esrosedotblog

TAKING THE INITIATIVE

Tomorrow, we are being asked to bail out Arnie and the legislature with six corrective initiative questions.

Not one of them is an easy answer.

In general, I vote "NO" on all initiatives just because I hate initiatives.

But this time, a lot is at stake and, as it happens, two of the initiatives get us out of some binds that old initiatives got us into.

You have to live here to understand. Californians have a long tradition of propping up formulas for spending their tax money which look good in the short term but end up being very restrictive in the long.

I will be taking a mixed view tomorrow.

I will vote NO on 1A because there it establishes a "rainy day" fund at a time that it is fucking raining. How dumb.

I will vote NO on 1B because it is more of the same, binding instructions on disbursements and budget. This time teachers. Some of my best friends are teachers but this is no way to run a budget. Special categories. Fixed commitments.

I will vote NO on 1C because it extends and "modernizes" the lottery. I am against the lottery in all forms. It is a blight and sickness and steals from our poorest citizens.

I will vote YES on1D and 1E because it will undo some unwise bindings on money that were mistakenly voted in previous initiatives.

I will vote NO on 1F because it is childish and stupid. Holding back raises from state employees until they pass a budget. Sheeez!

So, actually, I am only voting YES on two measures that undo previous initiative mistakes so I retain my perfect record of not voting for any initiative. I got a second chance on these two. YES will be a NO.

If any non-Californians are stupified by this exercise, how do you think it feels to live in a state whose legislators and governor are so ineffective that they need the entire populace to tell them what to do.

I am thinking of starting an initiative for next time. No actors in public office.

Labels: California