Californians may dump Capital Punishment

[demosincebirth]

A ballot measure to repeal California's death penalty and replace it with life in prison without parole has gained support in the last week and leads by 45 to 38 percent among likely voters in the final Field Poll before Tuesday's election.

The poll, conducted Oct. 25-30, was the first to show a lead for Proposition 34, which had trailed 42 to 45 percent in the last survey in mid-September. Polling also found that a majority agreed with one of Prop. 34's major premises - that the death penalty is more expensive than life without parole - and a plurality said innocent people are executed "too often."

Some other recent statewide polls have reported Prop. 34 trailing by as much as seven percentage points. But Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo said his organization's new survey was more up-to-date and found that the measure's margin of support had widened by six percentage points in a single week.

The poll also coincided with the first ads aired by the Yes on 34 campaign, which has raised $7 million, nearly 20 times as much as the law enforcement-backed opposition.
Impact of ads cited






http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Death-penalty-measure-s-support-jumps-4002211.php

[frazzled]

1. Why does everything have to be a damned ballot initiative there?

We got rid of capital punishment in Illinois without having to poll every yahoo out there. Our elected officials in the legislature, and our governor, repealed it.

That is how democracy is supposed to work: we elect representatives to legislate. We don't bypass them every time to take things directly to the people with confusingly worded, privately funded campaigns. More bad things than good have come out of ballot initiatives in this country, especially ones that limit ciivl rights, or tie the hands of legislators, or empower bigots. I wish we could have a ballot initiative to end ballot initiatives in most cases.

[demosincebirth]

2. that is one of the carrry overs from 100 years ago to give power to the people of Ca., against

the Robber Barons who had every politician in their pocket. More of a hindrance, now.

[slackmaster]

3. Because our legislature is too busy doing things other than what the people want done

The incumbency mentality.

[frazzled]

5. Like the people who want to deny equal protection to gay citizens?

More than half the initiatives on your ballot are scams, bankrolled by corporations. The founding parents did not intend "direct" democracy in this country. If you want to see things done, lean on your legislators, and elect good ones.

[slackmaster]

6. I've been preaching the message of putting better people in the legislature for decades

It's a microcosm of the US Congress - Lots of people hate the bottom-feeding do-nothings in Sacramento, but they like THEIR bottom-feeding do-nothing.

[demosincebirth]

7. Good ones like what? Eighty percent of our legislators in Sacratmento are Democrats. It's the one

third roadblock of right wingers that keeps us from just passing tax increases on the wealthy and other common sense laws. Hopefully on Nov 6, we can break that roadblock with just two more seats in the state senate.

[hughee99]

15. I do not believe that it is just 2 senators that are keeping the California state legislature

from passing all sorts of common sense laws. As someone who lives in Massachusetts and has seen veto proof majorities in the state legislature many times, trust me, the wealthy and powerful have a way of getting things blocked regardless of the party makeup of governments.

[demosincebirth]

18. It'll make things better, anyway. The less republicans the better.

[hughee99]

19. I 100% agree on that.

I'm not trying to piss in your cornflakes if the CA legislature finally gets those last few votes (I know they've been trying for a while), I just wanted to give you a heads up that barring a sufficient number of repukes, the "money" will go after the more conservative Dems to get the blocking votes they need.

[Incitatus]

12. The legislators can be beholden to their big money supporters, just as easy as big money interests

can support ballot initiatives. In this particular initiative, I have no problem with it. I wish there was a simple answer to limit the power of a small and wealthy group in politics or to make voters educate themselves on what exactly they are voting for, but Citizens United certainly didn't make it any easier.

[CreekDog]

13. tell us which ones are bad and which ones are good

you always say these generic things about our legislature. well which ones? are they all equally bad?

it was like when you criticized government spending in California and when i asked you for specific things to cut you couldn't write things that added up to more than some millions of dollars (as if that would have gotten anywhere near solving our budget woes).

so put up and tell us who is good and who isn't.

[CreekDog]

16. you're wrong, again...initiatives require repeal with voter approval

you talk about lazy legislators, but you can't even be bothered to understand what they cannot do without a ballot initiative. sounds like you know bumper sticker slogans better than the state government you're constantly criticizing.

--------------------

CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 2 VOTING, INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM, AND RECALL


SEC. 10. (a) An initiative statute or referendum approved by a
majority of votes thereon takes effect the day after the election
unless the measure provides otherwise. If a referendum petition is
filed against a part of a statute the remainder shall not be delayed
from going into effect.
(b) If provisions of 2 or more measures approved at the same
election conflict, those of the measure receiving the highest
affirmative vote shall prevail.
(c) The Legislature may amend or repeal referendum statutes. It
may amend or repeal an initiative statute by another statute that
becomes effective only when approved by the electors unless the
initiative statute permits amendment or repeal without their
approval.
(d) Prior to circulation of an initiative or referendum petition
for signatures, a copy shall be submitted to the Attorney General who
shall prepare a title and summary of the measure as provided by law.
(e) The Legislature shall provide the manner in which petitions
shall be circulated, presented, and certified, and measures submitted
to the electors.

[Mz Pip]

11. Reinstating the death penalty was a ballot initiative

back in 1972, I think.

But I agree about the Initiative process. We've gotten some bad laws from it and they are often worded in ways that are very misleading.

I often wonder if Prop 8 was specifically worded so that a Yes vote meant you were voting against Gay marriage. I wonder how many low information voters who might have supported Gay marriage voted yes thinking they were voting for Gay marriage. Most people who pay attention knew the difference, but there is always that segment who just show up and vote on what they think something means.

[CreekDog]

17. yes, here it is:

thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_17_(1972)

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. California hasn't executed anyone in six years

And has only executed 13 since the death penalty was reinstated decades ago.

The goddamn Night Stalker is still sitting on death row in San Quentin.

It would be cheaper to just end the endless capital appeals process and move all these jagoffs to gen pop.

[demosincebirth]

8. My thoughts exactly.

[lunatica]

10. If it's repealed it will be retroactive

I don't think the Night Stalker will do well out there with the general population.

[lunatica]

9. Good. I voted absentee to repeal it.

[Irishonly]

14. My church helped get the signatures to get it on the ballot

One of the dearest ladies in the world went to many meetings and our group was armed with facts. We didn't change everyone's minds but at least we gave them correct information. It is more economically sound for life in prison-it costs much less than all of the appeals. One woman that I talked to would give the death penalty for everything and told me it was the ultimate deterrent. I told her I was glad she never did anything wrong. So much hate.

[Nye Bevan]

20. I hope so. Life without parole = Death in prison,

but without all the stupid drama, and with the opportunity to reverse the sentence if it turns out the person is innocent.