We are.
Woooohoooooooo!
I don't normally discuss politics at The Clutter Museum. It's not that I'm apolitical--I'm just usually kind of inarticulate when it comes to political issues, and I don't want to hurt "my" causes. But today I make an exception. Here's my rundown on the California and local propositions and elections:
I am sad that a local measure to dump Pacific Gas & Electric in favor of the local municipal utility district didn't pass. I guess the folks with the most money win the election. *sigh*
But we are getting a Target in town, with 51.5% in favor. Again, the folks with the most money prevailed. I, however, turned against my hippie roots and voted for this one. I shop in my city's downtown and support its independent businesses. But I also drive elsewhere to go to Target--and so does everyone else I know. The Target will be near the edge of town, will be built of "green" materials, and will have a natural buffer zone around it. Plus the city should rake in $750,000 to $1 million a year in tax revenue. What's not to love? (Of course, I would never, ever vote to have a Wal-Mart in town. I heart Target, but loathe loathe LOATHE Wal-Mart, those bastards. And yes, I know some people see such as stance as hypocritical. I call it nuanced.) :)
I'm also glad that the parental notification requirement for teens seeking abortions was shot down. Whew.
I'm pissed the cigarette tax initiative didn't pass. It would have added a tax of something like $2.60 to each pack of cigarettes in order to fund smoking cessation programs, health care for poor kids, etc. But again, the people with the most money won. Bastards.
I'm actually not happy the sex offender residence restriction proposition passed. I mean, yeah, those people really effed up and are not people I'd want Lucas living near. That said, the restrictions in this particular bill are going to drive sex offenders into rural towns, and just as I don't think it's fair to build sewage plants only in minority neighborhoods, I don't think it's fair for urbanites to vote to export sex offenders to rural areas. We need to find a better solution. For the record, Mr. Trillwing and I disagree on this one, big time.
Richard Pombo is gone. Yay! John Doolittle hangs on. Boo! Hisssssss!
I don't think we're going to take the Senate, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed on those last two races. :)
For those of you in the U.S., how are you feeling about the election? Canadians and others, feel free to weigh in with glee at our progressive turn in the House. :)
10 comments:
i am so sad about some of those CA props going the way they did.
and even though i did not like angelides, i hate shwarzenger more...
Well, I guess you can make the argument that more cigarette taxes are a pretty regressive way of funding necessary state programs. So in an odd way it's a victory for big money, but also for a group that's disproportionately blue-collar.
Canadian perspective: Yeah, I'm pretty stinking excited about this turn of events. I may speak with far less gloom about the state of the world today. Chris and I spent yesterday evening on separate computers, checking out all the news sources and calling out election results to each other.
BTW, you guys vote on some crazy stuff on election day. (You voted on whether to have a Target? Was it a zoning issue or something?) And watching the whole election coverage makes me more and more in love with our standardised paper ballot system. It works, dangit.
(Evidence of how Americanised I am: the highlights of my day were the House majority and Britney Spears dumping K-Fed. Oh yeah, and my friend being cancer-free finally.)
Queen: We're the only town anywhere to actually put Target to a vote. Why? Because the size of the store goes against the General Plan for development here and would require an amendment.
That said, I'm not happy about it. I like living here because none of that crap is here in town. Yeah, it's better than Wal-Mart, but just wait and see what else pops up in the next few years. I don't even own a car and I don't want the Target here. The placement is just as inconvenient for me as all the other ones.
Also sad about the PG&E vote. Money definitely made the difference in these two.
That said, winning the House is cheering me up considerably despite all the crappy props that did or didn't pass as I wanted. Come on Virginia Senate race!
Welll, thank you democrats for getting out the vote. The connections between Tony Blair and George Bush are a little too strong for my taste (over Iraq mainly) so I am very thankful for the democrat victories.
I don't get the proposition business of election day in the US but that's fine. If it creates more reasons for people to get out and vote, it can't be a bad thing (althought Target was odd).
Why, oh WHY do people think that bonds provide us with free money?! Many of these projects need to be done, but I object to paying twice as much to do them because we issued bonds.
I am so happy that the CA props went they way did. (I know.. strange for a social liberal.. but I'm a fiscal conservative).
So I voted against all the "tax 'X' to spend on 'Y'" initiatives. The cigarette tax? Would not have helped children, low income or smokers as much as it would have improved the bottom lines of HMOs and large hospital groups. Would have kept my bankrupt hospital open? No. Improved Summit's and Kaiser's bottom line, yes. On the backs of the mostly poor who are addicted to smoking.
I am thrilled beyond speech that parental notification failed. I've smiled all day because of that.
I agree that the sex offender monitoring thing passed. I don't believe people really read it or understood it. I think it was an emotionally-charged issue, voted on with guts instead of information.
And, Yay! they just announced that the Dems won the Senate too.
Not sure the House is going to go all progressive up in there, but I for one am thrilled.
(And thank goodness that pregnant teenagers are not going to be forced to go the "parental consent" route.)
Hi honey, it's me!
I don't think we disagree big time on the sex offender relocation program. We both want the bad guys kept away from our son, you're just more squeamish about where we send the bad guys.
The fact that they release those people at all is the real outrage. I'm for one strike and you're out where it comes to child molestation.
As far as egalitarian relocation proposals for convicted child molesters... what are we doing with Alcatraz these days?
~Mr T
Oh yeah! The best news for me, about the fact that the evil party has lost some of its shine is that I can put on hold my planned effort to get ex-pats a seat in the house and senate. You know, if this didn't turn out this way, I was this close to emigrating!
And, Stacey, yeah, I'm with you there on that. What the hell gives. If it's good enough to fund, then why don't we GASP... HACK just raise taxes to pay for it. Instead, we vote for bond issues, then wind up raising taxes to pay the piper his interest.
I think one of the biggest failings of educational policy has been the stepping back from Clinton's plan to replace all of the student loans in the U.S. with Direct Loans from the Department of Education. Cut out the middle man! If the government won't stand up to fully fund higher education, the least it can do is fund the loans without shamelessly subsidizing private industry.
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