My November 2008 ballot
Last night, I finally finished filling out my mail-in ballot. This is my first year ever voting for anything political, and I was really excited to do so. Here's how I voted on each of the California propositions and on the presidential election. Feel free to respond and tell me whether you agree or disagree with me; I have an open mind.
Prop 1A (9.95 billion bond for high-speed rail): No. Let me first say that it is nearly impossible to get me behind a bond unless it is a REALLY good idea. This seems like a pretty unnecessary expenditure for something that won't be completed until 2030. 9.95 billion dollars is a lot to spend on something that we wouldn't even see the payoff for until more than 20 years from now. Environmentalists love this prop because of how beneficial the train will be for the environment, but who knows what kinds of environmentally safe methods of travel we'll have by the time this thing is planned to be completed?
Prop 2 (Regulations on animal confinement practices): Yes. While I don't care much for the wellbeing of animals that are going to be killed for food anyway, I'm voting yes on this for the sake of the cows that provide me my milk and the chickens that lay my eggs. I think that maintaining the fair treatment of animals is more important than maintaining our food prices - and I have my doubts that the passing of this prop will have a substantial effect on our food prices anyway.
Prop 3 ($980 million in bonds for children’s hospitals): No. Not a necessary enough allocation of money.
Prop 4 (Waiting period and parental notification before minors obtain abortions): No. The first of the two most hotly debated props on this year's ballot, Prop 4 fails in my book simply because I feel that any female of any age should have the right to get an abortion on her terms as she sees fit. Additionally, this will obviously drive up the number of girls getting dangerous back alley abortions in an attempt to both lose their pregnancy AND keep the procedure from their parents.
The Ballotpedia.org article for this proposition states that Prop 4 passing would "require minor's consent to abortion, with exceptions." What the hell kind of exceptions could there be? How could any female be FORCED to abort?
Prop 5 (Treatment for youth; rehab and shorter parole for nonviolent adult drug offenders): Yes. This was a difficult decision, as I can see criminals convicted of nonviolent crimes using this prop as a "get out of jail free" card and claiming a drug addiction on their deed. I'm going to hold out hope that measures will be taken to prevent this from happening. While I am very much against the recreational use of marijuana, I think it is ludicrous to throw a misguided pothead into our already overfilled prisons and spending the money to keep him or her there. I very much like the idea of putting said druggie through a rehab program, which frees up our jails and saves us money in the long run. There are definite pros and cons to this proposition, but the pros outweigh the cons enough for this proposition to win my approval.
Prop 6 (Increase crime prevention programs, harsher penalties on crime): No. The toughest decision I had on this ballot by far. While I feel that we need more funding for law enforcement, I am not in favor of taking money away from education to do it, and I am not in favor of some of the "approximately 30 revisions of California law" that this proposition entails, especially the thought of trying a 14-year-old gang member as an adult. I like some of the things that this proposition wishes to change, and for that reason, I hope to see a revised version of this proposition appear on the ballot next year.
Prop 7 (Promotes use of alternative fuels): Yes. If we want to make the use of renewable energy more standardized, it's going to take pushes such as this one.
Prop 8 (Eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry): NO NIGGA. I see the banning of gay marriage as an obvious 14th Amendment violation, and I'm amazed by the religious nazis that try to downplay that fact by reminding that homosexuals can still marry if this prop passes, so long as they marry someone of the opposite gender like everyone else. Virtually every Yes on 8 ad that I've seen or heard claims that Prop 8 protects children from learning about gay marriage in school, but that's horseshit because schools aren't required to teach marriage in the first place (and I certainly can't recall ever learning of it there).
The best argument in favor of 8 that I've heard is that some religions that do not view gay marriage as a real marriage are in danger of serious penalties if prop 8 fails, such as losing their tax-exempt status. I've heard both sides to this claim, some saying that it is a real possibility and others saying that it is an idle threat, and I am not yet sure which is correct. However, I will say that even if religions are in danger of repercussions because of their stance on gay marriage, I feel that that is a problem that the religion itself needs to solve, not homosexuals. Our 1st Amendment gives us the freedom to be of any religion that we wish, or even no religion at all, so I see no logic in adhering our gay marriage laws to the beliefs of some religions when our country specifies no one religion as the sole correct answer.
Prop 9 (Laws governing treatment crime victims and parole procedures): Yes. This was by far the easiest prop to come up with a stance on, at least for me. If you commit a crime against me, you can bet that I want the right to know the what, when, where, and how of how you are being handled by the law.
Prop 10 (Promotes use of alternative fuels): No. No more bonds please, especially since I don't see the progression towards renewable energy and alternative fuel sources slowing down much if this fails. Prop 7 is a much better push for safer energy sources than this is.
Prop 11 (Independent commission to draw legislative district boundaries): No. This is the proposition that I care the least about, but in the end, it just seems like a vaguely worded attempt to rearrange the district boundaries to give more power to a certain political party.
Prop 12 ($900 million in bonds for home, farm purchasing assistance for vets): No. Not a good use of money, and I really question whether or not the responsibility of paying off the bond will always be on veterans. On a side note, if the benefits of this bond will only be enjoyed by veterans, and if this bond will supposedly only be paid off by veterans, then I question the logic in leaving the decison up to the general public.
Presidential election: Obama/Biden. I was prepared to vote for Dr. Ron Paul until McCain got the Republican nomination. In short, Obama speaks to my issues better than any candidate on the ballot, as I am against the banning of gay marriage, in favor of stem cell research, in favor of a woman's right to abortion, and in favor of universal health care.
