AB 583, the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, passed through the Assembly on a 47-26 vote. On to the Senate!

AB 583 passed out of the Appropriations Committee!

Next up: the FULL ASSEMBLY!

Woo hoo!

I had my other hand worked on so I'm all bandaged up again and can't type too well. Boo-hoo. Anyway things are moving along with the Clean Money legislation. It made it out of the Elections committee last week, and will be heard in appropriations today. Cross your fingers and call your representatives!

In other news, Jeeni Cricenzo held a second Bring Their Buddies Home vigil over the weekend. I didn't go to thos one for several reasons, including my hand issue, but I guess she had about 80 people there. Not a bad turnout for being way the heck up in Temecula on a rainy Sunday. According to her Daiky Kos diary, the so called Protest Warriors showed up as promised to attempt to disrupt the memorial for those who've been killed in Iraq. Misguided? You be the judge of that. I think they're pathetic, lying, ignorant bullies. Among other things...but then we've had to deal with their mess for a couple years now. Sounds to me like Jeeni and her group dealt with them fine.

I know I talk about my anti-war activism here more than anything else, but I'm also interested in campaign and election reform. I donate some of my time and energy to the California Clean Money Campaign. We're working toward the passage of AB 583 here in CA, which would provide public financing for elections.

Joshua Holland at Alternet makes a good case for addressing reform issues NOW, and offers some concrete examples of how to act on some of the changes I'd like to see. Making Reform from the Abramoff Scandal

From CNN: -- Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a close associate of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, to plead guilty to corruption, other charges, source tells CNN.

Hmmmm. I wonder who he's going to take down with him. I think this will get very interesting. I read a pretty good overview of the situation at the Washington Post a couple days ago.I'll go find it....


....here it is.

And another...

I've always considered the current power people to be the Revenge of Richard Nixon. They're staying true to form.

From the Daily Kos: Pressuring the CIA to lie.

I'm adding Truthdig to the blogroll.