5 Western Political Thought 2016WestCal Academy
This document provides an overview of various topics that will be covered in a political science course on Western political thought, including the Homestead and Transcontinental Railroad Acts of 1862, Frederick Jackson Turner's frontier thesis, interest groups and political parties in California, industrialists like Andrew Carnegie and Upton Sinclair's book "The Jungle". It also discusses the California Republican and Democratic parties, campaign rhetoric, candidate images, and how Hollywood portrays political parties.
Slide 11 WestCal Political Science 1 - US Government 2015-2016WestCal Academy
American Leadership Policy Studies (ALPS) is a for-college credit certificate program that teaches the fundamentals of American government. ALPS includes a custom tailored Political Science 1 – US Government course taught in partnership with accredited colleges to assure students receive college credit. The class is taught from the perspective of industry professionals who work in local/state/federal bureaucracies and/or political/union campaigns. This course program may operate at the site of a partnering college or instructor of record who licenses ALPS course materials from WestCal Academy or at WestCal Academy’s main campus in partnership with an accredited college. WestCal Academy
This slide covers the following:
1. Partisanship
2. California Republican Party
3. Democratic Party Of California
4. Major Party Power Distribution
5. How The Masses Perceive The Party
6. Blast From The Past: Wilson Versus Brown
7. Bush In 30 Seconds
8. Campaign Rhetoric
9. Yes On Proposition 8 Campaign
10. No On Proposition 8 Campaign
This document provides information about laws and issues related to election integrity in the United States. It discusses the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which mandated upgrades to voting processes nationwide in response to the 2000 election controversy. It also discusses provisions related to provisional ballots and voter registration requirements under the National Voter Registration Act. The document notes debates around universal voter registration and voter identification laws, with some advocating for automatically registering all eligible voters and others supporting voter ID laws in states. The goal is to educate citizens on these topics to empower grassroots efforts to ensure fair and proper election administration.
Similar to BISC The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center How It Promotes Big Labor’s Political Strategy (20)
Essential Tools for Modern PR Business .pptxPragencyuk
Discover the essential tools and strategies for modern PR business success. Learn how to craft compelling news releases, leverage press release sites and news wires, stay updated with PR news, and integrate effective PR practices to enhance your brand's visibility and credibility. Elevate your PR efforts with our comprehensive guide.
Acolyte Episodes review (TV series) The Acolyte. Learn about the influence of the program on the Star Wars world, as well as new characters and story twists.
An astonishing, first-of-its-kind, report by the NYT assessing damage in Ukraine. Even if the war ends tomorrow, in many places there will be nothing to go back to.
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You have to read it to believe it, but after you read it, you won't believe it. And I included eight examples of defamatory statements/
El Puerto de Algeciras continúa un año más como el más eficiente del continente europeo y vuelve a situarse en el “top ten” mundial, según el informe The Container Port Performance Index 2023 (CPPI), elaborado por el Banco Mundial y la consultora S&P Global.
El informe CPPI utiliza dos enfoques metodológicos diferentes para calcular la clasificación del índice: uno administrativo o técnico y otro estadístico, basado en análisis factorial (FA). Según los autores, esta dualidad pretende asegurar una clasificación que refleje con precisión el rendimiento real del puerto, a la vez que sea estadísticamente sólida. En esta edición del informe CPPI 2023, se han empleado los mismos enfoques metodológicos y se ha aplicado un método de agregación de clasificaciones para combinar los resultados de ambos enfoques y obtener una clasificación agregada.
BISC The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center How It Promotes Big Labor’s Political Strategy
1. The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center
How It Promotes Big Labor’s Political Strategy
By James Dellinger & Karl Crow
Summary: In 2006, voters in 37 states
faced a total of 203 state ballot initia-
tives and supporters and opponents of
these measures raised and spent more
than $350 million. Many ballot initia-
tives were sponsored and supported by
labor unions, and often they received help
from the little-known Washington, D.C.-
based Ballot Initiative Strategy Center,
which quietly provides assistance in pro-
moting ballot initiative campaigns in
states where the initiative process exists.
But the Center plays another increas-
ingly important role for Big Labor and
its allies. It devises tactics for blocking
ballot initiatives by union opponents
using aggressive methods.
hen labor unions want states to
increase the minimum wage,
fund embryonic stem cell re-
search and require more reliance on so-
called renewable energy, they often seek
help from the Ballot Initiative Strategy
Center (BISC). This little-known group
April 2008
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center
page 1
Teacher Unions Bombard
Ballot Boxes
page 5
Labor Notes
page 6
W
provides technical assistance in helping
unions put initiatives on state ballots.
