2014 Ballot Initiatives

I have no clue how to find out about judges, who is on the ballot, etc. I usually just abstain out of respect of my ignorance.

 

I hate the concept of voting for judges, although I don't have the magic answer for the best method of appointing them. Perhaps something more along the lines of peer review.

Of course, I despise even more the voting of DAs to their job as it usually revolves around being "tough" on criminals, i.e. putting a bunch of people in jail, and the amount of abuse is staggering as a result of some prosecutor trying to look good for the voters.

 

All of mine were appointment by Pat McCrory or Bev Perdue, so that didn't help me much. I was able to find some reasonable ground to distinguish between some of them (for instance, there are a couple of races where all former justices of all stripes endorse the same candidate, and there's another race where a guy is listing his NRA membership--along with the word "conservative" about 75 times--on his site), but it is generally tougher to gather info on judges than on legislators

 

The sign stuff kills me. "Hey, I found a spot amongst the 500 other signs to make sure people know who is running for City Clerk!"

 

That's really only a issue because of mandatory time on some crimes and the war on drugs.

 

There have also been a number of instances where prosecutor's hide evidence, push for convictions on people they shouldn't or cave into public pressure, among other problems. Look at how many people have been exonerated by DNA after being put in jail by overzealous prosecutors or the Trayvon Martin case, which was royally screwed up by a DAs office trying to pander to public outrage.

 

I rarely vote for judges since I don't have the first clue about their law credentials. I don't want a judge that's pro life, pro choice, pro rich, or pro poor. I just want a judge that is pro law.

 

If there is someone on the ballot and all of my lawyer friends freak out, that gives me a pretty good idea of how to go on them. Very rarely do you get one outside the box.

 

The one I voted against also had a throwaway line about "disenfranchised citizens" that seemed inappropriate and superfluous for a judge. I don't care what politics they are, one should be judging as honestly and critically as one can based on what laws exist. It isn't her job to compensate for disenfranchised citizens, it is to interpret and apply the law.

 

Here is another great thing about ballot initiatives. Is the average Alabama resident really going to understand what a yes or no vote means on this?

 

Gore lost his home state of tennessee to bush. The same state Clinton had no problem winning in 92 and 96. Win Tennesssee and there would be no hanging chads. Gore only has himself to blame.

 

I have no idea what that means and I'll have a PhD next year.

 

It requires a 2/3 vote of local body to approve a expenditure of 50K?

 

I'm not entirely certain either. I'm not sure anyone does. Different conservative groups oppose each other on their opinions while media outlets generally support it while giving a thin reason why.

 

when in doubt I vote no

 

Well why doesn't it just say that?

 

Because lawyers wrote it, and they have to over-complicate everything.

 

According to the Alabama Fair Ballot Commission, it actually means a 2/3 majority of the Alabama legislature would be required to approve an unfunded expenditure over $50k. The actual wording in the change would mean a cumulative expenditure of $50k or roughly $500 per school board. I like accountability, but this seems like a disaster waiting to happen with such a low threshold being used.

 

That's...................low. Did they think it's still 1901?

 

Debating which station I'll watch tonight. I suppose Fox News, only because I've watched Brit Hume every major election night since 1988.