If you are a Utah resident preparing to vote, you should know that there's another choice for governor. You don't have to vote for Huntsman or Springmeyer.
You can vote for this guy.
It should be noted that this is not entirely a joke. He is actually on the ballot with a statement about how if you open your heart and ask God, your answer will be that he should be our governor.
(It should also be noted that just because you can vote for him doesn't mean you should.)
Speaking of choices, I've been looking at some of the other things that will be on my ballot, and I'm annoyed. Every single proposition has an argument for, but not one has an argument against. Surely there is some opposition to these proposed amendments, but how am I supposed to find out what it is? How can I participate in the democratic process if I don't know the full story on these things? And why on earth should I care if the legislature meets a week later? These are important issues, and I want answers. This, more than anything, is the reason I'd really like to see a two party system in Utah.
I was going to vote early yesterday, but I wasn't feeling well, so I think I'll head over tomorrow. Nothing like voting to make your Halloween. Maybe I'll do a Thriller dance out of the booth.
5 comments:
I was also unhappy with the lack of opposing viewpoints for these proposed amendments, so I thought about it and came up with the best supporting arguments against them that I could. Granted, some are weak, but it's the best I could do.
Amendment A - Executive Officer Succession
Argument against: Clearly outlining the succession if a Governor is no longer fit to serve is unnecessary. It will lock the state in to a set order of succession that may not always be in the people's best interest. Also, it makes clear what an ambitious but morally bankrupt government official needs to do to back his or her way into more power.
Amendment B - Allowing the State Trust Fund to accept assets from anywhere
Argument against: The state trust fund was set up to keep specific monies away from the general fund so that it may only be spent if a three-fourths majority of the Legislature and the Governor agreed to do so. It can only be given money from a tobacco settlement and private donations.
This provision will allow the Legislature to put any asset or money they want into the trust fund. This will open the possibility for the Legislature to purchase assets with taxpayer money and place them in the trust fund, regardless of the nature of the assets. Such things could include subprime mortgages, like the ones that have had a significant hand in the current economic crisis, and stock in private companies that legislators own, creating a conflict of interest for them and allowing them to use this trust fund for personal gain.
Amendment C - Moving the Legislature's general session a week later and excluding holidays
Argument against: There is no need to move the general session back. There should be no better way of commemorating the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. than working for your country. The same for Presidents' Day. This amendment is just a way for lawmakers to fit in more vacations and make their 45-day jobs that much less work.
Amendment D - Changing when the state needs to be split into Congressional Districts
Argument against: There is no need to clarify this point as it only applies to a specific instance that could possibly happen in the future, and has never occurred. If the instance described in the argument for did occur, the Legislature would wait 10 months to assign Congressional Districts, during which time a number of problems could arise that would be affected by not redistricting.
Amendment E - Allowing the State to invest in private companies
Argument against: This provision would allow the State to take money from the State School Fund and invest it in private companies. No guidelines are included on what companies may be invested in, or a minimum credit rating for bonds may be purchased. The Legislature could invest in any company they see fit, regardless of the stability of the company. The Legislature would be free to invest in companies owned by legislators, creating a conflict of interest and allowing legislators to personally profit using the State's money. Also, the State School Fund needs to be reserved for our school system, which currently lags far behind the national average in money spent per student.
Hopefully those are decent enough arguments to help you (and any other Utah voters who read this) decide on which amendments you feel will benefit the state and which you feel will not.
If you do plan, in fact, on dancing out of the booth, please call me prior to the time you vote. I would love to watch you as I am currently hard up for entertainment.
A hug.
all i know is i am voting for that new guy...he seems like the candidate i want leading our state
I'm SO voting for SUPERDELL!
...
*BIG dramatic eye roll*
I may be late on telling you this-but my mom is in the Utah legislature and she is voting no on Amendment C. Partly because of what Mark said up above, but also for the representatives that live further away from SLC-specifically those that are involved in farming because starting later would mean the end cuts into the beginning of the season.
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