BISC also helps unions defeat ballot ini-
tiatives that protect property rights, and
it works against ballot initiatives such as
the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) that
are sponsored or supported by conserva-
tive and libertarian groups.
However, BISC is moving into a new
area in 2008: It is using its expertise to
thwart efforts by the groups it opposes
from making use of the ballot initiative
process altogether. BISC has become the
“go-to” group that Big Labor relies on
whenever it wants to organize a “blocker
campaign,” a tactic unions use to restrict
access to the ballot initiative process. The
victims of these tactics argue that BISC’s
abuse of the initiative process is a form of
political thuggery that has no place in a
democracy.
Conservatives Take the Initiative
The ballot initiative—an electoral strat-
egy that allows citizens to create laws
through “direct democracy”—is neither
new nor uniquely American. In 1891 Swit-
zerland revised its federal constitution to
provide for a ballot initiative, enabling its
citizens to propose and enact changes to
the national constitution. The concept
became very popular in the United States
during the Progressive era from the 1890s
until World War I. South Dakota was the
first state to adopt a statewide ballot ini-
tiative in 1898. California, Maine, Michi-
gan, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and
Utah instituted similar processes by 1911,
and by 1918 ballot initiatives were legal in
24 states, mostly in the West. Many states
also adopted the referendum (to change
existing legislation) and the recall (of state
officials), creating a triple-barreled elec-
The little-known Ballot Initiative Strategy Center works with a “who’s
who” list of labor unions and union-funded nonprofit organizations to
support ballot initiative campaigns for liberal causes.
2. Labor Watch April 2008Page 2
Editor: Patrick J. Reilly
Publisher: Terrence Scanlon
Address: 1513 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036-1480
Phone: (202) 483-6900
Email: preilly@capitalresearch.org
Website: www.capitalresearch.org
Labor Watch is published by Capital
Research Center, a non-partisan education
and research organization classified by the
IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Reprints
are available for $2.50 prepaid to Capital
Research Center.
toral mechanism that was intended to give
citizens direct power over politics. Enthu-
siasm for the ballot initiative declined af-
ter World War I however and only Alaska,
Florida, Mississippi, Wyoming and Wash-
ington, D.C. subsequently adopted it.
Although its reputation as an instru-
ment of popular democracy is not entirely
warranted, the ballot initiative has served
as a citizens’ check on representative gov-
ernment. According to the Initiative and
Referendum Institute at the University of
Southern California, states with ballot ini-
tiatives have adopted roughly 40 percent
of the 2,051 initiatives offered since 1904,
with nearly two-thirds of them in Arizona,
California, Colorado, North Dakota, Or-
egon and Washington. Since the process
gained renewed interest in the late 1970s
and 1980s, 303 of 660 initiatives appear-
ing on state ballots were passed by their
electorates. But these numbers don’t tell
the whole story. Many proposed initia-
tives never get on the ballot and many of
those on the ballot do not pass. Accord-
ing to the Institute, only 26 percent of all
California initiatives appeared on the bal-
lot—and only eight percent were ap-
proved. During the 2000 election, 76 ini-
tiatives appeared on state ballots, but they
represented only 22 percent of all the ini-
tiatives offered during that year. Since
1996, the number of initiatives appearing
on state ballots has averaged 70 per elec-
tion year, with the 1996 elections the high
water mark, when 39 of 96 state ballot ini-
tiatives were adopted by voters. But com-
pare this to the number of bills that are
adopted by state legislatures. In 1996 the
legislatures in the 24 states that provide
for a ballot initiative passed more than
14,000 bills.
Still ballot initiatives and popular refer-
enda remain popular devices for mobiliz-
ing voters. And it’s not simply that the
process creates voter enthusiasm. Two
studies published in 2001 showed that the
presence of initiatives on the ballot can
increase voter turnout from three to four
percent—a not statistically insignificant
amount. Moreover, during the last 30 years
the ballot initiative process has been dis-
covered by citizen groups that have used
it to their advantage.
As during the Progressive Era, local
activists have found that “direct democ-
racy” measures can move state policies
when a state legislature will not act.
