2008 California Ballot Initiative Recommendations

I've finally gotten a chance to review the 12 initiatives on the Nov. 4th California ballot and have my recommendations below. I've had a rule of generally voting against bond issues or other expensive measures, but I've made some exceptions this time as I'll detail below.

Prop 1a - High Speed Rail Bonds - YES
I'm a big fan of rail travel, as anyone who has read this blog very long will understand. I think a high speed rail line from L.A. to the Bay area would be a very good thing for California, and while they're at it, maybe they can build one to Las Vegas too.

Prop 2 - Standards for Confining Farm Animals - NO
All this will do is chase food providers out of California and we'll end up with imported items of questionable quality.

Prop 3 - Children's Hospital Bond Act - YES
My son is probably here today because of a Children's Hospital of Orange County in Mission Viejo. At age 3 he had a life-threatening illness which was caught and fixed by the doctors at that hospital. At age 4 my daughter spent her birthday and a couple of following days at Children's Hospital in Orange thanks to a particularly tough flu. I have a lot of love and respect for the Children's Hospital system and I think it's worth supporting.

Prop 4 - Waiting Period for Parental Notification Before Abortion of Minor's Pregnancy - YES
As a parent I would probably kill anyone who put my minor daughter through an abortion without my notification and consent. Parents deserve the legal protection to be notified before such a terrible act took place.

Prop 5 - Non-Violent Drug Offenses, Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation - NO
It's a bleeding heart soft-on-crime initiative.

Prop 6 - Police and Law Enforcement Funding - YES
It's a tough on crime initiative.

Prop 7 - Renewable Energy Generation - NO
This seems to be the solar energy full employment act and wouldn't do anything to provide additional energy or lower rates.

Prop 8 - Gay Marriage Initiative - YES
The Secretary of State arbitrarily changed the title of the provision to read "Eliminates Right of Same Sex Marriage to Marry" in order to hurt the measure. 61% of voters approved the restriction of marriage to one man/one woman the last time the measure was voted on, but that measure didn't make the necesary change in the state constitution. Consequently, a handful of judges were able to overturn the will of millions of voters. I still believe the traditional definition of marriage is what works best, and this initiative will fix the constitutional problem.

Prop 9 - Criminal Justice Systems, Victims Rights - YES
Another tough-on-crime measure.

Prop 10 - Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy - NO
Throws taxpayer money at alternative fuel vehicles but doesn't really do anything to provide more energy for Californians. Econut stuff.

Prop 11 - Redistricting Initiative - NO
Gives power of redistricting to unelected citizens. Rife with potential problems.

Prop 12 - Veterans Bond Act - NO
Too expensive and duplicates other veterans programs.