How I'm voting

How I’m voting

One week before the elections, I thought I’d write out what I’ll be voting this election and why. Now I realize that some may have already voted and I don’t really expect to influence anyone, but I enjoy writing out reasons behind decisions. Call it the burgeoning lawyer in me. So here we go.

Prop 1A: High Speed Rail Bond

Voting: Yes

Why?: I was actually pretty torn on this one for a good long while. What ultimately swayed me to a yes vote was the timeline. I was concerned about a 9 billion dollar cost in today’s economy. However, spreading out bond payments in 30 years softens that effect. It’s time American joins the high speed rail party as alternatives to costly and notably un-green effects of air travel. Now I’m happy to vote yes.

Prop 2: Farm Animal Treatment

Voting: No

Why?: Here is one where I’ll probably be at odds with many of my leftist brethren. Probably the only one for that matter. Here is my take on it: I love animals, really, I swear, I do support animal rights. I greatly enjoy my meat products, but it would make me happy to know that they were raised and treated in humane ways. The problem: I love people more. I’m not expert and I can’t fully determine the full economic impact of the prop, but logic only dictates that this will increase the costs of producing eggs and other farm animal products. It will be fewer animals in the amount of space they have or having to purchase and upkeep more space. That space may have to be taken from other animal pens, maybe even crops on a small family farm. Without knowing the economic implications for absolute certain, I can’t give my support to a measure that might raise the cost of eggs even a penny for a family barely making ends meet as it is. When the economy is stable, food prices are rising so quickly on their own, and the poverty levels have shrunk, I would be happy to move on to animal issues. For now, though, I can’t back anything that will make impoverished life even harder than it already is.

Prop 3: Children’s hospitals

Voting: No

Why?: This one sure sounds great. I’d love to give sick kids more money. But, I’m trusting an old friend on this one who is heavily into many aspects of politics. Apparently, the dirty details of the prop only give 20% of the cash to the public hospitals. The rest go to rich private institutions. If it all went to the uncared for public places great, but as it stands, I don’t like it.

Prop 4: Parental notification

Voting: No

Why?: How many fucking times can they put this on the ballot? By no means should anyone tell a woman that they’re required to have parental notification for their own medical care. That’s right, medical care. Imagine a teenager couldn’t go in for a test without their parents being in the loop. It’s just a ludicrous and to think it wouldn’t cause lots of problems is just blind to reality.

Prop 5: non-violent offender rehabilitation

Voting: YES

Why?: Because this is ACTUAL prison reform that I’ve been wanting since my days as a sociology student. Treatment and rehab for non-violent drug offenders, probation and treatment for offense rather jail time, shorter parole to return the person to normal life where they can actually improve rather than just leaving in jail where they learn how to be a better drug addict. Yes yes yes please. Also, it makes minor possession a ticket rather than a misdemeanor, one more step to the most logical action: decriminalization entirely. This is the kind of program I want states spending money on.

Prop 6: Safe Neighborhoods Act

Voting: NO

Why?: This is the exact OPPOSITE of what I love about prop 5. More money to prisons, trying 14 year gang members as adults, making those getting housing subsidies to submit to yearly criminal checks (because god know rich people don’t commit crimes…), and lots of other increased spending that just doesn’t work. Doesn’t now, didn’t then, won’t ever. These measures let politicians say “look I’m doing for your kids” even though long term benefits are basically nil. Bad news.

Prop 7: renewable energy

Voting: No

Why?: another that sounds great, but actually causes a lot more problems than it’s worth. If anything is so confusing, the safest vote is usually no. The fact that environmental groups and energy companies say no make me confident to say no too. If they can get along enough to oppose something it must be pretty shady stuff.

Prop 8: Elimination of same-sex marriage rights

Voting: NO

Why?: Because there is no valid opposing argument to this. Really, there isn’t. If anyone can give me one good argument for it that doesn’t involve religion (because church and state aren’t great tastes that taste great together), public schools (because anyone can take their kid out of anything by CA law), churches being sued (because the specific court exception was for churches), or the voters being “ignored” (because the Court specifically addressed it and found they were unconstitutional), then I’ll give you a cookie. The fact is, the reason anyone would vote yes for this is because they don’t like gay people getting to have access to the same civil services as the rest of us. That’s called segregation and civil unions are the definition of separate but equal. In other words, its bullshit. If logic truly ruled the world, this prop would fail 100% to 0.

Prop 9: victim’s rights and parole changes

Voting: No

Why?: We have a two part legal system, prosecution and defendant. This threatens to add a third part of the crime victim. Can anyone really say that a jury could enact a fair sentence if the victim got to stand up and plead a case as well? The room for prejudice is really staggering. As far as the parole goes, well refer to my above rant to the failure of the prison system to guess why I don’t support keeping people in it for longer.

Prop 10: CA fuel initiatives

Voting: No

Why?: Another one that sounds great but really isn’t. This one came from one dude who would be the biggest beneficiary if it passed. Let’s get a bigger involvement, far more vetted coalition to propose something this complex and comprehensive. Fuck Pickens and his plan.

Prop 11: redistricting

Voting: No

Why?: I don’t need my districts made a commission I don’t have control over. The dems have control of state government and likely will for a long time coming. I’m happy enough to leave the districting power in their hands. Sure if I was trying to be extremely unbiased it could be their proposed commission. But I don’t care enough to see this done and something about a 14 member group making big decisions like this makes me smell corruption and political favors. No sir I don’t like it.

Prop 12: Veteran’s bond act

Voting: Yes

Why?: We ask a lot of veteran’s; the least we can do is give them money to buy homes, farms and other property. Really, that is the lease we can do.

Measure R: MTA changes

Voting: Yes

Why?: we need some changes made to LA County transit and this appears to be a pretty comprehensive plan. I know opponents say some areas get shafted, but that doesn’t change that something needs to be done about getting around this city and quick. Like I said, it’s time to join the mass transit party.


People: It should be of no surprise that I’m voting for Obama and the other dems up for legislator seats. I don’t follow their careers close enough to trust voting outside the party line. Maybe one day I’ll know enough about judges to actually vote for some, but not at this point I don’t.

So there it is. My November 4th ballot. Just thought I’d put it out there.

[Edit: I'm looking at this again and finding massive numbers of typos and poor grammar. I wrote this in a quick hour break on campus this morning and by the end was racing against my failing battery. I'm now too lazy to actually make any changes. The ideas are there, I trust anyone reading can get the jist :P]