Prop 1A (9.95 billion bond for high-speed rail): No. Let me first say that it is nearly impossible to get me behind a bond unless it is a REALLY good idea. This seems like a pretty unnecessary expenditure for something that won't be completed until 2030. 9.95 billion dollars is a lot to spend on something that we wouldn't even see the payoff for until more than 20 years from now. Environmentalists love this prop because of how beneficial the train will be for the environment, but who knows what kinds of environmentally safe methods of travel we'll have by the time this thing is planned to be completed?
Prop 2 (Regulations on animal confinement practices): Yes. While I don't care much for the wellbeing of animals that are going to be killed for food anyway, I'm voting yes on this for the sake of the cows that provide me my milk and the chickens that lay my eggs. I think that maintaining the fair treatment of animals is more important than maintaining our food prices - and I have my doubts that the passing of this prop will have a substantial effect on our food prices anyway.
Prop 3 ($980 million in bonds for children’s hospitals): No. Not a necessary enough allocation of money.
Prop 4 (Waiting period and parental notification before minors obtain abortions): No. The first of the two most hotly debated props on this year's ballot, Prop 4 fails in my book simply because I feel that any female of any age should have the right to get an abortion on her terms as she sees fit. Additionally, this will obviously drive up the number of girls getting dangerous back alley abortions in an attempt to both lose their pregnancy AND keep the procedure from their parents.
The Ballotpedia.org article for this proposition states that Prop 4 passing would "require minor's consent to abortion, with exceptions." What the hell kind of exceptions could there be? How could any female be FORCED to abort?
Prop 5 (Treatment for youth; rehab and shorter parole for nonviolent adult drug offenders): Yes. This was a difficult decision, as I can see criminals convicted of nonviolent crimes using this prop as a "get out of jail free" card and claiming a drug addiction on their deed. I'm going to hold out hope that measures will be taken to prevent this from happening. While I am very much against the recreational use of marijuana, I think it is ludicrous to throw a misguided pothead into our already overfilled prisons and spending the money to keep him or her there. I very much like the idea of putting said druggie through a rehab program, which frees up our jails and saves us money in the long run. There are definite pros and cons to this proposition, but the pros outweigh the cons enough for this proposition to win my approval.
Prop 6 (Increase crime prevention programs, harsher penalties on crime): No. The toughest decision I had on this ballot by far. While I feel that we need more funding for law enforcement, I am not in favor of taking money away from education to do it, and I am not in favor of some of the "approximately 30 revisions of California law" that this proposition entails, especially the thought of trying a 14-year-old gang member as an adult. I like some of the things that this proposition wishes to change, and for that reason, I hope to see a revised version of this proposition appear on the ballot next year.
Prop 7 (Promotes use of alternative fuels): Yes. If we want to make the use of renewable energy more standardized, it's going to take pushes such as this one.
Prop 8 (Eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry): NO NIGGA. I see the banning of gay marriage as an obvious 14th Amendment violation, and I'm amazed by the religious nazis that try to downplay that fact by reminding that homosexuals can still marry if this prop passes, so long as they marry someone of the opposite gender like everyone else. Virtually every Yes on 8 ad that I've seen or heard claims that Prop 8 protects children from learning about gay marriage in school, but that's horseshit because schools aren't required to teach marriage in the first place (and I certainly can't recall ever learning of it there).
The best argument in favor of 8 that I've heard is that some religions that do not view gay marriage as a real marriage are in danger of serious penalties if prop 8 fails, such as losing their tax-exempt status. I've heard both sides to this claim, some saying that it is a real possibility and others saying that it is an idle threat, and I am not yet sure which is correct. However, I will say that even if religions are in danger of repercussions because of their stance on gay marriage, I feel that that is a problem that the religion itself needs to solve, not homosexuals. Our 1st Amendment gives us the freedom to be of any religion that we wish, or even no religion at all, so I see no logic in adhering our gay marriage laws to the beliefs of some religions when our country specifies no one religion as the sole correct answer.
Prop 9 (Laws governing treatment crime victims and parole procedures): Yes. This was by far the easiest prop to come up with a stance on, at least for me. If you commit a crime against me, you can bet that I want the right to know the what, when, where, and how of how you are being handled by the law.
Prop 10 (Promotes use of alternative fuels): No. No more bonds please, especially since I don't see the progression towards renewable energy and alternative fuel sources slowing down much if this fails. Prop 7 is a much better push for safer energy sources than this is.
Prop 11 (Independent commission to draw legislative district boundaries): No. This is the proposition that I care the least about, but in the end, it just seems like a vaguely worded attempt to rearrange the district boundaries to give more power to a certain political party.
Prop 12 ($900 million in bonds for home, farm purchasing assistance for vets): No. Not a good use of money, and I really question whether or not the responsibility of paying off the bond will always be on veterans. On a side note, if the benefits of this bond will only be enjoyed by veterans, and if this bond will supposedly only be paid off by veterans, then I question the logic in leaving the decison up to the general public.
Presidential election: Obama/Biden. I was prepared to vote for Dr. Ron Paul until McCain got the Republican nomination. In short, Obama speaks to my issues better than any candidate on the ballot, as I am against the banning of gay marriage, in favor of stem cell research, in favor of a woman's right to abortion, and in favor of universal health care.