What Else Is On The Ballot???

By now, most of us have made up ours minds. We’re ready to walk into that voting booth and pull the lever and get it over with. It’s been a very long campaign, and I think no matter what side of the aisle you’re on, your just ready for the end of it. Personally, and I say this despite my inner nerd voice yelling “NO!!! “, but I am sick and tired of political conversations. More specifically, I’m sick of stubborn opinions and “heated-healthy debate”. 

It’s too often a distraction from many more important issues. For instance, do you know about the other provisions on your ballot this November in your state? If not, you are unprepared for the voting booth. If you live in my home state – Missouri – then just keep reading for the complete list, what they would accomplish, what supporters/opponents say. If you’re not from the Show Me State, just follow this link to find out about the ballots in your state : http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/States

 Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1

• Would establish English as the official language for all government meetings where public business is discussed or decided or where public policy is formulated.
• SUPPORTERS SAY : The amendment addresses the concern that we are becoming a country with too large a language barrier.
• OPPONENTS SAY : English is already the de facto language of meetings of governmental bodies throughout Missouri and there is no need to make this practice a constitutional requirement. Just as in the past, adults struggle to learn English, but their children and grandchildren rapidly adopt it.

Missouri Constitutional Amendment 4

• Will amend the Missouri Constitution to change the provisions relating to the financing of stormwater control projects.
• Limit funding to only public water and sewer districts.
• Remove the current limitation on the amount of funds that can be made available for these projects.
• Remove the restrictions on the method of disbursing these funds.
• Provide that loan repayment funds shall be deposited into a specific fund to be used for stormwater control projects.
• Have no impact on taxes.
• SUPPORTERS SAY : It would lead to quicker access to the stormwater funds, allowing faster improvements. It would not increase state taxes.
• OPPONENTS SAY : It will transfer millions of tax dollars to special interest groups. Its language is misleading to voters about where tax dollars are going. Passage will support voter disengagement.

Missouri Proposition A

• Would provide new revenue to Missouri schools by increasing the state tax casinos pay to 21% and eliminating Missouri’s $500 buy-in limit (often described as a “loss limit.”)
• Would also generate new funds for early childhood programs and other state and local services from the $2-per-visitor excursion fee paid by casinos.
• It would also limit the number of casinos in Missouri to those already built or under construction.
• Require identification to enter the gambling area only if necessary to establish that an individual is at least 21 years old.
• Require annual audits of this fund.
• SUPPORTERS SAY : Supporters from both sides of the state also claim that it would protect gaming jobs in Missouri by keeping a customer base that could be lost to other casinos and casino proposals across the state lines in Kansas and Illinois.
• OPPONENTS SAY : It could open the state to a new round of legal challenges against Missouri’s school funding method: “With this (initiative) petition, it appears to me adequate funding would be based not only on how much the accredited schools have spent on their education, but also on how much people lose at the gambling boat, which I don’t think the court would find as a rational basis for funding”, according to Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter. The measure uses schools to gain approval of law that primarily would benefit the state’s casino industry, according to some school superintendents.Proposition A “is an attempt to ‘logroll’ voters by getting them to approve the casino provisions because they like some parts, even though they likely oppose others.Because Prop A limits casinos to those already built or being buil, it prevents future planning and local input to determine where to put casinos to do the most good for local communities. “This means they should be allowed off the rivers, either in thriving and booming areas like Rockaway Beach near Branson, Missouri; or in economically depressed areas, like inner cities or the Bannister Mall; where they can produce more jobs, more economic development, and more tax revenues for all levels of government

Missouri Proposition B

•  Proposing to amend Missouri law to establish the Missouri Quality Homecare Council. The Quality Homecare Council would ensure the availability of home care services to the elderly under the Medicaid program by recruiting, training, and stabilizing the home care workforce.
• SUPPORTERS SAY : The 11-member council that would be created if Proposition B passes would include at least six people with disabilities. The council would recruit more people to the field; It would help people with disabilities stay in their homes; It would lead to better pay and benefits for home health assistants. 
• OPPONENTS SAY: Proposition B would place additional requirements on home care services providers operating under the Medicaid program.It has an estimated cost greater than $510,000 annually for state governmental agencies. Critics say this measure could increase overall health care costs State programs such as the Missouri Consumer Directed Services Program are already in place to help people stay in their homes. The effort is mainly about growing the ranks of SEIU, it’s main financial backer.

