it's nearly election time!
Inspired by
Hugo's completed ballot of California issues, I went ahead and wrote down my picks as well. (Picks, like it's football or horse racing. VOTES! I meant votes.) With the exception of our local districts, and two propositions, we're boring-ly similar:
President: John Kerry, Democrat
Senate: Barbara Boxer, Democrat
Congress, CA 16th district: Zoe Lofgren, Democrat
CA State Senate, 13th district: Elaine Alquist, Democrat
CA State Assembly, 23rd district: Joe Coto, Democrat
(Oh look, I'm a Democrat.)
California Propositions:
1A (Protection of Local Gov't Resources) Yes
59 (Public Records, Open Meetings) Yes
60 (Election Rights of Political Parties) Yes
60A (Sale of Surplus Property) Yes
61 (Children's Hospital Projects) Yes
62 (Elections/Primaries) No
63 (Mental Health Services Expansion) Yes
64 (Limits on Private Enforcement of Unfair Business Competition Laws) No
65 (Local Government Funds, Revenues, State Mandates) No
66 (Limitations on Three Strikes Law, Lengthen Sex Crimes Punishment) Yes
67 (Emergency Medical Services Funding) Yes
68 (Non-Tribal Gaming Expansion) No
69 (DNA Sample Collection) Yes
70 (Tribal Gaming Compacts) No
71 (Stem Cell Research) Yes
72 (Health Care Coverage Requirements) Yes
Hugo and I differ on Propositions 69 and 71. I did not waver on Prop 69, but I did on Prop 71. I have no doubt as to the medical benefits of stem cell research, and I have no moral issues with it. My problem is with the $3B bond it calls for, and California already has significant financial issues. However, I still went with "yes" because of the medical benefits that stem cell research will provide, and if it means I have to pay X amount more per year in taxes, so be it. I already pay a ton of taxes, but when it comes to health care, medical research, education or children, I'll forego a few movies per year and pay that much more in taxes.
