Tag: decision-2008

According to a poll in the UK:

• 47% of Brits think the 12th century English king Richard the Lionheart was a myth.
• 23% think World War II prime minister Churchill was made up. The same percentage thought Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale did not actually exist.
• 3% think Charles Dickens is a work of fiction himself.
• Indian political leader Mahatma Gandhi and Battle of Waterloo victor the Duke of Wellington also appeared in the top 10 of people thought to be myths.
• 58% thought Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective Holmes actually existed; 33 percent thought the same of W. E. Johns’ fictional pilot and adventurer Biggles.

We like to think we’re smarter here in America, but then I read the news and realize that I’m quite likely wrong. We must remember that Heinlein said that we must never underestimate the power of human stupidity, or as Homer Simpson put it, “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.”

Why do I remind you of this? Today is “Super Tuesday” in many states. Many stupid people will be voting. It is your responsibility to counter them. Go to the polls and make an intelligent and informed choice.

Even if you are not voting today, investigate your candidates, learn their positions and what they say. Think about how politics will work when they are in office. Will they be able to move our country forward in a positive direction, working in a productive manner with congress, providing transparency in government actions, and ensuring your tax dollars are used in an effective fashion. We’ve had political gridlock in Congress since the 1990s — we must move forward in a positive manner. It is up to you to make the intelligent choice.

Well, I got my absentee ballot today… after applying by mail on the weekend. Of course, they need it by Tuesday, and mail it so it arrives on Friday, saying to mail it on Friday… but the post offices are closed by now. So I either mail it on Saturday and hope that it arrives on Tuesday, or take the option provided to the ill or disabled to have my wife take it to the polls on Tuesday. I think I feel a migraine coming on….

The endorsement roll is continuing for Obama. Moveon.org endorsed him today, as did the Service Employees International Union in California, and quite surprisingly, the Los Angeles Times (they also endorsed McCain). The Seattle PI also endorsed him, as did former Fed Reserve chair Paul Volker. I know I was impressed with Obama’s platform, but then again, I can’t stomach Hillary, because of the Hil-Bil two-body problem (trust her, don’t trust him). I should note that, on the Clinton side, the New York Times has endorsed her (and McCain), and Ann Coulter has said she is prepared to vote for Clinton over McCain in a general election matchup.

As for the propositions, I’ve changed my positions some. kaottic97 has convinced me to do Yes on 91, and articles such as this (about how the state won’t get as much money as the ads state), combined with arguments on my last post, are making me go “No” on 94-97. I’m still thinking “No” on S — does anyone have a strong argument for it?

I wonder what Rush will do if it is McCain vs. Clinton?

The presidential year will soon be drawing near
The people soon will choose their fav’rite son
I wonder what they’ll do in Nineteen fifty-two
I wonder who they’ll send to Washington

Well, the Presidential Primary in California is coming up on Super Tuesday, I’ve sent in for my absentee ballot… and so I guess that means I need to figure out how I’m voting. Here’s my current thinking — but I’m open to being swayed, within limits. Note that this swaying must be by rhetoric alone — funds do not sway my vote.

• Presidential Preference. Obama. This has been a hard one. I’ve never been that enamored of Hilary Clinton, for a number of reasons that have nothing to do with sex. First, I think she should stay in the senate as the liberal voice of this generation. Ted Kennedy has got to retire sometime, and we need that voice. I’m also tired of the Clinton-Bush dynasty, and as the campaigning in SC has shown, we should be leery of the “two for one” approach: we’re not reelecting Bill. Lastly, I think Hilary (and Bill as de-facto Veep) are too large of a target for the GOP… and far too polarizing.

  So who to vote for. My daughter has been pushing for Obama, so I took the time this morning to read his position statements (PDF). Although I have a few quibbles, I tend to like his positions. I’m curious how he will pay for all his ideas, and he certainly won’t get them all through Congress, but still it is some fresh thinking.

  I’ll note that I’m not viewing Obama as “the black candidate”. Why? He’s not black. He’s the product of a “black” father and a “white” mother. Does this make him black? Only if you subscribe to the theory that a drop of black blood makes one black. But equally, a drop of white blood could then make one white… or Jewish blood make one Jewish. That’s an outdated notion that goes back to slavery and racial superiority. So in my eye, he’s just a man (gender is something different).

