Two Birds, One Measure
Special interest groups would really like to give California’s Assembly Speaker, Fabian Nuñez a lot of money. Nuñez is important. The bills now going through the legislature will determine how billions of dollars get directed in the state.
So of course, they want Nuñez’s ear. And more.
But there are two things in the way: A $7,200 cap on campaign donations to the Speaker, and the niggling fact that Nuñez is due to be termed out, soon.
Still, Nuñez knows how to nail two birds with one stone. His top political consultant has cooked up a new term limits measure that if passed would allow Nuñez to serve twice as long as Assembly Speaker. And there are no limits on how much you can spend on a ballot initiative.
That’s one reason there’s so much money behind Nuñez’s tricky term limits initiative. I’ve talked about this measure before, how it pretends to be for tougher term limits while actually weakening them.
What is happening is ugly, but instructive. A politician scheming to stay in power. And powerful interests spending big bucks to cozy up to and keep their politician.
Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association says, “Common sense tells you that if you support an issue near and dear to any legislator, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, you’re probably going to get your phone call returned.”
Yes. And return on your investment. Which is why we need term limits.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
