Monthly Newsletter of the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club
November 2006

Special Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Edition

Table of Contents

• Dates With Alice-- including GOTV before the election!


• Co-Chairs' Report: "Proposition 90: A Stealth Initiative That Must Be Defeated"


• Alice Endorsements for November


• Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor: "Fighting Depression (of the vote)"


• Assemblyman Mark Leno and the Top Ten Reasons Every Democrat Must Support Phil Angelides for Governor


• LGBT Community and No on Prop. 85


• Just Say 'No' to Big Tobacco: Vote YES on Proposition 86


• Alice Membership Form

Dates With Alice

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November Co-Chairs' Report
Proposition 90: A Stealth Initiative That Must Be Defeated

The far-right extremists are at it again, and this time it's called Proposition 90. Under the guise of curbing abuse of government's eminent domain power, Prop 90 is a radical property-rights measure that would make it effectively impossible for government to regulate anything that impacts corporate profits or real estate prices. In one fell swoop, it could eliminate the ability of government to pass environmental protections, raise the minimum wage, protect consumer privacy, require employers to provide health care to workers, engage in land use planning, or protect elderly and disabled renters from unfair evictions.

Prop 90 would do two things, the first obvious, the second buried in fine print. Its first, and well-publicized, provision would ban public entities from exercising their power of eminent domain where the property being forcibly purchased by the government would not be put to a public purpose. In other words, the government wouldn't be able to force homeowner A to sell her house to the government so that the government could transfer it to developer B. Rather, homeowner A could only be forced to sell her property for, say, creation of a public park or a new road. This limitation enjoys broad support, including among those who recall the abuse of eminent domain to "redevelop" African American urban communities in San Francisco and other cities.

However, it is Prop 90's second provision - a provision that is intentionally buried near the bottom of the proposition's text - that will have a devastating impact on Californians' quality of life. This radical provision defines "damage to private property" (for which the government must pay compensation) as "government actions that result in substantial economic loss to private property." According to the proposition's ballot summary, this provision "[l]imits government's authority to adopt certain land use, housing, consumer, environmental and workplace laws and regulations."

In other words, Prop 90 would explode the definition of eminent domain by requiring government to shoulder all costs relating to economic regulation if it creates "substantial economic loss to private property," making most regulations cost-prohibitive. The only exception to this requirement is when both "public health and safety" are at issue - a difficult standard to meet.

Thus, for example, if the California Legislature decides to raise the minimum wage in the future, business owners could sue the state and ask that taxpayers be required to fund the entire minimum wage increase for all minimum wage employees until the end of time. Obviously, the government could not cover that expense, meaning that it would simply not increase the minimum wage. Similarly, local land use planning that impacts property values, such as requiring developers to build affordable housing as part of market-rate projects or limiting development because of environmental impacts, could become impossible, because government would have to reimburse property owners for all costs associated with even the wisest planning. Rent control could also be impacted, since any new rent control protection could impact property values, thus requiring government to compensate property owners.

The authors of Prop 90 are well aware that government cannot afford to pay these massive costs. Prop 90's real purpose, therefore, is to deter government from passing any regulations whatsoever. Any environmental, housing, land-use, food-safety, or labor regulation, no matter how important to ensuring a strong and healthy future for California, will be subject to lawsuits asking for compensation. Recognizing that Prop 90 will gut the ability of government to regulate the economy, a broad coalition has formed to defeat it, including all major environmental organizations, organized labor, the Democratic Party, and the League of California Cities.

For the past 30 years, right-wing ideologues have peddled the lie that government is incapable of solving problems or doing anything productive. Now, they are following up on that lie by effectively banning government from even trying to adopt common-sense solutions to problems. We must put an end to this nonsense by defeating Prop 90.

Scott Wiener
Alice B. Toklas Co-Chair

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Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
November 2006 Endorsements

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Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor
Fighting Depression
(of the vote)
by Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.

I suffer from depression.

It comes and goes. Some days are worse than others. But it's always there. Sometimes it gets worse, much worse, and once it starts heading in that direction it's literally like a downward spiral. There seems to be no end in sight and all I can feel is the depression causing further depression.

