Voting On Same Sex Marriage

Three states will vote November 6 on the issue of same sex marriage. In the State of Washington, the legislature passed a bill that would allow same sex couples to marry. The vote was 28 to 21 in the Senate and 55 to 43 in the House. Well more than enough signatures were gathered to place Referendum 74 on the ballot. It asks voters to approve or reject the legislature’s action.

Approve 74, it’s a matter of fairness. Reject 74, the social cost is too high. Commentator Dennis Prager makes some interesting points in his recent article, “Why a good person can vote against same sex marriage.” To read it, click
HERE

2012 General Election Recommendations

What factors are considered in making a recommendation?

1. I know the candidate or have heard him or her speak in public
2. Opinion of knowledgeable friends
3. Endorsed by law enforcement
4. Endorsed by Republican groups and/or party
5. Endorsed by well respected individuals
6. Record and resume’
7. Business or other non political or non judicial experience
8. Statement in state and local voters’ pamphlets, newspapers and think tank
analysis

Washington State 2012 Voters’ Pamphlet. See State Voters’ Pamphlet

King County (includes Seattle bond issue) 2012 Voters’ Pamphlet. See County Voters’ Pamphlet

President/Vice President of the United States – The Romney/Ryan ticket will not carry Washington and its Electoral College votes BUT for bragging rights and having a popular mandate nationwide, every vote is important. Obama makes Jimmy Carter look good by comparison. Reagan beat Carter. Mitt Romney is Obama’s Reagan – VOTE for Romney/Ryan

U. S. Senator – Senator Cantwell is smarter than Patty Murray but just as far left of center. VOTE for Michael Baumgartner

U. S. House of Representatives –

District 1 – Best chance for Republicans to pick up a seat and stop a super rich Democrat candidate from buying the election. VOTE for John Koster

District 2 – A tough district for the GOP. VOTE for Dan Matthews

District 3 – VOTE for Jamie Herrera Beutler

District 4 – VOTE for Doc Hastings

District 5 – VOTE for Cathy McMorris-Rogers

District 6 – VOTE for Bill Driscoll

District 7 – Redistricting changed the boundaries of Congressman for Life, Baghdad Jim McDermott. His opponent is highly qualified and miracles happen. VOTE for Ron Bemis

District 8 – Vote for Dave Reichert

District 9 – Another tough district. VOTE for James Postma

District 10 – VOTE for Dick Muri

Governor – The last Republican Governor, John Spellman, was elected in 1980. We are long over due for a change. VOTE for Rob McKenna

Lt. Governor – Gov. McKenna should not have to worry about Democrat mischief when he is out of state. VOTE for Bill Finkbeiner

Secretary of State – Endorsed by last three secretaries of state, experienced county auditor (in charge of elections). VOTE for Kim Wyman

State Auditor – Hands down best choice especially considering his opponent’s questionable business practices. VOTE for James Watkins

State Treasurer – With no primary opposition, the incumbent state treasurer, Jim McIntire, see State Treasurer’s Office was expected to win another term but a Republican candidate, Sharon Hanek, emerged and did the impossible by getting over 31,000 write in votes to earn a place on the general election ballot. See Hanek Undecided

Attorney General – Even the Seattle Times endorsed him, most experienced candidate. VOTE for Reagan Dunn

Commissioner of Public Lands – It is hard to forgive Clint Didier for not endorsing Dino Rossi after losing to him in the 2010 senate primary. The incumbent is Peter Goldmark. Undecided

Insurance Commissioner – It would be nice to have a commissioner with actual experience in the insurance business. See http://johnadams2008.seattlegeneralagency.com/ VOTE for John Adams

State Legislative Races -

For list of King County races, see: King County Elections

Republicans need to elect 8 more state representatives and 3 more state senators to take control of both houses of the legislature. Gov. McKenna will need all the help he can get; just vote for any candidate with the guts to put under his or her name in the voters’ pamphlet – “Prefers Republican Party”

State Supreme Court – Only one contested race

Position #9 – We miss the former Justice Sanders libertarian independence. He lost a close reelection to the court in 2010. VOTE for Richard Sanders

King County Superior Court – only one contested race.

Position #42 – VOTE forSue Parisien

King County Sheriff – Appointed to the office when Sheriff Sue Rahr resigned, Sheriff Strachan has key endorsements. See Strachan Vote for Steve Strachan

Statewide Measures -

For more information see: Freedom Foundation Guide

Referendum 74 – Concerning same sex marriage – Legalizes same sex marriage. An emotional issue but one with far reaching implecations. See Clear Fog Blog for several posts on same sex marriage and homosexuality. Vote Rejected

Initiative 502 – Legalizes marijuana. Society already has enough problems with alcohol abuse. Why add another? Vote No

Initiative 1185 – Requires super majority for legislature to pass tax or fee increases. Initiatives can be changed by the legislature after two years. I-1185 renews an existing initiative that is approaching its two year life. See News Tribune Vote Yes

Initiative 1240 – Authorizes 40 public charter schools in the state over five years. Vote Yes

Senate Joint Resolution 8221 – Implements recommendations of the Commission on State Debt. This SJR would amend the state constitution to lower the debt limit of the state from 9% to 8% and change the base for computation. Vote Approved

Senate Joint Resolution 8223 – This SJR amends the state constituion to allow the University of Washington and Washington State University to invest some of its funds in private companies. Currently, only state funds for pensions, developmentally disabled and industrial insurance are allowed to do this. Vote Approved

State Advisory Votes –

These are non binding votes required anytime the legislature votes to increase taxes or fees.

