Who would you trust to make good governmental policy decisions for you and your family? Billionaires whose greatest priority is their own bottom line? Health insurance companies who have a track record of denying your claim for needed care prescribed by your doctor? Secretive Super PAC groups who can raise unlimited amounts of money to support and elect politicians friendly to their agendas?

Proposition 30 will leave a significant imprint on the future of California, whether big budget holes will prompt continuing on a debilitating path of more cuts in education, healthcare and other vital programs that are intrinsic to a humane society, or whether those who have benefited the most from income disparity will be asked to pay their fair share. Prop. 32, a threat to patient care.

Far too many of the patients and people in the community that I care for are suffering as a result of our broken economy. There is hope for them, and we all have the ability to help if we make an informed decision and vote wisely. Before we’re handcuffed by lethal cutbacks and before we become accomplices of injustice and the erosion of our right to protect one another, please join nurses in voting “YES” on Proposition 30; and, “NO” on Proposition 32!

The most troubling thing I heard last evening during the debate was that I could stop listening about the proposed changes to Social Security and Medicare if I was at or near retirement age. I’m not that selfish. I care that my children and grandchildren have those programs. I care so much that I have devoted my personal and professional energy to improving and expanding a 'Medicare for All for Life' model and making sure Social Security remains the sure and safe program that it has been for decades.

Essential social goods – political participation and access to necessary health services - are allocated based on ability to pay. When that happens, it’s easy to see who wins and who loses. The gains go to the top and the rest of us have to fight for what we need.