Election 2008

For some of you looking for election results in CA, you may be finding it hard to find the results for the issues you voted for. So here it goes. Commentary included!!

Prop 1a - Train connecting LA, Bay Area, and Sacramento - passed
Prop 2 - Standards for Confining Farm Animals - passed
Prop 3 - Children's Hospital Bond Act. Grant Program. - passed
Prop 4 - Parent Notif. Before Terminating Minor's Pregnancy - no
Prop 5 - Nonviolent Drug Offense. Sentencing, Parole, Rehab - no
Prop 6 - Police, Law Enforcement Funding. Criminal Laws - no
Prop 7 - Renewable Energy Generation - no
Prop 8 - Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry - looking like it will pass. not official yet
Prop 9 - Criminal Justice System. Victims' Rights. Parole - passed
Prop 10 - Altern. Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds - No
Prop 11 - Redistricting - passed
Prop 12 - Veterans' Bond - passed

County Measure Q - SMART Rail Quarter Cent Sales Tax - passed


So, there they are. How do you feel about them?

To be honest, I am pretty shocked on some of them. I don't know what kind of TV ads have been on back there swaying opinions one way or the other, but why in the hell did some of these pass?

Let's start with the first one; the safe, reliable railway system connecting southern CA and northern CA. Why? Why do we honestly need that? It sounds like a great idea, as a matter of fact a lot of what was on the ballot sounded like a great idea, but who the hell is going to pay for it? It's expected cost is somewhere near 20 Billion dollars and its expected upkeep is millions if not billions per year. Just guess where that is going to come from? The taxpayers, that's where. The state is in the hole and has been for awhile now, it does not have the money for this. We are trying to rebuild our economy, yet for some reason people felt the need to spend money on a luxury, not even a necessity. Think about what 20 billion dollars would do for CA schools. Now this sounds like a wild idea, but what about just not spending that much money period! You know saving it up, getting positive and out of debt. I know that makes too much sense, but come on people, a fucking 20 billion dollar train?

Now let's discuss drugs. So, many may be thinking they're criminals so why should we have to pay to help with their rehab. I know I know, I just went on a rant about senseless spending, but this is different. It does not cost nearly as much, and actually saves money. It's not just about rehab for non-violent drug offenders either. Laws regarding the punishments dealt to people who violate drug laws in a non-violent manner were also going to be reformed. That means, less people in jail, and thus less money required to house inmates. It was a chance to break away from this awful and totalitarian-like war on drugs where the government can make our decisions for us and unjustly punish us for doing no harm to anyone else whatsoever. It's a war that will never be won, actually increases crime rates, and increases needless government spending. Yeah, I know, drugs are bad. But it should still be our choice and this bill was going to be a way for us to get closer to getting that choice back.

I was really taken back with the two props. regarding renewable energy and alternate fuel vehicles getting shot down by so much. Let's just keep using gas, we don't need to break our dependence from foreign countries.

What about our police? I guess we don't need to give them more money as we don't need any more law enforcement because we have those rehab programs...oh wait. I don't consider this one as big of a deal as others, I'm just shocked it lost by so much.

SMART. A railway to connect Sonoma and Marin. Makes sense because they are sooooo far right? However, even I'll admit in all seriousness, it will be good for the environment. I voted no, but it's not the worst thing to get passed this year. However, if you voted yes for this and bitch about our already high sales tax increasing, I will slap you.

And finally, yes you knew it was coming, proposition 8. While it may not be passed yet, as there are some 3 million or so absentee ballots that have yet to be counted, it is not looking good. I cannot believe and am very disappointed with the flat out intolerance demonstrated by the passing of this amendment to our state's constitution. I live in Indiana for school. It is an extremely conservative part of the country. One thing that gets me through it is the ability to know that the whole world is not like this. California, to me, represents change that is to come. It represents modern and progressive ideals that the rest of the country will eventually come to follow. The passing of prop 8 scares me. If California, arguably the most progressive state in the U.S., cannot be an advocate for gay rights, who can? The passing of this is hateful, and I am ashamed to say that I share a state with so many hateful people. There is absolutely no practical reason to pass 8. Denying homosexuals the right to get married is simply based on one groups intolerance for the other and nothing else. Christian fundamentalists with no concept of what American society should be, passed this. I'll admit a large percentage of the country was founded by Christians. but, an even larger part of the foundation of this country is based on the freedom to choose religion. It is wrong for Christians to force their ideals on people of other beliefs and that is exactly what is happening here. Prop 8 supporters will argue that it does not really matter because they can still have unions and get all the rights of married couples anyways. But it does matter, this is segregation. Why should one group have the right to tell another group they cannot do something with no logical reason beyond religious reason which should not come up in political forums anyways. Who gives a shit if because of this not passing, kids would have to learn that homosexuality is normal. Homosexuality is a part of society whether people like it or not and kids will learn about it in one way or another. Wouldn't it be better for them to learn about it in a safe environment like school? They just don't want their kids to learn about it being okay so they can indoctrinate them until they are intolerant assholes too. People who actively supported this bill are imbeciles and should probably get bent. The mentality they possess is intolerant, slack-jawed, idiotic and similar to what you would get from generations of inbreeding. If you voted for this, you are severely misinformed about modern life and I would love to hear/debate your reasoning. Way to fail on this one California, I am actually holding Indiana in a higher light politically because they actually managed to vote blue for once.