  As for other possible candidates: the field has been narrowing, and I’m not sure any others are viable. If Gore was in, I might support him, but for now, I’m inclined to vote for Obama.

• Prop 91: Transportation Funds. No. Even the proponents are suggesting a no on this, so why should I dispute them?
• Prop 92: Community Colleges. No. Right now, I’m leery of anything that will increase state spending, especially when the argument is that “it doesn’t raise taxes, it lowers fees”. I know costs are going up at colleges from salaries and fuel. If there is an increase in funding, it has to come from somewhere. Be that somewhere bonded indebtedness, or at the cost of something else. Right now is not the right time for this.
• Prop 93: Term Limits. No. If this were written correctly, possibly. But as it is now, this is a grab for term extensions from a number of legislators. If they want to continue in public service, more power to them, but they should broaden their horizons to the municipal or federal level. That will permit them to put their knowledge to good use.
• Props 94, 95, 96, 97: Leaning Yes. These are a lump; all basically the same, but for different tribes. They will bring more money in for the state than the current compacts provide (a good thing), but are likely riddled with loopholes that will allow them to get out of things (such as when there is competition). They also gore the interests of certain private parties, such as the large Vegas casino operators, racetracks, municipal card rooms, etc. The Indian’s casino growth is their loss. It is also lopsided, in that all the tribes gaining are in Southern California. Currently, the increase in revenue is swaying me towards this.
• LA Prop S: Communications Users Tax. Leaning No. This is a hard one. It changes the Telephone Users Tax to a Communications Users Tax, obstensibly to eliminate a number of lawsuits due to problems with the former. It reduces the tax rate, but broadens the tax to cover VOIP and similar services. They claim it won’t cover Internet and email, but the only thing I see exempted is digital downloads. It is also unclear what they would charge: hosting services? DSL fees? I think I’m against this primarily because it is badly written: if you are going to have legislation regarding technology, then have folks familiar with the technology write it.

In any case, those are my thoughts. C’mon, convince me otherwise.

No, I’m not talking about the weather, although that’s bad as well.

I’m talking about politics. McCain is taking swipes at Romney. Hilary is blaming Obama for the nasty turn of the campaign…. while also now saying the both the Michigan and Florida democratic primaries should provide her delegates, despite the party rules.

This is starting to remind me why I went for Anderson back in 1980. I was fed up with the candidates out there.

I still haven’t figured out who I’m for, other than I don’t have a positive impression of Hilary. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: She should stay in the Senate where she can be this generation’s Ted Kennedy (minus the car accident, of course). I certainly don’t like how Hilary is letting Bill lose — I’d worry that he would try to take the reins when she had the big chair (this isn’t a woman thing– this is a Bill thing).

C’mon folks. I’m still waiting for someone to convince me to vote for them, as opposed to against them.

ETA: Damn, I just realized that a business trip means I have to vote absentee. Luckily, you can apply for an absentee ballot electronically.

Many folks are making a big deal about Stephen Colbert and his candidacy for president. Even CNN is noting his run is legal, although he still isn’t on the ballot, and folks don’t know what to do about equal time.

But he’s just a poser. I’ll say it again. Poser.

There was once a comedian with the right credential: Patrick Layton Paulson. Pat Paulson ran for president in 1968, 1972, 1980, 1988, 1992 and 1996. Why run for president? As he told the Smothers Brothers, “Why not? I can’t dance — besides, the job has a good pension plan and I’ll get a lot of money when I retire.”

I personally remember Paulson’s run. I remember watching his campaign speeches where he dismissed criticism with a simple “Picky, Picky, Picky”. Certainly our current president would agree with his proposed constitutional amendments. I would ask where he is now that we need him, but I already know the answer.

Yup, the mud digging related to the current contenders for President has started… So far, we have:

• Hillary Clinton (D): She didn’t disclose her ties to a family charity, nor her position as director.
• John Edwards (D): He had a blogging scandal.
• Rudy Giuliani (R): He was once a democrat (horrors… so was Reagan).
• John McCain (R): He has trouble with Iraq.
• Barack Obama (D): He’s a smoker, and smoking and age are larger deterrants to a candidate than race.
• Mitt Romney (R): His family tree has polygamists.

Of course, what is scary is we’re not even in 2008 yet. Perhaps it is good that Al Gore couldn’t finish his speech at the Oscars. But then again, who needs a declaration, as folks are complaining that his home isn’t as green as it could be.