California’s ballot initiative process, in
particular, has been dominated by conser-
vative and libertarian activists seeking to
check the excesses of the liberal-domi-
nated California legislature. The state has
seen the passage of ballot initiatives cut-
ting property taxes (Proposition 13 in
1978), denying illegal aliens the use of
public services (Proposition 187 in 1994)
and repealing the use of racial and gender
preferences in state universities (Propo-
sition 209 in 1996). Proposition 13 is widely
credited with jumpstarting the nationwide
1980s’ taxpayer backlash that lowered
taxes through ballot initiatives and legis-
lation.
A Colorado constitutional amendment
barring local authorities from expanding
anti-discrimination law to include homo-
sexuals was passed by popular referen-
dum in 1992 before it was struck down by
the U.S. Supreme Court in Romer v. Evans
(1996). In 2004, state constitutional amend-
ments banning gay marriage were on the
ballot, and they passed in 11 states (Ar-
kansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan,
Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon and Utah). In
2006,Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan,
Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota,
Oregon and South Carolina passed ballot
initiatives limiting the use of eminent do-
main, although similar measures failed in
California, Idaho and Washington.
Technically, some of these proposals
were not ballot initiatives because they
were legislative referrals from state legis-
latures to the voters. Nevertheless, they
embody the concept of statewide voter
decision-making consistent with a ballot
initiative.
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center
Labor unions and liberal groups have
watched as conservative and libertarian
groups enjoy ballot initiative successes
on the economic and social fronts, and
that has spurred them to undertake a simi-
lar strategy. In 2006, so-called
“progressives” used state ballot initia-
tives to propose renewable energy stan-
dards and increases to the minimum wage.
The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, with
a mere $780,000 in revenue in 2006, claimed
success in 47 of 61 BISC-funded ballot
initiatives.
In Missouri voters passed a state bal-
lot initiative to fund embryonic stem cell
research. Its presence on the ballot was
widely credited as a major factor that
helped Democrat Claire McCaskill defeat
Republican incumbent Senator Jim Talent.
Proponents of the stem cell measure
outspent opponents 30-to-1, and they had
the conspicuous support of Hollywood
star Michael J. Fox who suffers from
Parkinson’s disease. Many voters be-
lieved Senator Talent was trying to
“straddle the issue” because he touted his
support for research on adult stem cells
while opposing research on embryonic
stem cells.
Founded in 1999, BISC believes
progressives were caught flatfooted as
conservatives used ballot initiatives to
advance their legislative goals. It intends
to turn the tables on the Right. But more
is at stake than enacting bits of legisla-
tion. For BISC the process of putting ini-
tiatives on the ballot is a way to “frame
election issues, increase progressive turn-
out, house coordinated field operations,
draw contrasts between candidates, build
voter lists and empower progressive or-
ganizations.” This is a comprehensive
mission to which BISC brings an exten-
sive program of operations. BISC runs
databases that track leftwing funding for
ballot initiatives. It trains activists to run
3. April 2008 Labor Watch Page 3
initiative and referenda campaigns. And it
supports public relations efforts to pro-
mote voter knowledge about state initia-
tives and voter awareness about where
candidates and office-holders stand on
them.
In a 2006 interview with National Public
Radio, BISC Executive Director Kristina
Wilfore explained, “Minimum wage, I
would say, is the first example where we’re
using a counterstrategy in the same way
BISC does more than promote liberal and labor-
backed initiatives. It also tracks the funding of ballot
initiatives and tries to prevent conservatives from
getting their intiatives on state ballots.
BISC Financial Support
The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center is
really two organizations. One is classified
by the IRS as a 501(c)(4) “social welfare”
organization, which allows it to lobby. The
other is the 501(c)(3) Ballot Initiative Strat-
egy Center Foundation, which can “edu-
cate” but not “lobby.” Contributions to it
are tax-deductible.
BISC does not publicly reveal its do-
nors. But a search of foundation grants
that BISC is offering advice to ten state
coalitions for the November elections.
How much of the BISC budget comes from
unions and liberal foundations is unclear.
However, BISC comes highly recom-
mended by the New Progressive Coalition,
a donor pooling operation. NPC claims
BISC is a “leading strategist for progres-
sive ballot initiatives, such as living wage.
Also defeats conservative ballot initia-
tives like eminent domain.”
