Midterm Election Endorsements

Only one more day until all the annoying ads for or against Meg Whitman stop littering the airwaves.  Yes.  It's midterm election season.  You know what's funny?  I was listening to a story on the radio the other day.  The reporter asked a college student from a university in New Orleans whether she planned on voting in the midterms.  She was completely unaware of the concept!  I'm not sure if I should be more embarrassed for her for not knowing about midterms or for the college for admitting students who are so woefully unprepared. 

And now, on to the posting that will certainly alienate some of my readers for good.  My endorsements for key state positions and certain propositions.  Make sure to print it out and take it with you.  Si se puede.



GOVERNOR:  Jerry Brown
Why: Process of elimination.  Meg Whitman is a social conservative and that doesn't work for me.  Plus I know a guy who has worked for eBay for a long time (including when Meg was there).  When I asked him if he's voting for Meg, he said he said no.  He was happy working for her but he said he'd never vote for her.  That's good enough for me.  I'm not a huge Jerry Brown fan.  He didn't do a heck of a lot when he was Mayor of Oakland.  And the other candidates I know nothing about.  Could I look them up?  Sure.  Will I?  Probably not.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Gavin Newsom
Why: I voted for him as Mayor of San Francisco.  He got the ball rolling on gay marriage when Diane Feinstein told him not to.  Sure he had an affair and went into rehab.  But the job of the Lieutenant Governor in California is to wake up, make sure the Governor isn't dead and go back to sleep.  Newsom is perfect for that.

SENATOR: Barbara Boxer
Why: Carly did a shitty job at HP.  And if that's what she's basing her candidacy on, she's easily eliminated.  If I had a chance to vote for a former HP exec as Senator, I'd pick Mark Hurd.  During what were some difficult economic years (FY04 - FY09) he grew HP revenue from $80 billion to $114.6 billion and more than doubled its EPS.  I'd write him in but he's co-president of Oracle.  As for the other candidates, I could look them up.  But I probably won't.  Boxer by default.

And now for some of the state measures...

PROPOSITION 19 - Legalizing Marijuana: NO (just kidding) YES
Why: Watch Catwoman sober.  Then smoke some hippie lettuce and watch it.  If pot can make that turd of a movie watchable, imagine how much it can improve California.  Plus there's something about neutering at least some of the gang problems and the Mexican drug cartels while raising billions for the state.  But that's not important right now.  Pass the Doritos.

PROPOSITION 23 - Suspending Air Pollution Control Law: NO
Why:  Before getting started, can I say I hate double negative ballot measures.  I'm voting against suspending current Greenhouse Gas emission standards.  Can we just have the measure say "Do you want to keep the rules as they are?"  Much simpler.  But on to the measure.  I've seen the smog in LA.  I've seen the soot form on my window sills and on my car.  It's gross.  We need less of it, not more.

PROPOSITION 25 - Simple majority to pass California budget: YES
Why: Legislators don't get paid until the budget passes...and they don't get paid back when they do.  If I had a work assignment and turned it in 100 days late, I'm pretty sure my employer (if I ever find one again) would be pissed.  Well, that's how late the California budget was this year.  It's been late 23 of the last 24 years.  And you wonder why this state is so cockeyed.