Fellow Texan comrades,
I am not very good at being political. I have only voted in all the leap year general elections in my life. But you know what? This non-leap year? I'm voting. And you should, too. I have been doing some research to figure out exactly what is going on, and I'm providing you with the handy-dandy Kotara Industries Quick Reference Guide to the Texas Constitutional Amendment Election of 2005.
You have no excuse not to vote. Look! I'm doing all the hard work for you! Last year, Diddy said: "Vote or die." This year, I'm going to take it one further and say: "Vote or I'm going to kill you." There are 9 propositions on the board. Most of them make my eyes glaze over with confusion...but there is one in particular that I'm sure you've heard rumblings about. Ol' Proposition 2. Amending the state constitution to formally ban gay marriage.
Early voting has been going on for a couple of weeks, and will continue until this Friday. And of course, Tuesday, November 8 is the official Election Day. Here is a website with quick links to all the various voting locations in all the counties of Texas. Early voting polls are noted "EV" and election day polls are noted "ED". Depending on your county, you might have additional issues to vote on.
And here are some sample ballots for you to peek at and make your cheat sheets:
If you want the non-partisan analysis of the various propositions, you should read this document. This one also seems unbiased.
But if you want to read my partisan analysis, keep scrolling:
- PROPOSITION 1 - Publicly funding improvements to the railroad. Hmmm...I like trains. But I think I like 18 wheelers more and this would take freight away from my trucker buddies, as well as suck up more tax dollars. HALEE VOTES AGAINST.
- PROPOSITION 2 - Banning gay marriage. Can anyone please explain to me why this issue has any business being on a ballot? And if someone has a good answer for that, can that same person please explain to me why such a personal matter for a small percentage of people gets put into the hands of people whose lives it does not remotely directly affect? And if you still think it's your business, do you not see through this as a blatant and transparent attempt by the uber-conservatives to rally homophobic sentiments in the name of "patriotism"? Arggghhh.
Sometimes being from Texas pisses me off. I know that this proposition will pass with about a 900% approval rate, and it saddens and ashames me greatly. There is already a statute outlawing gay marriage, this full-fledged amendment is just a big slap in the face to the gay community. So I beg you if you have one liberal drop of blood in your body, or one gay friend, or any disgust for the hatefulness underlying this bit of legislation...please make this the one issue you vote on. Let's face it, this will pass but let's prove to ourselves and the rest of the world that all Texans are not closed-minded Bush drones. I will consider it a success if we can at least create a visible slice in the gay marriage pie chart. HALEE VEHEMENTLY VOTES AGAINST IN RED MAGIC PERMANENT MARKER.
- PROPOSITION 3 - Something about economic development programs not constituting debt? Sounds really dicey and shady. HALEE VOTES AGAINST.
- PROPOSITION 4 - Grant authority to district judges to deny bail to people accused of a felony. This sounds reasonable. HALEE VOTES IN FAVOR OF.
- PROPOSITION 5 - Grants authority to legislature to define commercial loan interest rates. "Will allow Texas lenders to compete more equally with out-of-state lenders." HALEE VOTES IN FAVOR OF.
- PROPOSITION 6 - Increasing the size of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct from eleven to thirteen members by increasing from four to five the number of public members and by adding a constitutional county court judge. The additions would ensure that the commission has an odd number of members, which is required by another provision of the state constitution. Sounds perfectly reasonable, whatever. HALEE VOTES IN FAVOR OF.
- PROPOSITION 7 - Something about line of credit advances on reverse mortgages? I think this is a way of borrowing against yourself, and apparently seniors use this to help pay their bills. I like senior citizens, I watch the Golden Girls all the time! And with Social Security becoming a bigger and bigger joke...they need to get money somewhere and if they need to borrow against their own homes then it is okay by me. HALEE VOTES IN FAVOR OF.
- PROPOSITION 8 - Clearing land titles in areas around Gilmer and Tyler? Okay. This only affects two counties so why in the hell does it need to be a constitutional amendment, smart guy? HALEE VOTES AGAINST, PURELY ON PRINCIPAL BECAUSE THIS SEEMS DISORGANIZED AND DUMB.
- PROPOSITION 9 - Authorizing the legislature to provide for a six-year term for a board member of a regional mobility authority. Sounds like the politicians trying to sneak in a little something-something to keep themselves in power longer. HALEE VOTES AGAINST.
Sorry to get all preachy on you.
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