In a story highlighted by a recent Democratic Party email, the LA Downtown News is reporting that signature gatherers are giving out food for signatures for a variety of initiative petitions:
It was about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, when Fred Crawford walked to the back of a short line at Sixth and San Julian streets on Skid Row. The queue, a dozen or so people on a trash-strewn sidewalk, crept forward, and when Crawford reached the front a clipboard was pushed in front of him. The 40-ish man, who currently lives on the street, signed his name and scribbled an address. When he finished, one of the men behind the table handed him a bag of Ruffles potato chips. Crawford opened it on the spot and lifted the bag to his mouth.
In recent weeks, Downtown News observed petitions being gathered on Skid Row for four initiatives to be placed on ballots next year: two on eminent domain, one concerning bonds for children's hospitals, and another on electoral votes.
That “electoral” one is likely to be the “Dirty Trick” initative, and the eminent domain initiative is likely the Howie Rich finance successor to Prop 90. But look, I'm all for feeding the poor. In addition, it'd be great to see campaigns actually campaigning in areas like LA's Skid Row. But they don't. And this has nothing to do with listening to the concerns of the community, but rather it is all about using a community that is susceptible to abuse.
Not only is this unethical, it is against the law. Paying people for signatures is tantamount to selling your vote, and therefore we have seen fit to ban this action. (Although paid signature gathering is still legal due to 1st Amendment concerns.) We need to treat the Skid Row, and all other disadvantaged communities, with respect, and not toss them about as a political football or treat them as a dumping grounds.