Thwarting Ballot Access
BISC does more than promote liberal and
labor-backed ballot initiatives. It also
tracks the funding of ballot initiatives and
tries to prevent conservatives from get-
ting their initiatives on state ballots.
Union-backed BISC does not see money
generally as a threat to popular democ-
racy, only money funding conservative or
libertarian initiatives.
In a 2007 report, BISC highlighted its
campaign to root out conservative fund-
ing of ballot initiatives, targeting Arno
Consulting for its paid efforts to get ini-
tiatives on the ballot in Florida, Massa-
chusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Washing-
ton. The report catalogs how BISC-allied
activists tried keep the initiatives off the
ballot by challenging the legality of sig-
natures submitted on initiative petitions.
In its January 2008 newsletter, BISC
identified National Voter Outreach, JSM
Inc. and Arno Consulting as “fraudsters”
who were architects of conservative bal-
lot measures. BISC threatened to cut off
support for any progressive activists who
relied on these groups to develop ballot
initiatives. BISC maintains a “rogues gal-
lery” of prominent conservative and lib-
ertarian referenda activists, which in-
cludes California’s Ward Connerly and
TABOR advocate Howard Rich.
Frustrated by the advantages conser-
vatives and libertarians enjoy in state-level
organization and funding, BISC and other
progressive groups are turning to the
courts and the initiative process itself to
neutralize that advantage. BISC has found
that residency requirements and prohibi-
tions on paid signature collection are very
effective ways to frustrate conservative
signature-gathering. In particular, BISC
targets a group called National Voter Out-
that the Right has, on issues like same-
sex marriage and anti-abortion issues, and
a range of things that they’ve pushed to
take controversial hot button issues to
voters, and to have some influence in elec-
tions at large.” Wilfore’s minimum wage
strategy seems to have been demonstra-
bly successful because these measures
drove many voters to the polls. Accord-
ing to some state exit polls, voters who
supported state ballot initiatives to in-
crease the minimum wage also voted 2-to-
1 for Democratic candidates.
The success of liberal and progressive
ballot initiatives in 2006 showed the
strength of BISC and its allies. BISC mo-
bilized opposition to Taxpayer Bill of
Rights (TABOR) initiatives that were pro-
posed and defeated in Maine, Nebraska
and Oregon. BISC also supported “living
wage” ballot initiatives increasing state
minimum wage laws inArizona, Colorado,
Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio.
While a BISC-supported renewable en-
ergy initiative was defeated in California,
a similar measure passed in Washington.
In 2007, BISC continued its strategy,
working against a school choice initiative
in Utah and efforts to reduce taxes in Or-
egon and Washington, while supporting
increased state spending on embryonic
stem cell research in Texas and New Jer-
sey.
turned up nine grants totaling $205,250
from sources including the Rockefeller
Family Fund and the Tides Foundation.
The BISC Foundation had revenues of
about $202,000 in 2006. In the prior two
years, the Foundation received substan-
tial grants from billionaire George Soros
and his Open Society Institute, the Na-
tional Abortion Rights Action League
(NARAL) and the far-left Washington,
D.C.-based Arca Foundation. At least 15
grants totaling $510,073 went to the BISC
Foundation since its creation in 1999.
BISC has strong union ties. Board mem-
bers represent a who’s who of national
union muscle from the AFL-CIO (which
donated $25,000 in 2005), the International
Association of Machinists, the American
Federation of Teachers, the National Edu-
cation Association ($75,000 in 2005), the
United Food and Commercial Workers,
AFSCME, and the Service Employees In-
ternational Unions (which donated
$25,000 in both 2005 and 2006). The unions
provided cash grants and contracted with
BISC to assist them at the state level. Of-
ficials from People for the American Way
and the leftwing Center for Policy Alter-
natives also are members of the BISC
board of trustees.
The New Progressive Coalition esti-
mates that BISC will have a $3 million bud-
get for the 2008 election cycle and notes
4. Labor Watch April 2008Page 4
reach, claiming that it is a principal funder
of state TABOR initiatives.
In a 2007 letter to Oklahoma Democratic
Attorney General Drew Edmondson, BISC
offered to assist in the indictments of vet-
eran term limits activist Paul Jacob, presi-
dent of Citizens in Charge, National Voter
Outreach official Susan Johnson, and Rick
Carpenter, a leader of the group Oklaho-
mans inAction. BISC accused them of vio-
lating Oklahoma’s law against employing
petition circulators who are not state resi-
dents and it urged Edmondson to pros-
ecute anyone who made a financial con-
tribution to their cause.
