Letters: Vote no on the unfair Proposition 50

"Today, Proposition 50 threatens to undo that progress. If passed, it would allow California's Democratic supermajority to tighten its control even further, reducing Republican representation in Congress from an already disproportionate 17% to just 8%, despite conservatives about 28% of likely voters. Gov. Newsom's support for this measure shows a willingness to suppress representation in pursuit of partisan gain. Such actions contradict the very principles of democracy and reveal a troubling hypocrisy. California deserves fairness - not one-party rule masquerading as reform."

"Congress controls how much the government spends and on what. If the people don't approve of the way Congress appropriates tax dollars, they can complain to their representatives or vote them out of office. Acknowledging that Congress isn't functioning particularly well right now, if ultra-wealthy individuals fund government and the people don't approve, what recourse do we have? That's government by the wealthy, for the wealthy (aka, oligarchy), and the rest of us will be left with even less power than we have now."

In 2010, Californians created a nonpartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission to end gerrymandering and restore fair representation. Proposition 50 would reverse that reform by allowing the Democratic supermajority to redraw districts to further restrict Republican congressional representation from about 17% to roughly 8%, despite conservatives comprising about 28% of likely voters. Governor Newsom's backing of Proposition 50 is characterized as an effort to suppress opposition and entrench one-party control. Separately, private funding of government expenditures is criticized as unconstitutional and dangerous. Allowing wealthy donors to finance government priorities risks oligarchy, bypasses congressional appropriations, and reduces citizens' accountability mechanisms.

Read at The Mercury News