NEW Guide for Voting!

It's election time again in the USS of A and that also means voting on Propositions here in the patina state.

Propositions mean that the people get to make laws without the vote of the legislature (or when the legislature doesn’t want to take responsibility for a vote), only to have the popular vote thwarted by judges who usually agree with the complaints of the side that lost. It's a grand game of, "Why do we do this again?"

Secretary of State, Debra Bowen sends all the registered voters an Official Voter Information Guide. In the year of our Lord, 2008, the month of November, Caleefornia voters may cast their vote for 12 Propositions.

So how should we then vote? I have a NEW rule to consider. The Voter Information Guide provides an "nonpartisan" description of the proposed Proposition and assesses its fiscal impact. Then there is a section for the advocates and opponents to present their cases. In the very back of the Guide is the actual text of the proposed law should the Proposition pass by popular vote.

This last section is on 8.5 x 11" paper with 10 pt. font, and is very illuminating! You get to see how much verbiage is actually required to implement each particular Proposition as law (which is, I’m sure, future fodder for lawyers and judges.)

Since more verbiage usually means more oppressive control by government to favor a multiplicity of special interest groups – I will vote for the Propositions with the least amount of printing required to enact it! I think it’s a great standard. You don’t even need to know what the Proposition is to know that you are voting for the best interest of the state! So, the survey says (and starting with the longest, most wordiest Propositions to the least…):

Prop 5 = 34 Columns
Prop 6 = 27.5 Columns
Prop 7 = 15.5 Columns
Prop 10 = 9 Columns
Prop 9 = 8 Columns
Prop 11 = 6 Columns
Prop 1 = 4 Columns
Prop 3 = 3.5 Columns
Prop 4 = 3.5 Columns
Prop 12 = 2 Columns
Prop 2 = 1 Columns
Prop 8 = 2 SENTENCES

How did your favorite Proposition do?

Now, to be fair, I still vote with some other faithful guidelines: Bonds means taxes, which means, NO. Laws that promote a proper morality for the good of the soul of the state (And YES, I DO know what is good and best for the soul of the state!) will get my support.

But with my new guide outlined above, who wins? Definition of marriage, Farm animal protection, Veteran’s Bond, Parental Notification for Abortions, and Children’s Hospital Bond.

Interesting…