House Bill 2590 – Extends the existance of the Pollution Liability Agency which is funded by a fee on sellers of certain petroleum products. Vote Maintained

Senate Bill 6635 – Eliminates a Business and Occupation tax deduction for certain banks. Vote Maintained

City of Seattle -

Proposition #1 – General obligation bonds to raise $290 million for replacement of Alaska Way seawall. Ouch! Nevertheless it is a needed capital project. To pass, Prop #1 must have at least 79,004 voters and 60% yes vote. Vote Approved

King County -

Proposition #1 – Automated Fingerprint Identification System – Another example of the county council and executive funding vital services by special levy tax increases instead of putting them in the general fund budget. Vote Approved

Cross posted on clear fog blog

Dumb!

I used to clean my gutters by taking a blower on the roof and blasting out the leaves and debris. As I aged, I began to think it was only matter of time before I took a header off the roof so I had Leaf Guard gutters installed. Expensive but still cheaper than potential damage to my body from a fall. I still had to sweep off two flat roof areas but that only required going up a ladder to the roof a few times a year.

All this brings me to yesterday. Though I know better than to lean a ladder against a wall at a steep angle, I didn’t want to put the ladder on the gutters or the metal flashing around the flat roof nor did I take the time to get the adjustable ladder I usually use. So I set the ladder on the wood siding and stone walkway at about a 45-degree angle. Went up to the roof, fine, but coming down, the ladder slid out on the stone footing and only stopped from crashing to the ground with me on it by a flower pot bracket. Good luck so far except when the ladder hit the bracket it twisted sideways and tossed me onto the stone about four feet below. I don’t usually carry my cell phone while doing outside work but fortunately I had it with me so I was able to call Barbara for assistance.

Bottom line: Six hours at Northwest Hospital Emergency Room for a cracked bone in my left arm near the wrist and a gash to the bone on my left elbow and a cast in a sling from above my elbow to the middle of my hand.

Lesson Learned: Use the right equipment for the job and set a ladder properly. Yeah, I knew it, just stupid!

Blessing: It could have been a much worse.

OMG! The Seattle Times Endorses Obama

The Times don’t need no stinkin’ debates to drink the Obama Kool-Aid one more time (they endorsed him in 2008). Here is their ringing endorsement in the Sunday paper: “Bottom line: Obama’s presidency has been disappointing, but he still has promise.” Gag me. Four years after “Hope and Change” failed to deliver we are to believe the next four years will be different?

The Times looked at nine areas in reaching their unbelievable conclusion. So lets put a letter grade on each of them.

Foreign affairs: Count the problems: apology tours, canceling missile defense agreement with Poland, failure to negotiate a status of forces agreement with Iraq, saying Afghanistan is the right war and then telling the enemy when we are leaving, tossing Israel under several busses, virtually claiming to have led Seal Team 6 into Osama bin Laden’s love nest, Iran marches on, Muslim Brotherhood comes to power in Egypt, cover up of terrorist involvement in Libya murders, leading from behind etc. He should get a failing grade but it’s a tough world out there so give him a D.

Trade: A mixed record at best. Unmentioned are Obama and the Democrats, bowing to union pressure, holding up the Columbia free trade agreement for several years. I’ll be generous and give him a C.

Spending and Debt: A plan for reduction of debt, “Obama hasn’t done it, and it may be his greatest failure.” Agreed, a well deserved F.

The Financial System: Obama did not push “for a separation of investment banking from commercial banking.” He did not break “up the top four or five big banks.” He did not “make complex securities transparent.” Three promises not done, an F.

The Main Street Economy: “Obama’s proposal to raise taxes” shows he is “out of touch” and he “mostly has not delivered” on his promised “active antitrust policy.” Another D.

Media control: Blocking consolidation of the media is a big issue for the locally owned Seattle Times. Obama “has not done it” but he “still could.” Or he could not, a D.

Education: He paid off the teacher unions by canceling the D.C. schools voucher program so no A but a B.

Health care: The Times criticizes Obama for concentrating not on the “economic crisis” but on “a party line vote” passing Obama Care which “has little cost control in it” and “will have to be fixed.” Sorry, but another F.

Partisanship: “Obama promised to bring a less partisan style, but he has been aloof with few friendships across the aisle.” According to the Times, the Republican House shares the blame for the lack of cooperation. They should have asked why Obama didn’t take the most partisan hack in leadership, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), to the woodshed. Give him a weak D.

One B, one C, four Ds and three Fs, on a four point system Obama has a solid 1.0 – a D average. President Obama recently gave himself a grade of “Incomplete.” He’s much closer to the girl in the Peanuts cartoon who always gets a D-.

The last line in the editorial is, “Romney would be too much of a gamble.” I beg to differ. A gamble would be to double down with a sixteen trillion dollar bet on another four years of Obama.