We spent a couple of hours yesterday getting up to speed on the issues we'll be voting on here in California on November 8^th.

Ballotpedia was a really useful resource: https://ballotpedia.org/State_Politics

There are 18 propositions on our California ballot, including the following.

Prop 58 EDUCATION: Repeals the "English only" teaching requirement and allows bi-lingual teaching in public schools (while maintaining strict English-proficiency teaching mandates).
-- I'm voting 'yes'.

Prop 51 EDUCATION: Allocates $9 billion in bonds for education and schools (safety, infrastructure improvements, etc).
-- I'm voting 'yes'.

PROP 56 HEALTH/TAX: Increases the cigarette/e-cig tax by $2.00 per pack/item with revenue going towards a number of education and health initiatives.
-- I'm not sure how I'm gonna vote on this one; conflicted.

Prop 59 CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Supports the state's position on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission; encourages state legislators to advocate against the U.S. Supreme Court ruling which treats corporations as individuals and corporate campaign donations as 'free speech'.
-- Big 'yes' here.

Prop 60 HEALTH/WORK PLACE: Require the use of condoms in pornographic films with OSHA inspections for compliance.
-- I'm voting 'no' on this one.

Prop 61 HEALTHCARE: Invokes regulations on prescription drug prices.
-- Big 'yes'.

Prop 63 FIREARMS: Requires background checks for ammunition purchases.
-- I'm not sure on this one yet, though I'm in strong favor of parts of the proposition which involve more enforcement of existing gun laws.

Prop 64 MARIJUANA: Legalizes recreational sale/possession/use of marijuana and hemp for adults 21 or older.
-- Yep.

Prop 57 CRIMINAL JUSTICE / TRIALS:
Felony and Juvenile Trial reforms. Increases parole and good behavior opportunities for felons convicted of nonviolent crimes. Allows judges, not prosecutors, to decide whether to try certain juveniles as adults in court.
-- I'm still deliberating on this one.


Props 66 and 62 CRIMINAL JUSTICE / DEATH PENALTY:
-Prop 66 calls for reforming the death penalty conditions, requires death penalty inmates to work and allocate up to 70% of their earnings to victim restitution.

-Prop 62 calls to repeal the death penalty in the state, revokes existing death sentences and changes to life-without-parole, and requires all inmates convicted of capital crimes to work and allocate 60% of their earnings to victim restitution.

--I'm voting for prop 62; repeal the death penalty in the state. It's much more expensive than life-without-parole for the state and the tax-payers, and I don't believe the death penalty is an effective deterrent to violent crime/murder. Plus, I only support the death sentence under strict parameters which are much more narrow than those applied by our courts (state and federal).



What's on the ballot in your neck of the woods?

(10-23-2016, 01:33 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: What's on the ballot in your neck of the woods?

I was watching porn without condoms before they destroy the industry. That stain was an accident.

(10-23-2016, 03:39 PM)pyropappy Wrote:

(10-23-2016, 01:33 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: What's on the ballot in your neck of the woods?

I was watching porn without condoms before they destroy the industry. That stain was an accident.

Better watch out, Pappy -- an anonymous tip line will be established so that upstanding members of the moral majority can report dirty old bastards like yourself.

That knock-knock-knock on your door in the near future just might be your local Porn Condom Inspector.

It would probably be a good idea to cover all the incriminating evidence/stains with blankets asap, just in case. That seemed to do the trick for Vincent and Jules after Vincent accidentally fired one off in the car.

I'm not seeing anything like that on my ballot its just president, senators and executive council etc. last time there was a budget cap that passed (the idiots never actually went by it though) adjusted for inflation they still could not resist trampling on it.

(10-24-2016, 12:21 PM)Maggot Wrote: I'm not seeing anything like that on my ballot its just president, senators and executive council etc.

That's how it is on mine too.

Well, Californians voted in favor of a $2 per-pack tax on cigarettes, a 1 cent per-ounce tax on sugary drinks, some education bonds, and background checks for ammunition purchases.

Californians also voted against abolishing the death penalty in the state, against price controls on prescription drugs, and against mandatory/regulated use of condoms in pornography production.

Considering that less than half of the states' results matched my individual votes, and the federal election results didn't go as I'd hoped either, I take some comfort in the fact that recreational marijuana was legalized in the State of California (with strong labeling and age-restriction regulations).

Arizona said yes to raising minimum wage and no to recreational marijuana. Also, Joe Arpio got tossed.

(11-10-2016, 03:03 PM)Blindgreed1 Wrote: Arizona said yes to raising minimum wage and no to recreational marijuana. Also, Joe Arpio got tossed.

Lady Cop really liked Sheriff Joe and I appreciated that he was tough on hardened criminals too.

But, I was glad to read that the voters booted his ass. Over the last few years, he really overreached by ignoring court orders and trying to establish his own rules for immigration policy and enforcement. I don't wish him ill will or anything. But, at 84 and after 25 years on the job -- recently costing Arizona tax payers over $125 million in defense costs --I hope can just retire peacefully or move onto something new.

(11-10-2016, 03:41 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote:

(11-10-2016, 03:03 PM)Blindgreed1 Wrote: Arizona said yes to raising minimum wage and no to recreational marijuana. Also, Joe Arpio got tossed.

Lady Cop really liked Sheriff Joe and I appreciated that he was tough on hardened criminals too.

But, I was glad to read that the voters booted his ass. Over the last few years, he really overreached by ignoring court orders and trying to establish his own rules for immigration policy and enforcement. I don't wish him ill will or anything. But, at 84 and after 25 years on the job -- recently costing Arizona tax payers over $125 million in defense costs --I hope can just retire peacefully or move onto something new.

He's going for the homeland security position against Guliani

He's freaking 84.........But I think he should have just kept the pink jumpsuits, I laughed when I heard that. But he did make his point and for that he deserves retirement. Time for a new sheriff. Hopefully someone that goes by the law and not what others tell him. There are immigration laws and they should be followed not side swiped.