As the November primaries draw near, the California Nurses Association is looking to spread their political voice through a new Hip-Hop-themed music video.
Produced by Colette Washington, “About Time for 89” was written in an attempt to educate young voters about California’s proposed referendum, Proposition 89.
The new bill seeks to clean up the corruption in California politics by capping contributions from corporations to ballot initiatives at $10,000.
The anticipated legislation also sets up public financing of elections to level the playing field with funds for candidates who reject private contributions and would restrict all contributions to candidate campaigns.
“We are using the music video medium as a vehicle to communicate legislative messages in a hip, entertaining way,” Prop. 89 campaign manager Michael Lighty said in a statement. “In addition to the entertainment value, the lyrics resonate with voter frustration about political corruption and offer them a solution — Yes on 89.”
With lyrics that include “political corruption is on the rise, donations are comin’ in super-size,” the single has generated over 10,000 views on YouTube in one week.
Although the song is generating a major buzz, opponents of Proposition 89 allege that the bill would reduce the information that voters receive by restricting corporate spending on ballot measures.
“I don’t think anybody is saying that the current system isn’t broken, or doesn’t have its problems, but Proposition 89 would make an even bigger mess of the situation,” said Robin Swanson, spokeswoman for the “No on 89” campaign.
The entire three-minute music video for “About Time for 89” can be viewed
at cleanmoneyelections.org/rap.