BISC wants to thwart paid signature
collectors such as Arno Consulting and
initiative proponent Howard Rich. It urges
states to pass laws requiring signature
collectors to be paid by the hour rather
than per signature, requiring payments to
be reported, and expanding government
oversight of citizen electioneering. BISC
supports current residency restrictions in
Montana as well as bans on per-signa-
ture paid petitioning in Colorado, Maine,
Nebraska and Oregon.
BISC encouraged the AFL-CIO to join
Oregon’s Democratic state governor in
defending a 2002 ballot initiative banning
compensation “based on the number of
signatures obtained on an initiative or ref-
erendum petition.” In Prete v. Bradbury
(2006), two private citizens accused of
paid initiative campaigning in the 2004 elec-
tion challenged the Oregon law as an un-
constitutional restriction on free speech.
The AFL-CIO, which funded proponents
of the initiative, intervened to support the
law.
The union federation won its case in
Oregon despite a U.S. Supreme Court rul-
ing in Meyer v. Grant (1988) that struck
down a Colorado ban on paid signature
collection because it severely restricted
protected speech. In keeping with Meyer,
last month the Sixth Circuit court over-
turned an Ohio law against paid signature
collectors in Citizens for Tax Reform v.
Deters (2008). The court ruled that the
Ohio statute was “a significant burden in
exercising [the] right to core political
speech” that would limit petitioners seek-
ing to collect signatures “to volunteers
and to paid hourly workers who cannot
be rewarded for being productive and ar-
guably cannot be punished for being un-
productive.”
“[T]he State largely misses the point
that free speech can be costly,” the Court
concluded, “By making speech more
costly, the State is virtually guaranteeing
that there will be less of it.”
But the Sixth Circuit is now at odds with
decisions in the Second, Eighth and Ninth
Circuits. That means the U.S. Supreme
Court may have to come back to the issue
it thought it settled in Meyer v. Grant. The
Ninth Circuit ruled that Oregon’s interest
in preventing fraud and forgery in the elec-
tion process justified the restriction on
speech, which the Court found to be “not
severe.” The Court relied in part on an
Eighth Circuit case Initiative & Referen-
dum Institute v. Jaeger (2001) that upheld
a similar North Dakota law imposing a resi-
dency requirement on petition signature
collectors. The Second Circuit upheld a
similar restriction in Person v. New York
State Board of Elections (2006), explicitly
referring to the decisions in the Prete and
Jaeger cases.
BISC’s own position on petition-gath-
ering appears contradictory. In 2005,
BISC’s Wilfore defended a signature col-
lection company whose petitioning prac-
tices were so sloppy that the Washing-
ton, D.C., Board of Elections & Ethics
fined the initiative committee more than
$750,000. The petition company, Progres-
sive Campaigns, Inc., is listed on the BISC
website as a preferred vendor. Then there
are the petition fraud allegations that have
been leveled at the radical group ACORN
and Fieldworks, another BISC-preferred
vendor. Neither Wilfore nor other BISC
representatives have seen fit to offer com-
ments on them.
According to Paul Jacob, president of
the pro-referendum Citizens in Charge
Foundation, BISC “pretends to be for the
(ballot initiative) process, as they also
undertake measures to fight general bal-
lot access.” Rather than engage in
“leafleting,” a common, legal and healthy
way to fight initiatives you don’t agree
with, Jacob says BISC trains its operatives
to frustrate initiatives campaigns using
thuggish measures that amount to what
he terms “blocking campaigns.”
According to Jacob, “blockers” often
use extra-legal methods such as:
Yelling and causing a scene to intimi-
date potential signers;
Purposely lying about petitioners to
have them kicked out of a store parking
lot;
Claiming petitioners are committing
“identity theft” with the data collected;
Filing lawsuit after lawsuit to bank-
rupt a campaign with legal fees;
Calling the police on petitioners;
Keeping up a constant stream of in-
nuendo and smears, falsely alleging that
petition circulators are using illegal tech-
niques to collect signatures.
In the 2006 Nebraska case Groene v.
