Gavin Newsom for a Better Californiaplease donate

10/13/09

Our first online ad: Shake the system

Today, we launched our first online ad of the campaign. On the jump, you can see the email from Mayor Newsom this morning talking about the ad and his call for a constitutional convention. What do you think of the ad? What are you thoughts on a CA constitutional convention to fix our broken system?

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You can’t build a new house on a cracked foundation. If we’re going to put California back on the leading edge, we have to fix our broken system.

Watch our first online video calling for reform and a constitutional convention.

Right now, our government is a combination of special interest–driven constitutional amendments, archaic legislative rules, and complex ballot initiatives that have created gridlock. Our constitution was written 120 years ago, has already been amended more than 500 times and is eight times longer than the U.S. Constitution.

We are saddled with structural deficits before any discretionary spending is even considered. We are on the verge of putting ourselves in a state of perpetual debt with no real way to get out of it or invest in our future. Already this has meant drastic cuts to higher education – once the symbol of California as a land of opportunity – and deep cuts to vital social services, health care and needed infrastructure investments.

We have allowed California to reach this point. And it is our collective responsibility to fix it.

That’s why I want you to join me in supporting a California constitutional convention and help participate in shaping it.

Watch our first online video calling for reform and a constitutional convention.

This is a tremendous opportunity.

We can repeal the two-thirds vote requirement to pass a budget so California won’t have to issue IOUs. We can institute a more robust rainy day fund, so we save when times are good for when things aren’t so good. We can review a multi-year budget cycle, something that will force the legislature to take a longer view when considering priorities.

There is nothing stopping us from building a new foundation to lead California into the future.

Watch our first online video calling for reform and a constitutional convention.

After you watch the video, I hope you’ll sign up for our email updates to learn more about the campaign and help build a grassroots movement that can fix California.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom