Jonathan's Liberal Centrist Environmentalist California Prop Voters Guide
Every year voting is such a pain...what do you vote for and why. Well I am a civic minded guy and I've spent hours and hours researching the California Propositions for my own vote so I figured why not share what I've learned! I'm so excited about politics this year I want to do my part to bring some clarity to this year's California election for like-minded voters. But first, who is the real Jonathan! Who are like-minded to me?
I'm registered independent but typically vote Dem. I'm liberal on social issues but I'm conservative on fiscal policy. I'm a member of the ACLU, Environmental Defense Fund, Greenpeace, The League of Conservation Voters. I'm also a member of the ASPCA although it's because I believe a society can be judged by the way it treats those who cannot defend their interests not because I believe that cats are conscious beings. I give money to children's organizations like Covenant House. I have also contributed Sierra Club although I am not a card carrying member and I'm a member of the Pickens Energy Independence Army with whom I don't always agree.
Okay, so now you know where I stand, here are my suggestions...
PROP 1A: High Speed Rail Train act
This prop allows the California Government to issue bonds totaling $9.95 billion for the purpose of constructing or continuing to work on constructing a high speed maglev train system for intercity travel in California. I support it. Here's why.
1. It's supported by environmental groups.
2. It will cost taxpayers almost 10 billion in interest payments over the course of the next two decades BUT like a toll road it will foot some of it's own costs eventually and could conceivably pay for itself in time.
3. We have to take this step sometime. I have to admit that my fiscal conservative is balking at 9 billion in interest debt for California but we have to start thinking about reducing flights and car travel within California sometime.
YES on PROP 1A (Hopefully I won't be eating my words on this endorsement in 10 years)
PROP 2: Standards for confining farm animals prop
Tree-hugging liberals toss their animal humping rights mumbo jumbo into the political process. This law will require farmers to keep caged animals in a space that allows them to move around, lay down and stretch their limbs. I support it. Yes on 2. Oh snap! Didn't I just say a minute ago I'm a member of the ASPCA? Got you on that one. Here's why.
1. My hippie ass roommate would kill me if I didn't.
2. Also, your friendly neighborhood militant animal groups all support it and I do like animals.
3. I also support it because although it requires more human treatment of animals I don't care that much about, it allows businesses at least 5 years or more to come into compliance so theoretically it shouldn't have a gigantic impact on California farms.
4. Finally, for about 10,000 years we farmed animals outside and everything was fine. It's our craving for massive amounts of food at ridiculously low costs that are killing the quality of our food. Especially food derived from animals. I'm hoping that humane treatment of animals will reverse the ugly trend of food quality depletion we have seen in our lifetimes.
YES on PROP 2
PROP 3: Children's Hospital Bond Act
Everyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for kids. This statute allows California to sell 980 Million in general obligation bonds for upgrades to children's health facilities at a cost of 933 Million to taxpayers of the life of the bonds. Sadly, I do not support this prop. Here's why.
1. There are still $350 Million in funds from Prop 61:2004 that have not been used yet for the exact same purpose.
2. I donate to children's organizations personally like Covenant House and St. Jude's Hospital which I feel is the best way to help these organizations. Every time I get a letter from these places in the mail with sick kid photos all over it I open up my wallet faster than Sarah Palin can burn "Catcher in the Rye".
3. We have to cut some government spending somewhere and I would rather see money spent on free universal health care for everyone than on a very small percentage of admittedly deserving children.
NO on PROP 3 (That's a tough one...I already want to change my mind.)
PROP 4: Waiting Period and Parental Notification for Minor Abortions
This prop would require parents or legal guardians to be notified when a minor seeks an abortion. I don't even want to touch this with a 10 foot pole. I really struggled with this one. I feel like parent's should know if their kids are getting abortions. It was a toss up for a long time but I'm voting No. Here's why...
1. Planned Parenthood is against this law. Opponents seem to suggest that Planned Parenthood doesn't care about teens because of their support for this law. I've decided that anytime anyone says that some highly regarded person, agency, group or network that is founded solely for the purpose of helping people has some self-serving interest, it's bullshit. You'd be amazed how much easier politics is when you recognize this fact.
2. There are laws in place to protect teens from abuse.
3. My conscience tells me that this law won't protect kids of good parents who's kids trust and love them. But I do think that this law will hurt misguided teens with crappy parents where parental notification will just make things worse.
NO on PROP 4 (Also very tough decision)
PROP 5: Nonviolent Drug Offenses Sentencing Parole and Rehabilitation Initiative.
Sounds pretty cool. It increase rehabilitation for drug offenders to the tune of 460 Million in funding but it also shortens parole terms and limits the ability of judges to incarcerate people for certain drug crimes. I'm voting No. Here's why.
1. This is a huge law with it's heart in the right place but it's not being supported by Diane Feinstein, whom I respect.
2. It's being called the Drug Dealers Bill of Rights which is no doubt some nonsense cooked up by someone like me to make the intentions of the bill seem clearly bad.
