California Special Election Watch: Kerry vs. Schwarzenegger on Proposition 75 Paycheck Protection

Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, center, answers a journalist’s question after appearing at the launch for a signature drive for the Jessica’s Law campaign, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005, in Burbank, Calif. State Senator George Runner, R-Antelope Valley, right, and Assemblywoman Sharon Runnner, R-Antelope Valley, said that if passed by voters, Jessica’s Law would keep sex offenders away from schools, require lifetime GPS monitoring and expand parole periods for offenders among other things. The initiative has until Feb. 21, 2006 to collect 373,816 signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., speaks as he stands with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005, at fire station No. 3 in Los Angeles. Kerry was on hand to speak at a news conference to show his support for voting no on California’s Proposition 75.

Reuters has Kerry takes on Schwarzenegger over union power.

Sen. John Kerry, losing Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 2004 and a possible contender in 2008, took on Republican California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday by lobbying against his initiative to curb the power of the state’s labor unions.

Kerry was the second leading national politician this week to weigh in on California’s Prop. 75 ballot initiative, which would require unions to get approval from members before using dues for political causes.

“This represents part of an ongoing effort by the Republican Party to create an unfair playing field, to change the balance of democracy in America,” Kerry said.

“They are willing to try to take away the democratic rights of working Americans,” said the Massachusetts senator, who was speaking to reporters at a fire station with Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), also seen as a possible presidential challenger in 2008, had appeared with Schwarzenegger to campaign for the initiative on Monday.

Democrats have criticized McCain as an out-of-state politician who had no business telling Californians how to vote but Kerry, asked about the same issue, said the ballot measure had national ramifications.

John Kerry is trolling for UNION dollars (if they have any left) like Hillary Clinton who is also in town looking for campaign cash.

Kerry took shots at Schwarzenegger directly, saying the governor who gained power in part by vowing to reject special interest money had “raised three times the special interest money than
Gray Davis,” the incumbent Democrat he defeated.

Todd Harris, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger, called Prop. 75 a critical reform for California, where public employee unions have long had enormous influence in the heavily Democratic state legislature.

“There is no question the legislature in Sacramento is bought and paid for by union bosses,” he said. “The fact that the union bosses have been able to spend over $100 million to fight against these reforms is evidence that they have too much power. The governor has said enough is enough.”

Kerry is a LOSER with NO political future. And he is paying for the UNION Label.

McCain has an uncertain presidential future but possesses better bi-partisan appeal.

Flap understands that John McCain has filmed television commercials for Schwarzenegger.

Stay Tuned…….

Technorati Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Recovery Team, California Special Election, Bear Flag League, Proposition 75

Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page