We only have 3 issues to vote on this year, but I think they were fairly important. The first two are statewide measures.
Measure 49 is to modify Measure 37. Measure 37 was landmark because it allows landowners to get around all the land use legislation that came into effect since the 70's. Anyone that has owned land that long will not be restricted by current laws. Measure 37 passed overwhelmingly. Since then, the democrats have really been chafing to cut it down to size. Measure 49 does clarify some aspects of 37, but it also limits development to 3-10 houses. That seems to be in direct contradiction to Measure 37, whose purpose was to get around restrictions like that. It'll be interesting to see what happens.
Measure 50 is particularly maddening because it involves a constitutional amendment that adds a tobacco tax into the constitution. The tax is supposed to provide funding for children's healthcare. It bothers me for several reasons. First it is misuse of a constitutional amendment, something like this should not be in the constitution. Secondly, they are taxing a dwindling population and we all know what happens when government creates another entitlement. They will pull funding from somewhere else to keep the program going. Thirdly, as I get older I'm more and more bothered by government getting involved in healthcare and other entitlements. I've definitely developed a libertarian bent. I need a new label though because libertarians are mostly known for legalizing drugs, something I disagree with :)
I did vote for one tax increase, a local ballot measure to increase our property taxes. Our library has been closed on Saturdays for several months now and it has been killing me. I wish I could separate out the funding for that. I had a really really hard time deciding on this one. I'm afraid I ended up voting selfishly and the whole idea of voting for increased taxes goes against everything I believe in. My ballot is in the mail though so we'll see what happens. They do have to have a 50% turnout, which is why it failed the last election.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
That is kind of the problem with tax increases. They always get to someone with something they want to get them to vote for it. That is why I decided to never ever ever ever vote for one even if it was like free bulldog puppies for everyone or something, because otherwise they will always find a way to get people to go for it.
Isn't a libertarian that believes in prosecuting vices a republican? Is there some reason you don't see yourself as one?
At Target, they had this event where they took pictures of all of the bosses and photocopied a bunch of them so you could draw on them. The event was called, "My boss as a monster." I made mine Hilary Clinton.....
IMO a libertarian is someone that believes in limited government. That used to be the stance of Republicans. They talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk anymore.
I do regret voting for that tax increase, I was weak :)
So I guess I still call myself a Republican even though it is true there are very few of them that 'walk the walk.'
But the think is, you can be a Republican that 'does.' As long as they still talk the talk, they are the closest probably to your ideology. They just don't act on it. Not your fault--it shouldn't make you have to call yourself something else. There have been true idealogical Republicans like Regan and there will be again, and for the life of me I can't think of a libertarian that has done much better.
A peck is an imperial and U.S. customary unit of dry volume, equivalent in each of these systems to 8 dry quarts, or 16 dry pints. Two pecks make a kenning (obsolete), and four pecks make a bushel.
Don't eat that many peppers.
Sorry the last comment, Stephanie, was an attempt to leave a comment on Sarah and Jim's latest blog entry. It wouldn't let me, I came over to your blog and left the comment about Republicans, and so thought I would try again, but ended up posting on yours again. Thought it definitely needed an explanation. I am not sure why I can't post on their blog. Probably just as well for them.
Post a Comment