Voting Why Bother???
Friday, October 20, 2006 (2:05am)
Why I'm Going To Vote Even Though Everything In Me Screams Why Bother...
One of my friends and I have been having an ongoing discussion lately about how frustrated we are with the current condition of the government. (See also my blog entry Jesus Was NOT A Republican) I've always had this hope that one day I would be able to go to the polls and feel like I was actually happy to vote for a candidate. Now that I'm older and wiser I realize that most politicians are not to be trusted, regardless of party.
I've been so aggravated by it all that for the first time in years I didn't vote in the primary this time. I was one step away from "why bother" for the election in November until I really started looking at the all the other things on the ballot this time. The crooked politicians we will have with us always. And even though I normally vote pretty conservatively politician wise there are some "conservatives" I could never vote for. For example, I personally would rather vote for Satan himself than to vote for Darrell Issa. The problem with working in media is that I've seen too much of the dark underbelly of way too many organizations.
It's interesting to me that some of the propositions that I actually care about have been buried in all the hoopla about certain other propositions. For example:
Prop 90 A proposition that would bar state/local governments from condemning or damaging private property to promote other private projects. It personally makes me very angry that in our country governments can decide to swipe my property under the imminent domain laws, not to make way for a school or road or something, but to give to a developer to put something "more profitable" for the city on it. I don't want to be 80 years old and having to "relocate" because someone wants to build high density housing here. That alone is worth me going to the polls for.
Prop 85 Waiting period and parental notification before termination of minor's pregnancy. I certainly might be wrong but I think regardless of which side of the abortion issue you fall on, minor's shouldn't be able to make such a major medical life decision without parental input. Kid's can't get an aspirin without parent's permission at school. I know from experience with a bunch of people that the decision to have an abortion can leave the person with some intense emotional issues to deal with, as well as physical ones. That's a lot for a minor to deal with alone. I say this even having grown up in a home where it was better for me to not deal with my parents with anything and where home was a dangerous place. I need to get more info on the proposition, but this is certainly one that I shouldn't ignore.
Prop. 83 Increases penalties for violent and habitual sex offenders and child molesters. Prohibits residence near schools and parks etc... Again an issue that can't be ignored. There needs to be more protection for the kids. The down side is that it tends to go probably too far. After running abuse recovery support groups, and also having do deal with abusers, I know so many people who will be impacted on both sides. I know a few convicted abusers who have turned their lives around who would be forced to move their residence and their business if this passes. But I also know a lot of people who will be able to rest a little easier and a lot of jerks who might just think twice before acting on their baser instincts.
Then there are those other pesky propositions that sound like good ideas but are so bogged down in pork or stupidity that they would be useless and it would be better to go back to the drawing board to come up with another plan. There are also the one's who would help to drive our taxes even higher.
Sure the propositions are a lot like the politicians... stinky and imperfect... but worth the attention nonetheless. So come November 7 I'll drag my sorry self down to the polling place and use the touch screen technology that hates me and I'll grouse about it and be angry and sad about the whole thing. But I refuse to roll over and play dead while the current political regime walks all over us without a fight.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I hope you drag yourself there too.
Why I'm Going To Vote Even Though Everything In Me Screams Why Bother...
One of my friends and I have been having an ongoing discussion lately about how frustrated we are with the current condition of the government. (See also my blog entry Jesus Was NOT A Republican) I've always had this hope that one day I would be able to go to the polls and feel like I was actually happy to vote for a candidate. Now that I'm older and wiser I realize that most politicians are not to be trusted, regardless of party.
I've been so aggravated by it all that for the first time in years I didn't vote in the primary this time. I was one step away from "why bother" for the election in November until I really started looking at the all the other things on the ballot this time. The crooked politicians we will have with us always. And even though I normally vote pretty conservatively politician wise there are some "conservatives" I could never vote for. For example, I personally would rather vote for Satan himself than to vote for Darrell Issa. The problem with working in media is that I've seen too much of the dark underbelly of way too many organizations.
It's interesting to me that some of the propositions that I actually care about have been buried in all the hoopla about certain other propositions. For example:
Prop 90 A proposition that would bar state/local governments from condemning or damaging private property to promote other private projects. It personally makes me very angry that in our country governments can decide to swipe my property under the imminent domain laws, not to make way for a school or road or something, but to give to a developer to put something "more profitable" for the city on it. I don't want to be 80 years old and having to "relocate" because someone wants to build high density housing here. That alone is worth me going to the polls for.
Prop 85 Waiting period and parental notification before termination of minor's pregnancy. I certainly might be wrong but I think regardless of which side of the abortion issue you fall on, minor's shouldn't be able to make such a major medical life decision without parental input. Kid's can't get an aspirin without parent's permission at school. I know from experience with a bunch of people that the decision to have an abortion can leave the person with some intense emotional issues to deal with, as well as physical ones. That's a lot for a minor to deal with alone. I say this even having grown up in a home where it was better for me to not deal with my parents with anything and where home was a dangerous place. I need to get more info on the proposition, but this is certainly one that I shouldn't ignore.
Prop. 83 Increases penalties for violent and habitual sex offenders and child molesters. Prohibits residence near schools and parks etc... Again an issue that can't be ignored. There needs to be more protection for the kids. The down side is that it tends to go probably too far. After running abuse recovery support groups, and also having do deal with abusers, I know so many people who will be impacted on both sides. I know a few convicted abusers who have turned their lives around who would be forced to move their residence and their business if this passes. But I also know a lot of people who will be able to rest a little easier and a lot of jerks who might just think twice before acting on their baser instincts.
Then there are those other pesky propositions that sound like good ideas but are so bogged down in pork or stupidity that they would be useless and it would be better to go back to the drawing board to come up with another plan. There are also the one's who would help to drive our taxes even higher.
Sure the propositions are a lot like the politicians... stinky and imperfect... but worth the attention nonetheless. So come November 7 I'll drag my sorry self down to the polling place and use the touch screen technology that hates me and I'll grouse about it and be angry and sad about the whole thing. But I refuse to roll over and play dead while the current political regime walks all over us without a fight.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I hope you drag yourself there too.
posted by Raw Faith Real World at 12:58 AM
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