Prop 38 borrows $8.4 billion for immunology/immunotherapy research—and directs half the proceeds to one qualifying UC-affiliated research institute run by a billionaire, with the rest distributed through grants.
Public investment in biomedical research is obviously good and something we strongly support. But Prop 38 is not constructed primarily to best facilitate this research. The eligibility language appears effectively tailored to the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy; billionaire Gary Michelson is its co-founder/board chair and the chief financial force behind the initiative. FPPC data show roughly $36M in top support contributions dominated by Michelson/Michelson Center and Meyer Luskin.
This proposition is pretty naked self-dealing by wealthy individuals. By phrasing it as promoting medical research, something no one opposes, Michelson hopes to smuggle in a popular mandate to deliver state funds to his own institution. Voters should not constitutionally commit billions in public debt through an initiative constructed around a particular private institution. Instead, we should democratically fund actual public institutions that are accountable for their work. California must expand publicly governed research, make discoveries broadly available, and fund it through progressive taxation. We recommend a No vote.
I’m not American or Californian. Do people vote on all 50 of these all at once? And they’re expected to understand what they’re voting for beyond just reading the title?
The numbering is weird, there aren’t actually 50 Propositions because you need a certain number of signatures to get something onto the ballots. Only like 10 Propositions actually make it onto the ballot each year.
Everyone is eligible to receive a mailer that contains the full wording of the proposition, a couple of pages summary with complete “for” and “against” arguments (and rebuttals), as well as a ~2 paragraph summary from a coalition of folks representing the “for” and “against” campaigns.
On top of that, outside groups like DSA provide “Voter guides” like the above, that you can independently research.
The ballot itself just has a title. You are not required to read anything to vote, but I’d wager most folks just read the official “for” and “against” blurbs and form an opinion.
https://www.californiadsa.org/voterguide#propositions
Hell yeah, I vote using cal dsa and my county’s dsa guide
For those too lazy to click:
I’m not American or Californian. Do people vote on all 50 of these all at once? And they’re expected to understand what they’re voting for beyond just reading the title?
The numbering is weird, there aren’t actually 50 Propositions because you need a certain number of signatures to get something onto the ballots. Only like 10 Propositions actually make it onto the ballot each year.
Everyone is eligible to receive a mailer that contains the full wording of the proposition, a couple of pages summary with complete “for” and “against” arguments (and rebuttals), as well as a ~2 paragraph summary from a coalition of folks representing the “for” and “against” campaigns.
On top of that, outside groups like DSA provide “Voter guides” like the above, that you can independently research.
The ballot itself just has a title. You are not required to read anything to vote, but I’d wager most folks just read the official “for” and “against” blurbs and form an opinion.
ETA: You can see the official voter guides here, just scroll to the PDFs and choose your preferred language.
To be honest and blunt, the quick reference opposition arguments were quite weak, which is likely what carried this proposition over the line.
Very well written and very agreeable