Missouri Proposition C

• It will create a renewable electricity standard in the state.
• The standard would require utility companies to gradually increase their usage of renewable energy annually until 15 percent of the energy used in the state is renewable.
• The initiative would also require that energy rates not increase by more than one percent annually.
• SUPPORTERS SAY : Renew Missouri is a nonprofit corporation which formed in September of 2007 to form an Energy Group for the nonprofit Missouri Votes Conservation. Beyond creating the Renewable Electricity Standard the group is working to create a interconnection policy that will allow solar panels and wind turbines to connect to the utility grid. The group believes that consumers will support this message, quoting studies that said they would accept a moderate increase in exchange for cleaner energy. The group also believes that the initiative will move the state towards energy independence, diversification ans stave off climate change.

 

Will Your Vote Count?

     With the election cycle drawing to a close, pretty much the only thing to do now is vote. But for millions of Americans in Florida, Ohio, and elsewhere across the country, the memories from elections past are already causing some panic. There is an underlying distrust of our current voting system in many places across the country, primarily due to the hotly contested results of the 2000 and 2004 elections.  Our process has become more complicated – not more efficient – by the advancement in technology that enables us to ulitize electronic voting machines like the Dieblod machines. I believe the problem not only lies in the corruption of the systems – but the lack of awareness of our voters.

Please take this chance to become informed – it may be more important than actually casting your vote.

Pretty scary! Unfortunately, it seems like all you can do is – 1. Be informed. Help spread the word, and increase awareness to friends and family in the hopes that the truth will prevail, and 2. USE PAPER BALLOTS!!!!!!!! Even though the Opitcal Scan machines used to read the paper ballots is also under scrutiny, using a paper ballot is the ONLY way to ensure there is a record of YOUR VOTE on electon day. In the event of a contested election, the hand recount of paper ballots may be the country’s only verifiable proof of the will of the people.

Slacker Uprising – Michael Moore’s newest documentary

     It is my belief that hundreds of thousands of Americans, as much as they gripe and groan, are all too apathetic and complacent to the corrupted efforts of the proud and few abundantly affluent benefactors of today’s mock-government.  Their apathy resides not in what they do, but what they don’t do – vote.  As simple as it is, casting a ballot, it proves to be too much for too many Americans.  The “disenfranchised” relinquish they’re only sliver of control they have, in protest of a “corrupt system.”   What they don’t realize is they are the enablers of this system.   Our founding father’s we’re quite genius in creating for us a government that evolves with it’s people.   With it’s check-and-balances, amendments and resolutions, tenure limits and inalienable rights, our system is “fundementally strong”.   There’s a wonderful little qoute by William E. Simon that goes, “Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote.”   Meanwhile, the hush from the hordes of people who do not vote fails to deter those who wish to retain the silence and retain the rule.    So for those proclaiming “the system’s fixed!” , “why bother?” , “they all lie!” — you are nothing more than an accomplished task, another demographic crossed off the list, a sheep led by the wolves themselves.

      Enter: Michael Moore.   This newest documentary follows Moore on a cross-country voter registration drive during the ’04 election year.   That’s all I will say…please see for yourself.

All You Need To Know To Be A Republican.

Want to be a Republican? All you need is a lobotomy, a cross, and the ability to replace all instinctive traits of common sense with the following platform:

• Using stem cells for medial research is wrong, because you don’t believe in destroying life, even if it lives in a petri dish. But it’s OK to destroy larger forms of life in unnecessary wars and prison execution chambers.
• The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans’ benefits and combat pay and making wounded soldiers pay for their own meals while recuperating.
• Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.
• A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
• If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.
• HMOs, insurance companies, drug manufacturers and power plants all have the interest of the public at heart.
• Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.
• Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in public schools.
• Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a “we can’t find Bin Laden” diversion.
• A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to start a war is solid defense policy.
• Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages, banning teaching of evolution, compelling public prayer and censoring the Internet.
• The public has a right to know about Hillary Clinton’s cattle trades and private health care meetings, but George Bush’s driving record and Dick Cheney’s private energy task force meetings are none of our business.
• It’s justifiable to seal your records if you’re a Republican governor of Texas, but not if you’re a Democratic governor of Vermont.
• You support states’ rights, except when a state decides to recount votes in a disputed Presidential election. Then, it’s better for a Republican Supreme Court to decide the election.
• Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
• The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.
• Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and liberals.