Monday, November 07, 2005
The Day Before Election Day
I never paid much attention to off-year elections. This year is a little different.
There are a few highly-publicized Issues on the ballot tomorrow, all couched in terms of 'reform' and I don't know how I'm going to vote.
And it's really Issues 2 thru 5 that are problematic. (A vote for Issue 1 allows local governments to issue bonds for badly needed economic stimulus. A no-brainer in my book.) Issues 2 through 5 specifically target 'election reform' to let 'the people's vote count' and limit 'special interests.' The League of Women Voters' (a group I've always respected) supports the issues, but many elected Democrats oppose.
I feel as though I live in a real 1984, a through-the-looking-glass world where a vote for 'reform' will make things worse.
The other major choice tomorrow is for Dayton's mayor. Since the end of the 1990s or rather, the 'Bush economy,' business interests have been not-so-slowly trickling out of downtown; violent crime, drugs, racially-motivated attacks have all been growing. And while there is no love lost on this place by me, it doesn't have to be this way.
I have never seen such a vocal campaign for mayor. Flyers, yard signs, newspaper and tv ads. I believe this is an important election that could significantly impact Dayton's next 4 years, if not longer.
One of the key campaign focuses has been the 'growing amount of blighted housing' and 'absentee landlords.'
*sigh* I have a few bugs about this argument.
If the economy were stronger, if there were local jobs, then local people could own their own home.
A few sentences ago, I mentioned the Democrats oppose something. Even when they've had weak candidates that have no hope of winning (Mondale -speaking of 1984 - or Dukakis), I've always voted straight party line. They have always represented the lesser of two evils.
But I've had it with them. Or maybe I've had it with the vast majority of people in this country. I cannot believe that a majority of people continue to elect people and make popular choices that are against their best interests!
But worse, like with the wording of Issues 2 through 5, I no longer know what my best interest is...
There are a few highly-publicized Issues on the ballot tomorrow, all couched in terms of 'reform' and I don't know how I'm going to vote.
And it's really Issues 2 thru 5 that are problematic. (A vote for Issue 1 allows local governments to issue bonds for badly needed economic stimulus. A no-brainer in my book.) Issues 2 through 5 specifically target 'election reform' to let 'the people's vote count' and limit 'special interests.' The League of Women Voters' (a group I've always respected) supports the issues, but many elected Democrats oppose.
I feel as though I live in a real 1984, a through-the-looking-glass world where a vote for 'reform' will make things worse.
The other major choice tomorrow is for Dayton's mayor. Since the end of the 1990s or rather, the 'Bush economy,' business interests have been not-so-slowly trickling out of downtown; violent crime, drugs, racially-motivated attacks have all been growing. And while there is no love lost on this place by me, it doesn't have to be this way.
I have never seen such a vocal campaign for mayor. Flyers, yard signs, newspaper and tv ads. I believe this is an important election that could significantly impact Dayton's next 4 years, if not longer.
One of the key campaign focuses has been the 'growing amount of blighted housing' and 'absentee landlords.'
*sigh* I have a few bugs about this argument.
If the economy were stronger, if there were local jobs, then local people could own their own home.
A few sentences ago, I mentioned the Democrats oppose something. Even when they've had weak candidates that have no hope of winning (Mondale -speaking of 1984 - or Dukakis), I've always voted straight party line. They have always represented the lesser of two evils.
But I've had it with them. Or maybe I've had it with the vast majority of people in this country. I cannot believe that a majority of people continue to elect people and make popular choices that are against their best interests!
But worse, like with the wording of Issues 2 through 5, I no longer know what my best interest is...