Seng, campaign finance filings revealed
that a BISC operative flew into the state
to train other operatives on petition block-
ing. The blocking campaign received sup-
port from city officials in Omaha, Lincoln
and Grand Island who refused to allow
petitioners to work on public property. A
federal judge had to issue a temporary re-
straining order against the officials be-
cause they violated the First Amendment
rights of the petitioners, and the city gov-
ernments had to pay the plaintiffs’ legal
costs.
Outlook for 2008
With almost no fanfare the Ballot Initia-
tive Strategy Center has become a critical
tool in Big Labor’s effort to shape voter
turnout and public policy at the state level
and to block conservative ballot mea-
sures.
The BISC 2008 “watch list” is extensive.
It is gearing up to fight ballot initiatives
opposed to racial and gender preferences
in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska
and Oklahoma; against illegal immigration
in Arizona and Oregon; and anti-abortion
referendums in California, Colorado, Geor-
gia, Missouri, Montana, Oregon and
South Dakota.
BISC takes particular notice of ballot
initiatives aimed at reducing the taxpayer
burden in Arizona, California, Florida,
Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, North
Dakota, Oregon and Washington. BISC
also opposes referenda on workplace is-
sues in California, Colorado, Missouri,
Oregon and South Dakota.And BISC “will
5. April 2008 Labor Watch Page 5
be targeting signature fraud in more con-
certed ways than ever in 2008,” according
to its December 2007 newsletter.
Should BISC fail to convince voters to
back its liberal policy agenda, it can al-
ways plead the underdog, as Wilfore did
when she blamed Big Tobacco for Oregon
voters’ decision against increasing to-
bacco taxes to fund an expansion of that
state’s CHIP program. Wilfore told Con-
gressional Quarterly in November 2007:
“When you have the best marketers in the
world invested in a ballot measure cam-
paign, they can be quite successful.” If
that spin doesn’t work, there are always
the courts where BISC’s well-funded al-
lies are eager to fight.
BISC-allied groups are prepared to “go
to court” should the November presiden-
tial election require additional legal action
over access to the ballot. BISC funders,
including AFSCME, the AFL-CIO, the
American Federation of Teachers and
SEIU, challenged ballot access in Florida,
Illinois, Michigan, Oregon and Washing-
ton courts in 2006 and 2007. Altogether,
there were 12 federal and 14 state cases
concerning ballot initiatives in 2006 and
2007 that were decided in 17 different
courts.
Fighting on a legal battlefield was part
of Wilfore’s BISC strategy in 2006-2007,
and it is likely to be repeated this year. In
a Fall 2002 article in the progressive West-
ern States Center newsletter, Wilfore cham-
pioned the use of legal and regulatory pro-
cesses to “prevent harmful initiatives from
getting on the ballot.” She stressed the
need to “stop initiatives in the signature-
gathering phase in order to avoid having
to mount far more expensive ‘NO’ cam-
paigns during the election season.” No-
tably, she touted the legal successes of
groups like the Oregon chapter of the
American Federation of Teachers, no
doubt emboldening future litigators in
Montana and Washington, which also
have initiative processes in place.
The number of legal challenges in 2006-
2007 is impressive because there was no
presidential election. Historically, total
voter turnout during presidential elections
is close to 50 percent while averaging un-
der 40 percent in non-presidential years.
But the enormous turnout of the 2008 pri-
mary season portends more turmoil over
voter rights and ballot access. We may
see some titanic legal battles as Novem-
ber approaches.
have increased the waiting period
from two to five years before a teacher
received tenure. The CTA in Los An-
geles alone, according to California
state initiative filings, ran nearly
$200,000 in radio ads to oppose the
measure. Voters defeated the measure
55 percent to 45 percent despite Gov-
ernor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sup-
port.
The teacher unions use their
muscle on many ballot initiatives, but
never so much as when the initiatives
support school vouchers. The NEA
pulled out the big guns against Utah
Referendum 1 (School Vouchers) last
fall funnelling more than $3 million
into the state to defeat the referen-
dum. State teacher unions across the
country sent even more money to the
Beehive State. As in California, Colo-
rado and other states, voucher pro-
ponents learned how well the teacher
unions use power.
The NEA funds the Ballot Initiative
Strategy Center. The 2004-05 financial
disclosure report (LM-2) filed by the
NEA revealed that the $25 million that
the NEA spent on “Political Activi-
ties and Lobbying” included a $75,000
contribution to BISC.
