election news
Woot--I'm happy about the election!
I really went into the whole campaign trail with a lot of pessimism. After the Gore-Bush debacle, I completely lost hope that the country could accept someone that wasn't a socially conservative idiot. This was strengthened by the last election, where we were subjected to more Bush (off-color joke; yes, I know more than a few people who would love to be subjected to "more Bush" in their lives).
Ok, so this election, even in the early stages, I was pretty certain that we'd have a Clinton-McCain battle. I mean, Hilary had name recognition and a lot of money. I didn't believe that anyone would give her a challenge. And I didn't want her to win; I think that she's a shill for so many interest groups, and she doesn't back her own purported liberality. (We wanted Kuchinich, but we knew that he didn't have a chance in hell.) But Obama was good as a candidate...an acceptable alternative. And then when he got the nomination...hey, that was cool.
But I didn't think that Obama would actually win the whole election...I was hoping that he would, but I didn't believe it.
I'm really, really happy to be wrong! So, hooray!
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Here's the flip side of the election results, though, for those interested. Proposition 8 and Proposition 2 passed their popular vote margins in California and Florida, respectively. For those not aware, Prop 8 eliminates the right for same-sex couples to marry in CA; Prop 2 does the same thing in FL. Another measure also passed in Arizona.
In Arkansas, a measure to ban same-sex parents or unmarried individuals from fostering children or adopting children also passed.
Bastards.
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There were some victories on the pro-choice front.
South Dakota (yes, one of the states that has to be dragged, kicking and screaming, out from the Middle Ages!) actually rejected a proposal to ban abortions (except in case of rape, incest, etc.)
In Colorado, voters rejected a measure defining a person to "include any human being from the moment of fertilization," which would have applied to sections of the Colorado Constitution.
California's Proposition 4, which requires physicians to provide parental notification to guardians of minors at least 48 hours before performing an abortion, did not pass. Score 1 for a person's right to privacy regarding their medical records!
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Voters in Michigan chose to amend the state constitution to permit human embryonic stem cell research with certain restrictions. The embryos, which must have been created for fertility treatment purposes, would have to have been discarded otherwise, and they may not be used more than 14 days after cell division has begun. (For those curious, the idea that anyone would get embryos for stem cell research through abortive procedures is completely erroneous. The "restrictions" here are ones that researchers would see as unnecessary.)
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Some interesting news, per CNN:
Michigan became the 13th state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, with 64% of the vote. Voters in Massachusetts also approved an initiative to decriminalize penalties for possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana.
Voters in Nebraska approved a measure prohibiting state governments from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to people based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, or national origin. Results on a similar measure in Colorado have not been announced.
In Washington, 58% of voters supported a citizen initiative to allow adults with 6 months or less to live to request lethal medication prescribed by a physician. A physician is not required to comply, but anyone participating "in good faith" with the request would not risk criminal prosecution.
Massachusetts passed a measure to ban greyhound racing by 2010, and California approved an initiative to outlaw the confinement of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens "in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely." (I wouldn't characterize myself as an animal rights person, but I do support any measure that requires that animals be treated in a compassionate and humane manner. So, good for animals here!)
I really went into the whole campaign trail with a lot of pessimism. After the Gore-Bush debacle, I completely lost hope that the country could accept someone that wasn't a socially conservative idiot. This was strengthened by the last election, where we were subjected to more Bush (off-color joke; yes, I know more than a few people who would love to be subjected to "more Bush" in their lives).
Ok, so this election, even in the early stages, I was pretty certain that we'd have a Clinton-McCain battle. I mean, Hilary had name recognition and a lot of money. I didn't believe that anyone would give her a challenge. And I didn't want her to win; I think that she's a shill for so many interest groups, and she doesn't back her own purported liberality. (We wanted Kuchinich, but we knew that he didn't have a chance in hell.) But Obama was good as a candidate...an acceptable alternative. And then when he got the nomination...hey, that was cool.
But I didn't think that Obama would actually win the whole election...I was hoping that he would, but I didn't believe it.
I'm really, really happy to be wrong! So, hooray!
______________________________
Here's the flip side of the election results, though, for those interested. Proposition 8 and Proposition 2 passed their popular vote margins in California and Florida, respectively. For those not aware, Prop 8 eliminates the right for same-sex couples to marry in CA; Prop 2 does the same thing in FL. Another measure also passed in Arizona.
In Arkansas, a measure to ban same-sex parents or unmarried individuals from fostering children or adopting children also passed.
Bastards.
______________________________
There were some victories on the pro-choice front.
South Dakota (yes, one of the states that has to be dragged, kicking and screaming, out from the Middle Ages!) actually rejected a proposal to ban abortions (except in case of rape, incest, etc.)
In Colorado, voters rejected a measure defining a person to "include any human being from the moment of fertilization," which would have applied to sections of the Colorado Constitution.
California's Proposition 4, which requires physicians to provide parental notification to guardians of minors at least 48 hours before performing an abortion, did not pass. Score 1 for a person's right to privacy regarding their medical records!
_______________________________
Voters in Michigan chose to amend the state constitution to permit human embryonic stem cell research with certain restrictions. The embryos, which must have been created for fertility treatment purposes, would have to have been discarded otherwise, and they may not be used more than 14 days after cell division has begun. (For those curious, the idea that anyone would get embryos for stem cell research through abortive procedures is completely erroneous. The "restrictions" here are ones that researchers would see as unnecessary.)
_______________________________
Some interesting news, per CNN:
Michigan became the 13th state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, with 64% of the vote. Voters in Massachusetts also approved an initiative to decriminalize penalties for possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana.
Voters in Nebraska approved a measure prohibiting state governments from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to people based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, or national origin. Results on a similar measure in Colorado have not been announced.
In Washington, 58% of voters supported a citizen initiative to allow adults with 6 months or less to live to request lethal medication prescribed by a physician. A physician is not required to comply, but anyone participating "in good faith" with the request would not risk criminal prosecution.
Massachusetts passed a measure to ban greyhound racing by 2010, and California approved an initiative to outlaw the confinement of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens "in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely." (I wouldn't characterize myself as an animal rights person, but I do support any measure that requires that animals be treated in a compassionate and humane manner. So, good for animals here!)