Right now the Yes on 8 Campaign is telling so many lies in the service of eliminating rights for gay people that it’s hard to keep track of all of them.  But I want to focus on just one lie for the moment, one from the first Yes on 8 TV Ad:

Churches could lose their tax exemptions

This is a lie.  Want to know how I know it’s a lie?  Here’s what the California Constitution currently says, right now, in Article I:

SEC. 4.  Free exercise and enjoyment of religion without discrimination or preference are guaranteed.  This liberty of conscience does not excuse acts that are licentious or inconsistent with the peace or safety of the State.  The Legislature shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

SEC. 8.  A person may not be disqualified from entering or pursuing a business, profession, vocation, or employment because of sex, race, creed, color, or national or ethnic origin.

SEC. 31.  (a) The State shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.

The last time I checked, Catholic priests can refuse to marry a couple if they’re not both Catholic (and I assume if they haven’t completed the various sacraments and classes required). Only Mormons in good standing can even attend a Mormon wedding inside a temple, and Mormon bishops can refuse to marry non-Mormons.

So why haven’t the Catholic Church and the Church of Latter Day Saints lost their tax-exempt status in California, like Law Professor Peter Peterson says they might if gay people are allowed to marry and those churches refuse to marry them?  

Because churches are private actors, guaranteed freedom of religion in the California Constitution.  The elected Justices of the California Supreme Court made that very clear when they ruled, citing Article 1, Section 4 of the California Constitution, in a decision written by Republican Ronald George, that the State could no longer discriminate against gay people who wished to marry:

Finally, affording same-sex couples the opportunity to obtain the designation of marriage will not impinge upon the religious freedom of any religious organization, official, or any other person; no religion will be required to  change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no  religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his  or her religious beliefs.   (Cal. Const., art. I, § 4.)

So the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign, and Peter Peterson acting as their spokesman, are lying.  Under the California Constitution, in the very Supreme Court decision that they Yes on 8 campaign is so up in arms about, no church could lose its tax-exempt status for refusing to marry a gay couple or preaching that gay marriage is wrong.

Nothing that’s a good idea needs to be sold with a lie.  Vote No on Proposition 8.  Don’t corrupt our state’s Constitution by taking rights away from people for the first time in our history.

I’m contributing to the No on 8 Campaign again, because I’m sick of the lies.  So should you: No on 8.    

Well it’s about time that some of California’s big groups got around to mentioning that Prop 10 is an enormous giveaway to T. Boone Pickens and the natural gas companies.  A bit later this morning (10AM to be precise), a big group of folks will be gathering on the West Steps of the Capitol to let T. Boone and the gang that he can’t raid our coffers so easily. They’re dubbing it the “Coalition of everyone.” And really, it is quite a diverse coalition, including the CA Labor Federation, CA Nurses Association, the CA Federation of Teachers, the League of Women Voters and the CA Chamber of Commerce.  

The group describes Prop 10 as “Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens’ money grab at the taxpayers’ expense.” And, bingo, bango, bongo, that’s exactly what it is.  T. Boone, the leading funder of the Swiftboating of John Kerry in 2004.  Basically, Pickens wants the state to get thousands of natural gas cars on the road and help from the state to build a bunch of natural gas fueling stations.  How is it in our best interest to spend billions on a technology, while admittedly cleaner than gasoline, is an unrenewable fossil fuel? It’s searching for answers in the past.  We need to look forward to build a sensible renewable policy, not give away money to natural gas barons.

No on Prop 10!

I will be on KRXA 540 AM at 8 this morning to discuss this and other topics in California politics

It’s a common theme from the right this year – when the public turns on you and your failed ideology, respond with a barrage of lies, fear, and fear-based lies. We’ve seen it from John McCain, from Sarah Palin, and even from high speed rail critics.

But few campaigns are more egregious in their lies than those of the Yes on 8 campaign. And few campaign lies have the potential to do so much damage to civil rights in California as theirs.

Take the newest ad from the Yes on 8 campaign. This one focuses on the lie that if Prop 8 fails, kids might be taught about same-sex marriages in schools, against their parents’ will.

This is complete nonsense. A Sacramento judge ruled that this claim was “false and misleading” in the context of the ballot argument.

More significantly, California law is explicit in prohibiting any school to teach a child anything about health and family issues at school if their parents object.

Because of that crystal-clear provision, the Yes on 8 campaign has had to mention Massachusetts, where the laws are not so protective of family rights and religious freedoms. By citing Massachusetts they are able to mislead voters.

Which is ironic because back when I was in Sunday School, so many years ago, I remember pretty clearly being taught that it’s wrong to lie and mislead.

Still, the Yes on 8 campaign is having improved poll numbers – fear and lies work in politics, especially if we don’t fight back and challenge them.

The Yes on 8 campaign is also pulling far ahead in the money race – at least $7 million ahead of the No on 8 campaign. In response the No on 8 campaign has raised around $1 million over the last few days, but we need to seriously step that up.

