Proposition Roundup - UPDATED


This main post provides an overview of the way I evaluate the propositions and will have links to each proposition with the arguments for or against

While it is everyone American's duty to vote, simply voting is not enough. We not only need an involved electorate, but an educated one. In that interest, my friends and I have something of an election tradition. We all get together for some wine and tobacco and a discussion of all of the propositions we will be voting on. This allows all of us to read over the stuff in the voter registration packet, and argue the different sides of the propositions. I'm hoping to recreate a little of that here on the blog, so that all of you have a synopsis of some good arguments. I'd also like to be more informed myself on these, so if you disagree with my take, please give me your take in the comments. This post will be updated, changing the undecideds to Yes or No with links to my arguments for or against, so keep checking back (I'll put this post in the highlighted posts section for easy access).

[UPDATE: If you don't have a Voter's Guide, the full text is on the web - including links to arguments for and against each proposition. My updates coming soon... promise]

[UPDATE 2: About half of the Props are done, with links to the individual posts. Hopefully I can get the rest of them wrapped up tomorrow]

[UPDATE 3: I've finished the scorecard with all of my current positions. The rest of the write ups will be posted periodically tonight. I'm thinking I'll also put up a post with just the scorecard]

[UPDATE 4: If you're here via Wizbang, welcome!]

[FINAL UPDATE: All the posts are done, and the individual links are below. I've also added a smaller, more printable scorecard]

[ONE MORE - I changed my position on 69 to a No, see the post for details]

The Scorecard:

Proposition 1A - Yes
Proposition 59 - Yes
Proposition 60 - Yes
Proposition 60A - Yes
Proposition 61 - No (I had mistakenly marked this yes earlier - the post always said no... sorry)
Proposition 62 - NO
Proposition 63 - NO
Proposition 64 - Yes
Proposition 65 - No
Proposition 66 - NO
Proposition 67 - No
Proposition 68 - No
Proposition 69 - No (Updated)
Proposition 70 - No
Proposition 71 - NO
Proposition 72 - NO

The Groundrules:
Here are a few of the basic assumptions I'll use to come to a conclusion on each proposition. These guidelines work to break ties and provide a framework to analyze out some of the complexity of the propositions.

1. Default position is No. Whenever we make a new law, it restricts some aspect of our liberty, or at the very least, makes it more complicated for us to live freely. This means that the best way to avoid problems is to approach the propositions with a default of no position. It also works to break ties, by setting up the standard that the Yes position has the burden of winning the argument.

2. Bond measures are held very suspect until proven absolutely necessary. Bonds are like credit cards for the state - when the state doesn't have enough money to live within its means, it figures it will just charge it. This means we end up paying way too much for something we should have budgeted in the first place. My belief is that our elected representatives should be able to squeeze every essential program into our budget, so if something comes along that we absolutely have to do but don't have the money for, it starts off at a strong No. The other thing that this rule fights against is a clever tactic that politicians do to hide government bloat and corruption - they hide all their pet projects that they know they don't have any support for somewhere in the budget, and then cry publicly about things like education and more cops that they know have tons of support. By doing this, they give the impression that something essential is underfunded, even though it is only underfunded by design. Another reason this rule is in here is because voters often unbalance our state budget with bond measure debt service - people vote for some huge bond, and don't realize that just paying the interest on that bond adds a few million more to the annual budget payout. When you pass several bond measures, they start to really add up to a deficit.

3. If any measure is similar to one that was passed in other elections, it is highly suspect. In the past, we've passed a "clean air and water" bond measure something like the last three times it has come on the ballot. This is obviously ridiculous. If we don't have the clean air that the last bill promised, then we know that we are simply throwing money away to pass it again.

If you have any suggestions for other ground rules, feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.

Posted: Mon - September 27, 2004 at 07:37 PM | | | | | | |

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