By snoadmin
In 2006, Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, was enacted, placing relatively strict limits on California’s greenhouse gas emissions. The goal of AB 32 was to reduce greenhouse gas levels to their 1990 levels by 2020. Although early plans to enforce the law have been put into motion as well as a series of rule makings that begin during 2010, the actual measures to lower greenhouse gases would have to take place by the start of 2011.
However, in attempt to functionally repeal AB 32, Proposition 23 has made its way onto the ballot for the Nov. 2 election. Specifically, “Proposition 23 would suspend California’s greenhouse gas reduction law until the state’s unemployment rate drops to 5.5 percent for four consecutive quarters.”
The unemployment rate is currently at 12 percent and it has only been around 5.5 percent for three periods of time since 1976: from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1989, from Oct. 1999 to June 2001 and from Oct. 2005 through June 2007.
So in other words, if Prop 23 passes, AB 32 would be for all intents and purposes repealed. This country is recovering from its deepest recession since the Great Depression and to think that California’s unemployment will hit 5.5 percent anytime soon would be crazy.
No one is saying we want a high unemployment rate but if you want to repeal AB 32, repeal it. Don’t try to trick Californians by suggesting it is the cause of high unemployment. There are many things that significantly contribute to high unemployment. Limiting green house gases is not one of them.
Why all the tricky business, though?
Consider the Proposition’s two biggest proponents. Valero Energy Corporation and Tesoro Companies have contributed more than $5 million dollars to the proposition’s campaign. Are Valero and Tesoro California-based companies? No, they’re two oil companies from Texas
Two of the most obvious consequences of repealing a limit on greenhouse gas emissions would be increased pollution, as well as health risks. It would also be damaging to over 500,000 jobs.
“Companies are sprouting up and building wind and solar power facilities that provide us with clean power, built right here by California workers. By repealing clean energy laws, Prop. 23 would put many of these California companies out of business, kill a homegrown industry that is creating hundreds of thousands of California jobs, and damage our overall economy,” said George Shultz, former President Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State.
Proponents of Prop 23 should not try to trick the public into voting yes on the measure by tying it to the unemployment rate. Instead, they should attempt to repeal AB 32 without any strings attached.
In order to raise student awareness about prop 23, CALPIRG and Cal State Long Beach have partnered up to obtain 10,000 signatures from students to vote no on 23. Last week, the Daily 49er reported that volunteers have collected 3,000 signatures thus far.
Over the past few weeks, students have been spotted at areas with high-traffic, such as between the LA buildings, the bookstore and parking structures, to talk to students about the issue.
Jaafar Rizvi, a CALPIRG campus organizer, explained that they “sent out e-mails to professors and asked to speak in classes and make announcements, call and get them involved, and it grew from there.”
It’s always important to be aware and well informed about the propositions that are on the ballot. Most have hidden messages and it’s our job to decode those messages to find the truth. In this case, Prop 23 would only “take the state, and the country, in the wrong direction,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
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