My symptoms manifest themselves pretty simply. I don't want to do anything… because nothing seems to matter anymore. I can't get out of bed, because what's the point? I can't do my laundry, because I'll just have to do it again anyway. I can't clean my house, because it'll just get dirty again anyway. I can't eat, because I'll just get hungry again anyway. What's the point of it all? And so I sit there, on my couch, or lie there, on my bed, and stare at emptiness.

It's not rational. It just is. Depression doesn't make sense in any intellectual way. It just takes over. And the more it takes over the worse it gets. My depression eats away at my psyche to where I can't seem to get out. And each time I have to cling to my own hope for the future where I know I'll be better, and I try and remember being fulfilled and strong, and I fight the worst instincts of my own mind.

It's so strange to be fighting with my mind, but that's what my struggle with depression is like for me. And it's a difficult struggle continually.

Lately I've been thinking about this in terms of politics and elections.

We Democrats are a rather depressive bunch I would say. We have our ups and downs. Some days are worse than others. And we constantly have to fight to pull ourselves out of our own funk to get past the bad days and work for better days.

After our Democratic Party lost the House and Senate 12 years ago, we were in an awful funk. And for a long while we just couldn't even believe it. And then when we lost the presidency in 2000, and lost election after election of late, boy howdy we were in a funk. Sometimes it was just hard to even think about keeping up the good fight because it all seemed so pointless. And the more depressed we got, the more depressed the vote got each election.

But then, this last year especially we've seen a resurgence in the Party, thanks in no small part to our own Leader Nancy Pelosi who has reenergized the Party and who is bringing us so close to the strong possibility of retaking control of the House and Senate this November 7th on election day. Whatever number of seats we may win, the fact is we are excited again.

But then, we're still a depressive bunch. We seem to shrug our shoulders a lot and ponder what is going wrong on our own California state level. And we wonder sometimes, what's the point? We seem depressed just to be depressed. And the more depressed we are, the more depressed the vote will be here in California this November. We can't just sit on our hands and stare into space and think hopeless and aimless thoughts. This doesn't get us anywhere.

We know that we can win elections. We know that we can succeed locally, statewide, and nationally. We know that we have positive and energetic and exciting possibilities in front of us and within us. We just have to fight this depressive funk each and every time it confounds our minds and keep on keepin' on.

There is a beautiful new day each day, and there are hope and possibilities and love to be found within it. I try to remember that myself whenever I'm in one of my depressive episodes. And we as Democrats need to remember that a new day is constantly upon us each day. We have the power to fight our own depressive moments, so that we can shore up that Democratic vote we know is here in our city, our state, and our nation.

Now let's get out there and get to work! We have an election to win on November 7th.

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Assemblyman Mark Leno
and the
Top Ten Reasons Every Democrat
Must Support Phil Angelides for Governor

Having read yet another story last Saturday in our local press about how Democrats are fleeing the Angelides campaign, my blood began to boil. This latest telling featured a lifelong Democratic woman from Berkeley who was quoted as saying that she had no reason to vote for Phil Angelides and was likely to vote for the incumbent Governor.

I called information, found her number and placed the call. The Berkeley Democrat, named Mary, was very gracious and afforded me a few minutes to share with her 10 critical reasons why every Democrat must vote for Treasurer Angelides. She said she was unaware of much of what I had told her, at which point she spent the next days reading about and researching the race. Needless to say, she is now voting for Phil.

That experience gave me the idea to hold a press conference to unveil our Top 10 list. I was joined by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock from Berkeley along with San Francisco Assessor Phil Ting, President of the Board of Superviors Aaron Peskin and Supervisors Fiona Ma (candidate for Sate Assembly,12th AD), Sophie Maxwell and Tom Ammiano along with a few dozen community leaders and activists.

Each of the elected officials and activists introduced one of the 10 reasons passionately explaining why any one of the reasons was argument enough to vote for Phil. At the end of the press conference, Mary from Berkeley announced that she was no longer short of a reason to join Phil's campaign effort and would be voting for him.

Unfortunately, though the two San Francisco daily papers were in attendance, neither reported that the List of 10 had been delivered. The next day's story was that I had rescued one Democratic vote for Phil. So, I am pleased to share with yours readers the Top 10 critical reasons why every Democrat must vote for Phil Angelides.

