Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Wading Through The Election Mailers

I wanted to do a more thorough analyses of these, but wouldn't you know, Election Day is already here! So, just an impressionistic sense....

It's very impressive how many gubernatorial candidates from the 2003 California Recall are on today's gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial ballot: Eric Korevaar, Chuck Pineda, Jr., Robert Newman, and Bill Chambers. Plus, Daniel Watts is running for Davis City Council. I'm sure there are others out there too. What was old is new again! [Update: I voted for Chuck Pineda, Jr. I met him in the 2003 race and I have a soft spot for the guy. He really wants to help East LA gang members to give up the gang life. For lieutenant governor, I voted for Eric Korevaar. A fellow scientist! I don't know his positions on the issues, but I did meet him once, also in 2003!]

In the District 5 City Council race, the candidates are mostly very capable, which makes decisions hard. Patrick Kennedy's campaign has been the scrappiest, most-innovative, and most interesting one. Terre Johnson seems to have faded from view somehow. Nevertheless, I will probably vote for Jay Schenirer. [Update: Indeed I voted for Schenirer, and I'm shocked to see how overwhelming his victory in District 5 was!]

In Assembly District 9, Chris Garland's amusingly sleazy attack on Kevin McCarty left no real damage. Roger Dickinson damaged himself with all his whining about Wall Street being the source of Sacramento's budget problems. Lauren Hammond has been lower-profile than I expected in this campaign: she retains a lot of respect in the area, though, and could provide an upset. Nevertheless, I'm a friend of Adam Sartain, so I'll vote for him today. (And head over to his house after DMTC rehearsal tonight - for the victory celebration?? Quien sabe??) [Update: See nearby blogpost.]

The mailer that really annoyed me was the 'Latino' mailer. What a joke that mailer is! Only half-wit Latinos will follow their advice. Every issue they identify as important to Latinos they suggest voting in such a way as to hurt Latinos. It's this practice of selling space to candidates and ballot measure campaigns that really destroys the integrity of these mailers. Even the 'Green' mailer sells out, but not as bad as the 'Latino' mailer.

I'm just disappointed in these mailers! I should send out my own mailer!

I will vote NO on the propositions (with a possible yes on 15). [Update: I voted yes on 13 and 15. In some kind of crazy spasm, California voters demonstrated a real urge to vote yes on all the propositions in this election.]

Vote NO! on Proposition 16! A Yes victory could seriously damage non-profit community theaters, and businesses of all kinds, since, without the effective competition provided by public power agencies like SMUD or LAW&P, PG&E would essentially have a monopoly over electrical power generation and could raise rates without challenge (with the last remaining, weak, feeble resistance coming at the CA CEC). Only half-wit Latinos will vote Yes on 16! Don't be a half-wit Latino!

[Update: Words can't express my shock in seeing how close the Proposition 16 race is! It's as if, after Godzilla devastates the Japanese countryside and approaches the city limits of Tokyo, the Tokyo voters held a referendum whether to permit Gozilla to enter the city limits, and the voters split 50-50 over the question. WTF? Are people crazy? It's Godzilla (aka, PG&E) for crying out loud!

This measure had better go down to defeat or we are all screwed!]

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