More money for No on 8 helps counter the lies with ads like their newest at right, phone banks, and other ways to explain to Californians why it is wrong to eliminate marriage for anyone.

Here’s what you can do to help the No on 8 campaign:

1. Contribute to the campaign using the Calitics ActBlue page.  If you have the cash to give big give big.  If you only have $5 or $10, give what you can.  Yes, your money will be spent on TV ads, but unfortunately that is the way we win elections here in California.
2. Volunteer. Show up at a local campaign office.  They are all over the state.  Or stay in the comfort of your own home to phone bank.  We win this by persuading more undecideds to vote No on Prop 8.
3. Talk to your friends and family about Prop. 8.  Lot’s of people are still confused that supporting marriage equality means voting No. To that end, the Courage Campaign has created what the Politiker is calling“the most humorous TV ad of the fall election season”.  They like it, we think it’s pretty funny, but watch it for yourself.

   It is aimed at straight people, using a privacy, “get the government out of my pants” argument.  The undecided electorate is quirky.  Some of your friends will be swayed by talk about fundamental rights being taken away.  Others with a more libertarian streak may like the video. Tailor your discussion to your friends.

(Cross-posted from BushRubberStamp.com)

We all know David Dreier is a Bush rubber stamp who has voted with George W. Bush 93.6% of the time. But what about that other 6.4%? We don’t talk about it much because, well, there isn’t that much to talk about.

But credit where credit is due, there is one important issue where Dreier has differed from Bush: The Federal Marriage Amendment.

The FMA, if passed (and ratified), would have limited marriage nationwide to between a man and a woman and it would have prevented courts from granting same sex couples certain rights that married couples enjoy. When it came up for a vote in 2004 and 2006, Dreier voted against it both times and the reasoning he gave for opposing it was simple.

According to Wikipedia:

He explained his opposition to the amendment by stating that he felt the Constitution was not the appropriate tool for restricting rights.

Well, now we have a similar initiative on the ballot in California in the form of Proposition 8, except this time, if Prop 8 passes, it wouldn’t just amend the California constitution to restrict rights, it would amend the California constitution to eliminate the rights that people are exercising every day.

Yet David Dreier has been silent…and his silence is deafening.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has stated publicly that he opposes Prop 8. John McCain has said he supports it. David Dreier’s constituents deserve to know where he stands.

That’s why the Courage Campaign has launched a petition demanding that David Dreier come out against Proposition 8.

Dear Rep. David Dreier,

We, the undersigned, urge you to come out against Proposition 8, which would “eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry” the person they love in California.

You have voted the right way in the past, so we think it’s time for you come out against Prop 8 today. Please join us in taking the following pledge:

I pledge to vote No on Prop 8, a statewide ballot initiative that, if passed, “eliminates the right of same sex couples to marry.”

Gay and lesbian couples deserve the same fundamental freedoms that all Californians enjoy. I pledge to vote No on any constitutional change that stands in the way of equality for all.

Following the lead of Governor Schwarzenegger and other Republicans, we urge you to vote No on Prop 8. Thank you for your consideration of this fundamentally important issue to Californians.

People who publicly oppose gay marriage, whether Republican or Democrat, like to say “it should be left up to the states.” Well, this year it is up to the state, our state. This year, all Californians get to decide if we are going to lead the nation on marriage equality or if we’re going to eliminate that right for same sex couples, so many of whom have been happily exercising that right since June.

It’s time for Congressman Dreier to lead and come out against Proposition 8.

Sign our petition urging him to do so today.

(disclosure: I am proud to work for the Courage Campaign)

Some tidbits:

• Nancy Pelosi is going to ask for a second stimulus that includes aid for state and local governments, extending unemployment benefits and investment in infrastructure.  This is desperately needed and she needs to follow up and we have to pressure her.  It’s good for California and the nation.

• 538 did a “road to 270” feature on California a couple days back.  Nothing in there you wouldn’t expect, other than some good demographic information (our Starbucks/Wal-Mart ratio is second in the nation).

• I don’t know if we’ve featured this in a post or not, but this ad for the Yes on 4 campaign is completely despicable and everybody involved in it should be ashamed of themselves.  Apparently devoid of shame, the campaign, after saying they’d only run it once, has expanded it and aired it in selected markets last night after the Presidential debate.

• Here’s a fundraising breakdown for all 12 propositions.  No on 4 has quite an advantage and they need to use it.  Yes on 5 has a large advantage as well.  There is no committee for No on 1A.  Same with No on 10.  It’s an interesting set of numbers.

• This is a sad story about a family of six murdered by the head of household, who had an advanced degree in finance but couldn’t find a job.  I take no pleasure in saying this could be replicated around the state as we hit this downturn.

• You may remember Delecia Holt, the perennial Republican candidate in the San Diego area who suffered allegations of campaign fraud.  She’s now been arrested for writing bad checks and avoiding bill collectors.