3. It's opposed by MADD
4. It's opposed by some law enforcement professionals.
6. Gotta cut some money out of the budget somewhere.
NO on PROP 5
PROP 6: Police and Law Enforcement Funding
Super confusing PROP that simply requires the state to spend a minimum of 965 Million a year on funding for police and local law enforcement. Think about it as a bottom cap on spending. It also makes about 30 revisions to law many of which go toward increasing sentences for gang and drug related crimes. This is a tough one. I'm voting No. Here's why.
1. I want to support it but as a card carrying member of the ACLU I think I might have to vote no since they do not support this bill. Once again, I feel like we need to cut some costs out of the budget for Cal and there is a potentially half billion dollar cost to this bill annually due to increased spending on criminal justice programs.
2. Oddly, this bill is mostly supported by a ton of law enforcement people and a bunch of Republicans. Republicans wanting to spend extra money? That freaks me out.
No on PROP 6
PROP 7: Renewable Energy Generation
I know you're going to freak out on me because this sounds like a great law. Government owned utilities having to provide 20% of their energy from renewable energy by 2010! Raises that amount to 40% by 2020! Sounds incredible. Sadly, I'm voting No. Here's why.
1. Two groups I am a member of do not support this bill. The California League of Conservation Voters and the Environmental Defense Fund. The EDF is an exceptional organization and I recommend that anyone interested in responsible free market energy policies must read "Earth: The Sequel" by Fred Krupp. If he doesn't support a bill neither do I.
2. The big problem with this bill is it restricts small business entry into the renewable energy market.
3. Almost no renewable energy companies support this bill.
NO on PROP 7
PROP 8: Eliminate Same-Sex Couples Marriage
Welcome to 1902! I don't like those people so I want to strip away some of their privileges because of my religious ideology. Whether you believe in the gay lifestyle or not, we live in a country where all people are equal. If you claim to love America and it's Constitution, you cannot vote for this law. I don't care if kids learn what it means to be gay. I do care when children are taught that they are better than, or more entitled to something, than someone else because they are different and in the minority.
It's not enough that it's the will of the people. There was a time when Blacks were worth 3/5ths of whites and women couldn't vote. If you had taken a vote in their times for each of these things, these backwards laws would have stayed on the books by a landslide.
1. When even one person's freedoms are trampled on by the government, we are all damaged. We have a duty as Americans to protect our fellow Americans from reductions of freedom whether we agree with them or not.
NO on PROP 8
PROP 9: Criminal Justice System Victims Rights
Another law that sounds really good. Once again though...I have to vote No. Here's why.
1. It's a useless expenditure of money. We already have a "Victims Bill of Rights" in the California Constitution. It was voted into place years ago. We don't need more new laws that are going to cost us hundreds of millions to implement.
2. This law is being pushed by some families that have admittedly had bad things happen to them but there are already enough protections in place for most crime victims.
NO on PROP 9
PROP 10: Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy
This law is being supported by T. Boone Pickens. I am a member of the Pickens Army. I bet you think I am going to vote for this....well, you're wrong. This bill mostly provides rebates for companies that purchase clean emission vehicles for thier fleets. It's a 5 billion dollar bond that will cost California 5 billion in tax money during repayment. About 75% of the bill goes to the rebates I mentioned. Sadly, it's heart is in the right place, but not it's actions. I'm voting no. Here's why.
1. Once again, the Environmental Defense Fund and the League of Conservation Voters as well as the Sierra Club of California are opposed to this bill. I know it's got a nice name but virtually no environmental organization supports it.
2. We need energy laws that use the free market to make polluting LESS PROFITABLE than polluting without taxing government funds. We can do this. Penalize companies for polluting and let them spend their own money to update their fleets. Once again, READ EARTH: THE SEQUEL. Government does not have to fix this problem by tossing money at it when legislation which is free can do the trick. Oh GOD! I sound like a Republican!
NO on PROP 10
PROP 11: Redistricting Constitutional Amendment
This law removes the ability of politicians to draw their own districts and hands that power to a bipartisan group of individuals half of which are selected and half voted on by the first half. You can't have given over $2000 to a political party and be in this group of evenly divided Independents, Democrats and Republicans. I support this bill. Here's why.
1. It's free or at least really cheap.
2. It should help to get our state legislature moving and break up monopolies of ineffective politicians
3. It's supported by more people than Jesus starting at the Governor and ending at the ACLU. Good enough for me!
YES on PROP 11
PROP 12: Veterans Bond Act
Allows the state to issue 900 million in bonds to pay provide subsidies for Veterans of our Armed Services to purchase homes and farms. I support it. Here's why.
1. Unlike other bond sales, the interest that would typically be paid by the state to the bond investors is paid off as mortgage payments by the veterans. As such, this law honors our service veterans by rewarding their service while costing taxpayers almost nothing. A nice example of a win-win law for California.
YES on PROP 12
SUMMARY:
Check out some other sources and decide for yourself but these are my votes. Whether you agree with me or not, the most important thing is that you get your ass out there and punch those cards! It's your civic duty! If you don't vote, you don't count!
If you want you can easily find the "Yes on" or "No on" websites for each of these props by searching on Google and checking them out for yourself.
Yes on 1
Yes on 2
No on 3
No on 4
No on 5
No on 6
No on 7
No on 8
No on 9
No on 10
Yes on 11
Yes on 12
GO VOTE!

