Posted on 10/20/2008 8:53:46 PM PDT by calcowgirl
Prop. 1A High Speed Rail Bond. NO
This is the most outrageously expensive boondoggle in California’s long history of outrageously expensive boondoggles. The ultimate cost of this project could end up exceeding $90 billion – or $10,000 per family – all for a train that goes from Los Angeles to San Francisco in two hours longer than it takes to fly. It’s brought to you by the same folks who botched Boston’s “Big Dig.” (I’m one of the official opponents of this measure.)Prop. 2 Farm Animals. NO
Sorry, but farm animals are food, not friends. Plan on somewhat happier cows and much higher grocery bills if this one passes.Prop. 3 Hospital Bond. NO
Here’s a rather cynical measure that uses children as a front in order to lavish taxpayer funds on private hospital corporations.Prop. 4 Parental Notification. YES
Parents must give written consent before their teenage daughters use a tanning booth or get their ears pierced. This measure simply requires them to be notified if their daughter is having an abortion.Prop. 5 Non-violent drug offenses. NO
The fatal flaw in this otherwise decent measure would allow criminals to use their drug offense for leniency for other non-drug-related crimes.Prop. 6 Police and Law Enforcement Funding. YES
This is a tough call. My favorite provision is prohibiting the release on bail of illegal aliens charged with violent crimes. Its principal purpose is to lock up an increasing portion of the state budget for local law enforcement. Law enforcement should be government’s top priority, but I don’t like auto-pilot spending or using state resources for local programs. I also don’t like its weakening of the hearsay rule. On balance I think it does more good than harm, but it’s a very mixed bag.Prop. 7 Renewable Energy Subsidies. NO
This will send electricity prices through the roof. It requires the most expensive energy generation to comprise 20 percent of our electricity needs. Government should get out of the way and let simple economics determine the mix of energy generation in this state.Prop. 8 Defense of Marriage Act. YES
Marriage is a unique institution in which a man and a woman summon a child into the world – creating a unique tapestry of responsibilities. Our marriage laws are designed to support those responsibilities and are simply inapplicable to any other kind of relationship. Lincoln asked, “If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? The answer is four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it one.” And calling a homosexual partnership a marriage doesn’t make it one.Prop. 9 Parole Reform. YES
This requires the victim to be considered when a suspect’s bail is being set or a criminal’s parole is being determined. About bloody time.Prop. 10 Fuel Subsidies. NO
This $5 billion bond will cost taxpayers $10 billion with interest to subsidize “alternative fuel vehicles” and “renewable energy.” I’m all for alternative fuel vehicles and renewable energy as long as the consumers who want them pay for them. But don’t reach into my pocket to pay for somebody else’s choice.Prop. 11 Redistricting. YES
This should be the all-time no brainer: voters should choose their politicians and not the other way around. This measure takes redistricting out of the hands of the legislature, removing an obvious conflict of interest.Prop. 12 Veterans Bond Act. YES
This is a self-liquidating bond (meaning taxpayers aren’t on the hook) to assist veterans with home purchases. The state has done this for many years and it has never cost taxpayers a dime. I co-authored this one.
In addition to Prop 4, I also ended up with YES on 6 (no bail for illegals plus we badly need a new prison, not early releases) and 12 (successfully self-funded for 85 years).
I'll listen to today's Prop 11 debate on Roger Hedgecock's afternoon show before marking my ballot. Roger and Tom are both for Prop 11 but as you pointed out elsewhere there are a number of questionable folks also in favor.
A YES on 2 will make our CA locally produced eggs less competitive against out of state and, more worrisome, Mexican eggs which aren't captive to these regulations. We use more eggs than any other state but almost half are already imported due to high demand.
Prop 2 exempts county fairs and 4H but *not* FFA (Future Farmers of America) school programs.
This is a feel good measure that Europe is adopting on an even longer timeline. We have free range eggs for those who want them although they cost about 50% more. Finally, the caged hens live longer, healthier lives than their free range cousins.
To accommodate the new regulations one San Diego County egg farm will need an additional 200 acres for all the oversized cages. That's not inexpensive.
Amen.
STATE PROPS PROP 1A - NO - HIGH SPEED RAIL - No new debt PROP 2 - NO - TREATMENT OF FARM ANIMALS - Farmers need healthy animals - they don't mistreat them PROP 3 - NO - CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOND ACT ($980,000,000) - No new debt PROP 4 - YES - PARENTAL NOTIFICATION BEFORE ABORTION - The family first PROP 5 - NO - NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS REHAB - "Drug dealers bill of rights" PROP 6 - NO - NEW CRIME FUNDING - No evidence "law enforcement," needs a guaranteed minimum - this is the job of the legislature PROP 7 - NO - RENEWABLE ENERGY MANDATES - Alternative energy yes, alternative energy monopolies no PROP 8 - YES - PROTECTION OF MARRIAGE - Traditional marriage is the cornerstone of a successful society. PROP 9 - NO - CRIME VICTIM RIGHTS - Victim's rights are already the law - this prop would require victim restitution in every case. PROP 10 - NO - RENEWABLE ENERGY - ALT. FUEL VEHICLES ETC - BOND ISSUE (5-billion) - No new bond debt PROP 11 - YES - REDISTRICTING - To restore democracy in California, we need competitive districts and competitive elections. PROP 12 - NO - VETERANS BOND ACT ($900,000,000) - No new bond debt
Under current law, the DemonRats in the legislature in Sacto have complete control over drawing their own district lines after the next census. If the next governor is also a DemonRat, then it is 100% certain that they will control the state legislature for next ten years, and that the voting districts will remain non-competitive.
Other than electing a Republican as the next governor, which appears very unlikely, Prop. 11 is the only way to prevent another 10 years of DemonRat control in Sacramento.
I got a lot of responses to Prop 2, against my voting yes on it.
You guys are making me really torn on the issue, but I am taking it almost as a religious steward of the earth thing. I just read “An Omnivore’s Dilemma.” So I may just have to put my yes down on this measure. You all make great economic sense.
Done!
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