Phil Brand is Capital Research
Center’s Director of Education Watch.
Teacher Unions Bombard Ballot Boxes
By Phil Brand
he teacher unions are not ig-
noring the ballot initiative pro-
cess, especially in California
where the California Teachers Asso-
ciation (CTA) is particularly busy.
Teacher union analyst Mike
Antonucci of the Education Intelli-
gence Agency recalls that the CTA
spent $2.1 million in union member
dues to collect signatures that would
place a commercial property tax hike
on the June 2006 California ballot. But
that was before CTA President Bar-
bara Kerr met with the California Busi-
ness Properties Association and the
California Manufacturers and Tech-
nology Association. Both organiza-
tions opposed the tax increase. After
the meeting, Kerr said she had re-
ceived promises that these organiza-
tions would lobby for more school
funding, and in exchange CTA would
drop the tax hike petition before it
even reached the ballot.
In April 2004, CTA pulled a similar
trick, dropping the same tax hike ini-
tiative after spending $3.4 million to
qualify it for the ballot. One thing
voters can count on in the future is
the CTA spending millions in ballot
initiative efforts, only to use them as
blackmail to further their union ends.
Another CTA battle was over
Proposition 74 in 2005. Prop 74 would
T
Please remember Capital
Research Center in your will.
James Dellinger is Executive Director
of Green Watch and State Environmental
Watch at the Capital Research Center.
Karl Crow is a student at Temple Univer-
sity Beasley School of Law. In 2007 he
was an intern at the Institute for Trade,
Standards, and Sustainable Development
(ITSSD) in Princeton, New Jersey.
6. Labor Watch April 2008Page 6
Labor Notes
Unions, Political Left Pledge $400 Million to Democrats
Leftist groups and labor unions announced last month that they would spend more than $400 million on behalf of
Democratic candidates for the White House and Congress. Nearly three-quarters of the funds will come from the
AFL-CIO and large national unions; MoveOn.org will spend at least $30 million.
Unions, Leftist Activists Worried About Democratic Convention
Union and leftist activists gathered at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., last month were worried
about the lack of a definite Democratic candidate and the potential for a divisive Democratic convention. “There’s
always that possibility,” warned AFL-CIO political director Karen Ackerman to the Associated Press. She and
other representatives of leftist organizations at the Take Back America conference were anxious to mobilize voters
for the Democratic nominee.
SEIU Finds Success in Healthcare Organizing
The number of union elections in the United States declined in 2007, according to the National Labor Relations
Board—but the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and others were notably successful in organizing
healthcare workers. Unions won 72 percent of all elections in the healthcare industry, but 62 percent in other fields.
The SEIU accounted for nearly half of all healthcare organizing petitions.
Rhode Island Governor Crosses Unions With Push for Private Contracts
Unions are upset with Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri, who last month asked the state’s Supreme Court to overturn
a law that requires the governor to prove that the cost savings of hiring a private contractor are “substantial.”
Carcieri’s budget calls for replacing 250 unionized state employees with private contractors to save nearly $3.1
million, but he says the new law prevents him from closing the state’s projected deficit of $384 million. “We didn’t
even get a heads up that that was in the works or being contemplated,” complained AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer
George Nee.
Unions Bet on Gambling, Conflict With Environmentalists
Unions and environmentalists were at odds last month over Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s proposal to legalize
casino gambling in the state. The “green” activists complain that casinos will bring added vehicles and pollution to
crowded urban areas. Union members have been picketing and packing public hearings to support the creation of
new jobs. “I want to know which legislator is going to deny you a job, who’s going to pay your mortgage when you
can’t pay, who’s going to leave 20,000 workers in an unemployment line,” Massachusetts AFL-CIO president
Robert Haynes told his members in a profanity-laden speech, according to the Boston Globe.
Oil Executives Criticized by Union Leaders
Union leaders renewed their attacks on executives of oil companies for large compensation packages after Occi-
dental announced that its CEO Ray Irani earned $77.6 million in 2007. “With all oil companies, the CEOs are price
takers and not price makers” on oil, said AFL-CIO investment guru Daniel Pedrotty to the Los Angeles Times.
“Given the extraordinary amount of shareholder money that has been paid to Irani and other oil CEOs, there’s a
serious question as to whether this is pay for performance.” Irani’s done something right: Occidental’s stock
climbed 58 percent in 2007.