Most Americans would agree the last eight years under the Bush Administration have been a disaster. Two wars, dramatically increased debt, ballooning government size and cataclysmic economic events have strained our country’s resources and tarnished our reputation in the world.

We have also seen an insidious rise in the influence big corporations have on the way our government conducts its business. For example, a former lobbyist for the American Petroleum Institute was allowed to rewrite and soften federal reports on global warming. A scandal alleging the exchange of gifts, sexual favors and illegal drug use between Interior Department employees responsible for collecting oil lease royalties, and oil company workers hit the news in September.

Legislation designed to better police the lending industry, whose greed is at the root of the financial upheaval, has been continually watered down at the urging of the financial services industry. Now we are rewarding this excess with taxpayer-funded bailouts.

A culture of lobbying and outside influences has invaded local politics as well:

• The Republican-controlled Ventura County Board of Education has a $396,000 contract with two outside lobbying firms who have both donated money to Tony Strickland. These lobbyists have produced little more than additional bills for local taxpayers and a possible partnership with one of their own clients, a private Christian college in Indiana, which could help build the college a new $8.5 million building but do little for Ventura County students.

• The Ventura County Republican Central Committee accepted a $50,000 donation from Altria, parent company of tobacco giant Philip Morris, on behalf of Strickland’s State Senate campaign. Strickland’s past votes have favored tobacco companies.

• Strickland’s campaign is heavily financed by outside influences including insurance, oil, alcohol, tobacco, gambling and banking. As an assembly member he consistently voted in favor of these interests and against bills to protect the health of our citizens and the environment and to regulate predatory lenders.

• Individual donations to Strickland’s campaign show something remarkable: 66 percent have come from individuals who live elsewhere in California or outside the state. In the case of his opponent, Hannah-Beth Jackson, 62 percent come from individuals who live in the Senate district.

• Assemblywoman Audra Strickland’s campaign contributions show a similar pattern of outside interests with almost no donors from inside the district

It is time for voters to reject this culture of lobbying and corporate greed, which pays politicians to do its bidding. The Ventura County Democratic Central Committee urges voters to cast their ballots for candidates Hannah-Beth Jackson for State Senate District 19, Fran Pavley for the 23rd Senate District, Ferial Masry for the 37th Assembly District, Carole Lutness for the 38th Assembly District, Marta Jorgensen for U.S. Congress and Mark Lisagor and Ramon Flores for the Ventura County Board of Education.

Joseph O’Neill, Chair, Ventura County Democratic Central Committee