Campaign / Budget Reform

Like other interest groups - such as gun owners, property rights advocates and environmentalists - the Consumer Federation of California tracks legislation that affects its particular concerns.

The Consumer Federation of California named Senator Pavley as its "Senator of the Year" for her tireless work to ban toxins such as lead, cadmium and BPA from children's products; passing legislation to protect consumers from mortgage fraud; and efforts to crack down on elder abuse.

"As we have seen in the past, just having coverage does not demonstrate driving performance," Holober said. "This measure would have a similar effect to how pre-existing conditions affect people who purchase health insurance."

Consumer Federation of California says the initiative isn't good for people who have been uninsured for a time, even if because they gave up their car. The cost of getting reinsured will jump. Coverage doesn't determine whether you're a good driver.

"This is not about discounts, this is about surcharge," said Richard Holober from the Consumer Federation of California..."Simply the fact that you had a break in coverage in the last couple of years will be held against you and you will face massive surcharges of 40, 50 percent or more," said Holober.

When California voters erased the two-thirds majority rule for passing a state budget, they added teeth to the June 15 deadline for legislative approval. No budget, no pay.

Jones has repeatedly earned 100% pro-consumer ratings in the Consumer Federation of California's Legislative scorecard. Villines' voting record is the polar opposite. For years, on high-stakes issues ranging from the price of health care to whether insurers can discriminate on the basis of where you live, the vast majority of the time, Villines has voted for insurance industry giants, and against individuals and families.

Consumer activists expressed anger that the amendment was even drafted so late in the session. Richard Holober, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, said "these kind of last-minute moves are for things that won't hold up if exposed to sunlight. It is not a good way to govern."

The case of San Mateo County's missing voter guides has been solved -- sort of. Some were apparently never sent, according to Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who heads the California agency that oversees elections.

Ignoring a deceptive $16 million campaign by Mercury Insurance Company, California voters rejected a ballot measure that would have amended 1988 insurance reform Proposition 103 to allow insurance companies to impose surcharges on motorists who were not previously insured or had a break in coverage for virtually any reason.

"When you're being outspent $46 million to $80,000, the fact that it's this close, I think people smelled a rat. I think they overspent until people got suspicious," said Richard Holober of the Consumer Federation of California, opponents of the initiative.

...it is the big oil, drug and insurance groups who have the most to gain by smearing someone backed by environmentalists, medical attorneys and consumer protection groups and defeating Betsy Butler.

Listen to CFC's Zack Kaldveer interviewed on the Progressive Radio Network by Norman Solomon, a nationally syndicated columnist on media and politics. Topics include consumer rights issues, the corrosive influence of corporate money in politics and how it subverts the public interest, the costs of war, and more.

Zack and Nicole discuss CFC "White Paper" on the negative impact the cost of the Afghanistan War has on California taxpayers, our massive ongoing budget deficits, and our ability to adequately invest in the health and well being of our own citizens.

Assemblywoman Mary Salas, a Democratic candidate for the 40th state Senate seat, is backed by the Communications Workers of America, Consumer Federation of California, the National City Firefighters Local 2744 and the California Federation of Teachers.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, would prohibit the sale of any private health insurance policy in the state and establish a new California Healthcare System as the primary payer for health care services in California.