Imagine if politicians were held to the same standards as race car drivers, being forced to wear the logos of their top sponsors while performing under the public eye.
A recent state ballot initiative “California Is Not For Sale” intends to expose the agenda of state representatives by requiring them to wear the logos of their top campaign donors, just as NASCAR drivers would.
This movement has already been met with massive support and enthusiasm from the people of California, receiving 40,000 signatures in just two weeks.
“This idea has been incredibly popular,” Ryan Smith, a California Is Not For Sale spokesperson told the Daily Caller. “We have over a thousand people out canvassing for signatures and the response they receive from signatories is overwhelmingly positive.”
The Mission of California Is Not For Sale is to bring transparency to California politics and return power to the people by revealing the donations that are controlling policy makers.
If passed, the change would require state representative to clearly display the logos of their top ten donors somewhere on their person while speaking on the floor. This bill has the potential to expose the initiative behind proposed policy.
“We think this will change the culture in Sacramento from one where it is understood that corruption and bribery occurs … to one where it is openly acknowledged and actively countered,” said Smith.
This initiative comes during a time when political campaign spending is at a high, especially in the most recent presidential election.
“Special interests give money to politicians with the expectation of a return,” said John Cox, chairman of California Is Not For Sale, in a press release. “And they don’t have to look hard for politicians who are taking donations.”
Cox, an investment manager from Chicago, identifies as a Republican although he has never held political office. In the past Cox has made several unsuccessful runs for office in Illinois and was once president of the Cook County (Illinois) Republican Party.
If enough support is received in California, this initiative has the potential to have an influence at the national level.
“We certainly encourage other states to take a hard look at what they can do to challenge corruption,” said Smith. “Perhaps a groundswell of state actors can influence meaningful change in Washington as well.”
In order for the initiative to qualify for the November 2016 ballot it needs to gather 365,000 valid signatures by the end of April. To sign, registered California voters can use this link.