If you are a citizen in a democracy, you need to vote. It is your job. If you are frustrated that you don’t get your way, too bad – that is part of democracy too.
Say whatever you want about politicians. The broad failure of the citizenry to live up to their democratic responsibilities ripples out into other failures.
I’m pretty informed about electoral logistics. I have strong electoral preferences. I’m supposed to be rooting for my opponents to stay home. But at the end of the day, shutting voters out is bad for democracy. It’s not a principle unless you follow it even when it isn’t good for you – it’s just words.
President: Vote Obama
Sure. Fine. Like him, don’t love him. Who would be happy about this economy? How can you blame him for all of it?
Senate: Feinstein
Love Senator Feinstein
Congress: Pelosi
Love Congresswoman Pelosi
CA Senate: Leno
Used to vote for R’s for this as a protest against lefty excesses. I no longer consider the R’s as a valid protest vote.
CA Assembly: Ammiano
Used to vote for R’s for this as a protest against lefty excesses. I no longer consider the R’s as a valid protest vote.
BART Director: Radulovich
CA Prop 30: Yes
We desperately need more education funding. Any port in a storm. The deal was supposed to be that IF we showed better academic performance, we’d get more money. My childs’ school has done this, and we continually get budget cuts. Even if this passes we still get cuts – they just won’t be as bad. Oh, and the teachers union continues to agree to concessions and head office keeps getting layoffs. It’s bad, and we’re doing what we can. It works out a lot better for us 10 and 20 years down the road if we’re doing better now. Please give us the money.
CA Prop 31: No
As with 37, I like the concept but not the execution. Two year budgeting is a great idea, but the law of unintended consequences has hit us like a ton of bricks on state budgeting formulas. I’m not rolling the dice that this is the exception.
CA Prop 32: No
Even if you are conservative, do you really think what the Koch Brothers did with this had YOUR best interests in mind?
CA Prop 33: No
So we’ve got pretty good auto insurance in the state, and one company wants to rewrite the rules to benefit themselves. Why would you vote for this again?
CA Prop 34: Yes
I’m not anti death penalty. I think it’s an acceptable tool. But I’m more interested in using the right tool for the job – it’s also been used in other places with success.
CA Prop 35: No
Like the concept, not the implementation. The devil is in the details. Leave it to the Legislature.
CA Prop 36: Yes
We should apply three strikes to violent criminals, not petty thieves. If backing off until we have the same standard as Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia makes me soft on crime, so be it.
CA Prop 37: No
Like the concept, not the implementation. Usually I would say leave it to the Legislature. But the legislature is a mess. Major interests need to be terrified that someone will hijack the issue and take it to the ballot. I hate that things have gotten so bad that after 25 years of measured consideration I’m saying fuhgeddaboudit and vote for this.
CA Prop 38: Yes
I prefer 30, but I’ll take this too. We desperately need more education funding. Any port in a storm.
CA Prop 39: Yes
I welcome the clean up of the corporate tax code.
CA Prop 40: Yes
We voted for citizen boards to draw boundaries subject to voter approval. They did their job, now it’s our turn.
SF Prop A: Yes
Funny. I’ll give them more money. But I won’t keep the existing Board.
SF Prop B: Yes
How often do you get to side with the Chamber of Commerce and SF Lawn Bowling Club AGAINST Aaron Peskin (whose entire family I quite like personally), Quentin Kopp and Matt Gonzalez? Christmas is comin’ early! Seriously – if you don’t like Prop B, you don’t like flowers. Literally.
SF Prop C: Yes
My wife is a realtor. This program has allowed her to help moderate income SF residents become homeowners (I spare the income details, but these people are NOT affluent). Buyers can’t speculate, and the money gets paid back with interest. And all kinds of great folks regular SF folk get housing. For taxpayers, I think the program is well run and the city funds are quite secure. This can’t be the ONLY housing solution we should pursue in our crowded little city. It is a worthy piece of the puzzle.
SF Prop D: Yes
When did “Dr. Terence Faulkner” drop the “J.D.” from his signature on these things? FYI – I always read his ballot arguments, ’cause they so pompous! Separately, does anyone else think that Starchild has lost some joie de vivre? I’m a little worried.
SF Prop E: Yes
See above. The Libertarian Party opposition is just phoning it in. Whatever. You should at least pretend to care. Oh, everyone else loves this as a really good pro-bidness move, even the progressives. Good for us!
SF Prop F: No
Trojan horse. Interesting that the Proponent’s argument ignores that THE goal of this initiative is to spend millions to explore tearing down Hetch Hetchy (we’ve already got reports on it FYI). And yes, we haven’t brought our waste water recycling on line. But we are working on it. Of course, they don’t mention that SF has the lowest per capita water use in the state. “We were just giving up and leaving, and wanted to give you this giant wooden horse as a present”
SF Prop G: Yes
Now I have to qualify some of my Prop D notes. Looks like Starchild got a bit of a stiffy defending the rights of corporate personhood and freedom of speech. Seriously, if you don’t get that corporations are not people, there is something wrong with you. Some kind of dumb thing.
SF Supervisor District 5: Olague
I’m not as left as the 5th. It’s a challenge finding a candidate. My first choice is Christina Olague for two main reasons: 1) my NOPNA folks are impressed with how she has supported the neighborhood and 2) she is endorsed by Eric Mar, who doesn’t line up with my policies, but he’s a super good guy that brings a good heart to the work he does and makes a meaningful effort to work with a wide range of people. I can have leftists who ignore me, or leftists who listen (and no – “good listening” does not mean they change their mind and vote with me).