Robert Redford: NO on California Proposition 90
    t r u t h o u t | Letter

    Tuesday 24 October 2006

    Dear NRDC BioGems Defender,

    "We had no idea."

    You're going to hear that a lot if Proposition 90 passes next month. Millions of people are going to wake up the morning after Election Day and wish they'd read the fine print.

    Please don't be one of them.

    Prop 90 is the single most dangerous threat that has ever been leveled at our state's environment. As a native and long-time resident of California, I don't say that lightly.

    Prop 90 will make it virtually impossible for our state and local governments to do their job of protecting the wildlife, wild lands and other natural resources that make California the special place that it is.

    The way Prop 90 works is simple. Anytime our government wants to protect some vestige of open space or save an old growth forest or restrict offshore oil drilling, Prop 90 would empower hordes of people to sue the government and collect compensation if they feel their properties or businesses have been compromised.

    If Prop 90 is enacted, environmental protection will grind to a halt, because we the taxpayers will be unable to afford the billions and billions in payouts. And guess what? Paralyzing government is exactly what Prop 90 aims to do.

    This cynical ploy is so insidious - and yet potentially popular - because it's masquerading as a law that will protect our homes and businesses from government seizure under the power of eminent domain.

    Well, I'll be first in line to defend private property and protest government seizure. But not if the "cure" is a hundred times worse than the disease!

    Prop 90 is nothing but a stalking horse for a group of out-of-state, anti- government extremists who would impoverish Californians both environmentally and financially.

    Don't wake up the morning after Election Day and wish you'd read the fine print. Read it now at http://www.noProp90.com/.

    And make sure your friends, family and colleagues in California read it, too. Please forward them this email right now.

    NRDC has joined with a broad coalition of citizen groups who are fighting hard to turn back this unprecedented attack on our environment. (You can see the full list of opponents at http://www.noprop90.com/coalition/index.php.)

    Please do your part by spreading the word to everyone you know. Tell them to vote "No on 90" on Election Day.

    Sincerely,

    Robert Redford

    --------

    P.S. Newspapers across the state are urging a No vote on 90. You can read their editorials at http://www.noprop90.com/media/articles/?set=article_j6dcq2bwmxw4ax.