Clearly, the Governor has no interest in an open exchange of ideas. He refuses to debate and wants voters to know only that which he will tell them in his incessant television commercials paid for with over $60 million collected from the most powerful corporations on earth - HMO's, tobacco, oil, and insurance companies.

This is insulting to the voting public and an assault on our democracy. One very important difference between the two candidates would be Reason #11 - Phil supports clean money, Prop. 89, and Arnold opposes it for all too obvious reasons.

With the race getting closer by the day (Zogby poll shows it at 47% to 40% as of yesterday) there is still time to wake up your friends, neighbors relatives and co-workers before it is too late. Let's keep this blue state blue. We can do this.

Mark Leno
Assemblymember, 13th AD

From the Editor: Hear Assemblyman Leno on the October 25th KALW Program speaking out on this issue by clicking here (you must have RealPlayer installed).
And below are the:

Top Ten Reasons Every Democrat
Must Support Phil Angelides for Governor

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LGBT Community and No on Prop. 85
from Alice Board Member Nora Dye

Alice and the San Francisco LGBT community are leading the fight against Proposition 85, an anti-choice measure on the November ballot that endangers California's most vulnerable teens. Young women who come from homes where they are victims of violence, abuse or incest can't turn to a parent. Instead, they may delay medical care, or seek out risky back alley abortions. LGBT community members are also deeply concerned that Proposition 85 is part of a larger strategy to restrict individuals' control over their own bodies. The LGBT community was instrumental in turning out voters last year to defeat Proposition 73, and we need to do it again!

Join LGBT activists from Alice, Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Pride at Work, and the No on 85 campaign on Election Day to turn out progressive voters and DEFEAT Prop 85! Please come to the No on 85 Rally this Saturday, November 4th at 10:00 AM at Harvey Milk Plaza (Castro @ Market).

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Just Say 'No' to Big Tobacco: Vote YES on Proposition 86
from Alice Board Member John Lazar

Did you know the tobacco industry aggressively targets the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community? It regularly features advertising and sponsorships focusing on themes important to the LGBT community, including liberation, individualism, social success and acceptance. As a result, cigarettes have become an ingrained part of the LGBT culture.

According to the California LGBT Tobacco Education Partnership, recent surveys by the California Department of Health Services/Tobacco Control Section show that lesbians are more likely to smoke (32.5%) than women in the general population (11.9%), Gay men are more likely to smoke (27.4%) than men in the general population (19.1%), and 44% of young adults 18-24 who self-identify as LGBT use tobacco, compared to 18% of non-LGBT-identified young adults.

These are dangerous statistics considering that smoking is responsible for 80% of all lung cancers. Overall, one out of every three cancer deaths is due to tobacco, not to mention the host of other tobacco-related diseases that exist, such as heart disease, stroke and emphysema. Furthermore, research suggests that smoking accelerates the onset of AIDS among people with HIV, and HIV accelerates smoking-induced emphysema.

As a member of Alice's Executive Board and as a Regional Vice President of the American Cancer Society, I truly believe that the LGBT community in California has been targeted by the tobacco industry for too long. I encourage everyone to fight against the hold Big Tobacco has on our community in every way possible.

This year at the polls, Californians will have the opportunity to take a stand against Big Tobacco and the devastating diseases associated with it. Proposition 86 is a $2.60 tax per pack of cigarettes that will raise more than $2 billion a year to create tangible solutions to some of California's major health challenges.

The tobacco tax would fund numerous programs to prevent deadly, smoking-related diseases. It would encourage people to quit smoking and prevent our youth from lighting up for the first time. With the funds generated by Prop 86, countless under-insured and un-insured Californians will have access to the medical care and support programs they desperately need.

According to the California Department of Health Services, Proposition 86 will:

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Alice Membership Form

Alice B Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
1800 Market Street PMB#18
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: 415-707-2010
www.alicebtoklas.org
Alice Reports Editor: Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.

General Membership Meeting 2nd Monday of each month

Month of August:
Monday, November 13, 2006
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

LGBT Community Center
1800 Market Street @ Octavia

You can now join online www.alicebtoklas.org/abt/joinonline.asp, or fill out the application below

Membership Application

Yes, I want to join the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club!

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__$20 Special Needs
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Please send checks payable to “Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club” and mail to:

Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
1800 Market Street, PMB#18
San Francisco, CA 94102

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