California Senate Vote on Iraq Ballot Measure - SB 924

Written by: Patrick Briggs on Jun 8, 2007 1:15 PM EDT

President pro Tem Don Perata speaking to the Senate on SB 924 which he has authored to present a referendum on the war to voters in the February 5, 2008 primary election

By Frank D. Russo

By a straight party line vote with 23 Democrats in support and 11 Republicans opposed, the California State Senate voted to place a proposition on the February 5, 2008 election giving voters an opportunity to express their views to President Bush as to whether the United States should immediately withdraw troops from Iraq in an orderly fashion. Polls show that Californians, one out of every nine voters in the country, will overwhelmingly back withdrawal.

Perata hopes to make February 5, with the number of states having their presidential primary on that date a national referendum on the war, but feels that Californians’ views alone will send a strong message.

Perata’s SB 924 needs to be passed by the Assembly and signed by Governor Schwarzenegger to get this measure on the ballot.

Following the vote, Perata delivered a box of 10,000 petitions signed by Californians in support of the ballot proposition to the Governor’s office and answered reporters questions. Schwarzenegger has given no indications as to whether he will sign the bill allowing the voters to have their say. While he has received no assurance from the Governor, Perata said he was hopeful Schwarzenegger will allow the voters to express their will.

We will have more details regarding the Senate debate and what Perata told the press later. For now, here is Perata’s prepared floor statement for the bill:

During the Vietnam War, I was a high school civics teacher.

I taught young people about the virtues of democracy, free speech and representative government.

But what was taught in the classroom wasn’t what students saw happening in the world.

The peace movement helped end a war – but it wasn’t pretty.

It was angry and divisive. It tore communities apart. Leaders lied; Liberties trashed; Reputations ruined.

And it made an entire generation cynical about government and distrustful of its leaders.

Edmund Burke said:
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. He was right.

Once again, we’re a nation at war. And once again, people want peace.

The Iraq War has lasted longer than U.S. involvement in World War Two – a war Americans knew why we fought Hitler and Tojo.

3,400 soldiers are dead and we’ve spent $350 billion.

The war in Iraq is costing our state dearly.

340 Californians are among those dead – more than any other state.

Hundreds of members of our National Guard remain deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan – leaving us vulnerable in the event of disaster. 100 Shipped out to Fort Dix yesterday.

The soaring costs of this war mean less for schools, less for health care, less for the things we need here in California to keep our democracy strong.

People say this isn’t our business. We’ve got enough on our plate.

Or that somehow by speaking out, we’ll disillusion our troops or give comfort to terrorists. Yes, just like war, peace is controversial.

This bill does take an unusual step. But we’ve reached an extraordinary moment in our history – and silence and patience have gotten us nowhere.

The Senate approved the February 5th primary so that Californians would have a bigger say in selecting our next president.

Senate Bill 924 gives Californians a voice in the future of our country – at a time when that voice needs desperately to be heard.

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Location: Pasadena, CA 91104