[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Jakada Imani(Executive Director of Ella Baker Center for Human Rights) speaking at Coalition to Defeat George Runner's Initiative Launch Press Conference with Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero (back) and California NAACP President Alice Huffman

By Zachary Norris, Esq.
Books Not Bars

Notable elected officials, unions, and civil rights and faith-based organizations have joined forces in opposition to a proposed California ballot initiative that would bankrupt California by pumping billions of dollars into prisons and failed "anti-gang" laws and "tough on crime" policies of the past. The Coalition to Defeat George Runner's Initiative held a press conference May 7, 2008, announcing the formation of the new coalition, which includes the California Federation of Teachers, California Church IMPACT, the California NAACP, and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. The press conference coincided with other coordinated events taking place throughout the state (Sacramento, Los Angeles, Fresno) in a coordinated Coalition Day of Action.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The state's top progressives are throwing their weight behind Prop 93, the Term Limits Reform initiative.

The campaign is soon expected to release a long list of elected progressive supporters. Meanwhile, just about every major progressive group in the state -- in addition to the California Democratic Party -- has issued its endorsement.

Sierra Club, Equality California, Greenling Institute, California Professional Firefighters, SEIU, AFSME, California Church IMPACT, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, California League of Conservation Voters, California State Council of Laborers, and the California Labor Federation have all endorsed.

The Term Limits Reform Measure -- which would give members more experience in each house of the legislature but reduce terms to 12 years -- continues to poll well in independent polls. Its only soft spot is among Democrats. Many oppose the notion of term limts, period. But this measure is a reasonable improvement to the law, which is why the state's leading progressive groups and elected officials are behind it.