Voting Reform and the Environment: What's the Connection?

By Forrest Hill

The destruction of the environment is one of the biggest crises we face today. Without substantial economic reforms, we will surely overwhelm our planets ability to generate sufficient resources, support species diversity, and absorb the massive amounts of waste we dump into the environment.

So what does voting reform having to do with saving the planet?

In short everything. I believe that corporate control of our elections and the undemocratic nature of our voting system are two of the biggest roadblocks to building a just and sustainable society. Only when we have a government that functions independently from moneyed-interests and fully represents all citizens can we begin the difficult process of implementing the economic reforms needed to ensure the survival of future generations.

Steps for improving the Environment of California

According to a recent Public Policy Institue of California survey, 6 in 10 Californians think that the government is not doing enough to protect the environment.

Of greatest concern to Californian's is the lack of leadership on global warming and energy issues. The PPIC survey shows there is real concern over the immediacy of global warming and its effects on California’s future, and strong support for policies that address greenhouse gas emissions and funding the development of alternative energy.

As a candidate for Secretary of State, I feel there are at least four steps the state's chief election officer can take to improve environment policy. These included public outreach, supporting clean money legislation, instituting corporate charter reform, and serving as an ex officio member of the California State World Trade Commission.

Public Outreach: It is important that our political leaders use the bully pulpit to educate the public about the environmental problems facing our nation today. Before we can get public buy-in for the kinds of economic programs needed to address the ongoing destruction of the ecosystem, Californians must understand the depth of the problem and how, if left unchecked, it will affect future generations. As Secretary of State I would use the power of my office to speak with community groups, unions, business organizations, and environmental groups on the need to work towards building a sustainable economic system.

It is essential for citizens to understand that creating a sustainable society necessarily requires a shift away from a growth economy to a steady state economy where the aggregate throughput of natural recourses is within the limits of the ecosystem.

If we are to stop the liquidation of our natural resources and the pollution of the planet, then our definition of economic progress must shift away from quantitative expansion (growth) to qualitative improvements (sustainable development). Such a path is only possible in an economic system that strives for a fair distribution of economical and natural resources for this and future generations.

Clean Money Campaigns: I believe that getting corporate money out of politics is crucial for solving the current environment crisis. The best way to end corporate control of government is through public financing of elections.

As Secretary of State I will work with the legislature to help pass a comprehensive clean money bill, educate the public on why we need public financing of elections, ensure that clean money campaign rules are strictly enforced, and identify funding sources to cover costs such as voluntary check-offs on income tax returns and fees on registered lobbyists.

Corporate Charter Reform: The Secretary of State is responsible for chartering corporations and should work with the state to ensure that law-breaking corporations are held accountable for their actions. As the energy scandals of 2000 and 2001 show, companies that conspire to manipulate markets can wreck havoc on the environment and our economy.

It is also important that we create economic incentives to encourage law abiding companies to do business in California. Good corporate citizenship is an essential part of any healthy society.

As Secretary of State I will advocate for the use of social investment screens by state and county pension funds to promote corporate responsibility. I believe this is a sound way to fairly, and give back to the communities where they are located. I would also work with legislators, business leaders, unions, legislators, and average citizens to develop a corporate code of conduct for California that includes a time table for periodic reviews of corporate charters. Corporations that pollute our environment, violate workers rights or safety laws, discriminate, or engage in political corruption should be put on probation or have their charter revoked if their crimes are serious enough.

World Trade Commission: The Secretary of State serves as an ex officio member of the California State World Trade Commission, which is the primary agency responsible for coordinating activities to expand international trade for the State of California.

I believe we need to put more emphasis on how California engages in the global economy. First, California should be setting an example for the rest of the country by implementing "Fair Trade" policies that persuade California companies doing business overseas to not violate sovereign environmental and labor laws. Second, we need to build partnerships with alternative energy companies in counties like Germany (Solar) and Spain (Wind) where the CO2 tax credits available under the Kyoto Treaty has allowed clean energy production to flourish. Finally, we need to adopt our own Kyoto Treaty to help create the incentives needed to promote more fuel efficient cars, better mass transit, and the development of a robust alternative energy industry in California.

The Big Picture: Moving to a Sustainable Economy

Our economy has grown so large that its demands are overwhelming our planets ability to generate resources and absorb waste. If you consider that our economy grows at about 3% per year then it is predicted to double in size every 23 years, grow 16 times in size in 100 year, 250 times in size in 200 years, and 4000 times in size in 300 years.

Given the increase in resource usage and pollution resulting from our ever expanding economy, we need leadership that is willing to tackle our environmental problems head-on and will work to balance economic concerns with the need for creating sustainable communities.

There are many ways of reducing the economic stakes in environmental destruction. But this means taking seriously issues of social and economic inequality as well as environmental destruction. Only by committing ourselves to what is now called "environmental justice" (combining environmental concerns and social justice) can the environmental movement avoid being cut off from those classes of individuals who are most resistant to environmentalism on the basis of social grounds. The alternative is to promote an environmental movement that is very successful in creating parks with Keep Out! signs, and yet which is complicit with the economic injustices in society.

For us to persist, the path of economic progress must shift away from quantitative expansion (growth) to qualitative improvements (sustainable development). Such a path is only possible in an economic system that strives for a fair distribution of economical and natural resources for this and future generations.

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