morning in california

Governor Schwarzenegger’s agenda has been terminated. Sorry, but I couldn’t resist that oh-so-obvious lead-in. Thanks in no small part to a massive grassroots mobilization led by the labor movement, every one of the Governor’s propositions on yesterday’s ballot went down to defeat. Also defeated were two progressive initiatives aimed at curbing prescription drug costs and bringing the energy industry back under State oversight. I’ll have more analysis of this later, after my head clears from the frenzy of election day.

In Santa Barbara county, all the propositions failed, with the exception of anti-union Prop 75, which passed by less that 200 votes. Election day absentee ballots have yet to be fully counted, so this may change, as well. A full election map of California can be seen here. “No” counties appear in red on this map.

This is reason to celebrate beyond California’s borders. Many of the initiatives on the ballot were carefully watched as potential experiments in conservative “reform” elsewhere. More broadly, the election paved the way to unseat Schwarzenegger next year, knocking off a charismatic figure who added moderate veneer to the reactionary politics of the Republican Party nation-wide. It was also a good example of broad union and progressive cooperation. I’m working on an article about the somewhat difficult but ultimately successful dynamic between labor and its allies working to defeat the anti-union initiatives and feminists fighting the parental notification proposition. It was a good thing for everyone, and for the high-stakes fight to defend reproductive choice.

Our city council race went well overall, with all of the Democratic Party endorsed candidates winning election or re-election. All local elections in California are officially non-partisan, though parties make endorsements and, in some cases, campaign for their endorsees. My union, as well as PUEBLO, the community organization I work for had endorsed a challenger, Dianne Channing (also a Democrat), who did not fare very well at the polls. However, the Santa Barbara City Council is now 100% Democratic, and the one termed-out Republican member was replaced by progressive who is strongly supportive of Affordable Housing and the Living Wage.