Ballot propositions

[abumbyanyothername]

I feel a great deal of sympathy for state legislators every year around this time.

I mean . . . I'm against human trafficking and all, definitely. But do I want to vote for a ballot proposition that seems to sweep so broad that adult, consensual sex-workers and their families are caught in the net? How can I tell how a prosecutor will administer or a judge/jury will enforce these provisions?

Then, yes, I agree we should have more and better education. I agree that higher taxes are necessary to pay for it. But we have multiple ballot propositions calling for multiple tax plans and pretty much all of them pledge to devote all the money to education.

Fortunately some are easier than this . . . no on 32, yes on 37.

And then we have the LA County measures . . . protecting the health of porn actors seems laudable. But will it drive the industry even further off-shore?

Ballot propositions drive me crazy and I cannot see how it is even possible to vote in person these days given the proliferation of propositions on the ballots.

[Fresh_Start]

1. I bring a little piece of paper with what I decided on each of the propositions

the GOP deliberately makes the language convoluted to catch voters who aren't alert to their tricks.

[davidpdx]

2. I'm in Oregon and we have a number this year

Most of the time before my ballot comes I have heard enough I have already decided on 95% on them. There is one this year that I will probably decide the moment I fill out my ballot. There have been years we've had as many as 12 on the ballot. My rule of thumb is always, when in doubt vote against the measure.

[Retrograde]

3. Just say no

That's my SOP unless someone makes a compelling argument for voting for a particular proposition. I'm leaning towards yes on the Brown budget proposal, and the fixing 3 strikes one, but since California's proposition process seems to have become whoever has the most money gets on the ballot I'm getting more unlikely to vote for them. Unless it's a proposition to abolish the state legislature, who should be doing a lot of these things in the first place.

[abumbyanyothername]

4. The problem in CA is a previous ballot prop

That requires a 2/3 vote by the legislature to raise taxes. But only a majority vote to approve appropriations.

Therefore the electorate has to raise taxes.

I did vote to eliminate the death penalty and yes on the three strikes.

Passionately YES on 37 and NO on 32.

Voted YES on 30 and also YES on taxing business on the basis of CA sales.

And then I broke down and voted YES on sales tax and YES on income tax.

Had a tough tough tough time with 40 because I voted no on setting up the commission in the first place. But it looks like they did their job well, notwithstanding my previous doubts. So yes on 40.

I would definitely vote yes on a prop to ban props.

[abumbyanyothername]

5. So my friend Ninon

informed me that I got it wrong by voting yes on 38.

arrrghghgh. I hate it when that happens.