Summary of Issues
Redistricting Reform is Under Threat
A new initiative slated for the November ballot is
threatening 2008’s voter approved Proposition 11 - redistricting reform. The
New Majority played an instrumental role in the passage
of Proposition 11,
prohibiting legislators from drawing their districts’ lines and giving the
power of redistricting to an independent Citizens Redistricting
Commission.
However, the Berman/Lowenstein initiative, currently collecting signatures
for the November ballot, would repeal
Proposition 11 and scrap the voter approved Citizens Redistricting
Commission. Politicians would once again have the power
to draw the
lines of their own districts, pick their voters, guarantee
themselves
reelection and have practically zero accountability
for their poor job
performances in office.
John Diaz of the San Francisco Chronicle says, “A more honest
title of this initiative, which is being conceived
by a small group of
Democratic insiders, would be the Incumbent Protection Act." Sacramento’s game will return to stalemate dysfunctional
partisan politics as usual.
Click here to read more about the hidden intentions of the
Lowenstein Measure.
Energy Independence
Energy dependence of the United States is a foremost
concern to the members of the New Majority.
This is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed
by business leaders across the country.
Under the leadership of Hadi Makarechian, New Majority
Orange County has organized a taskforce, which will
examine the issue of energy independence.
Over the coming year, you will have the opportunity
to meet speakers from various think tanks, agencies
and organizations that work on this issue.
With our increasing reliance on imported oil, finding
domestic, alternative energy sources has become paramount
to our nation's continued economic prosperity. Oil
is the greatest
source of energy in the world, used to everyday necessities
from transportation and agriculture to making plastics
and hair dyes. with the inevitability that the availability
this finiate resource will one day peak and wane, the
U.S. must work towards becoming energy independent
and developing new technologies.
Healthcare
Governor Schwarzenegger’s Administration is exploring a new way to make sure
all Californians are insured.
The Governor came to speak to the New Majority about
the new plan, at which time many members of the organization
expressed interest in learning more about the proposal
and participating in the ongoing healthcare policy
debate.
Budget Reform
The budget affects all aspects of California, from
education, to employment, to health services, to public
transportation; it is arguably the most important document to come
before the Legislature each year. Yet, year after year,
the Legislature struggles to pass a budget on time,
allowing spending and government bureaucracy to grow
beyond its means. For example, in the last 10 years alone, spending in California has increased
by 87%, out pacing annual revenues at an alarming rate. The
New Majority realizes the California budget, and the
process of obtaining a budget needs to be reformed.
The issue of budget reform is on-going, and cannot be easily solved with a quick and
easy fix. Budget reform needs a strong, steady commitment
from organizations such as the New Majority, who will
be fighting long after the Legislators in Sacramento
leave office.
