“Larry’s Picks.” Part one. Statewide Propositions 1A through Prop 12

As Absentee Ballots will soon be arriving in your mail box I want to get a jump on the upcoming General Election by providing Part One of “Larry’s Picks” for the Novermber 4, 2008 Election:

Proposition 1A. “Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act.”
This is a foot in the door to a high speed rail system calling for a $9.95 billion dollar Bond. Amazing. According to several sources this bullet train, when all of the tracks are laid, will quickly ratchet up to over $75 billion dollars.
Further, the ridership projections are excessive. Won’t happen.
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and Senator Tom McClintock oppose this ballot measure. Larry says vote NO. OPPOSE

Prop 2 “Standards for Confining Farm Animals” Bars tight cages.
Larry says vote NO.  OPPOSE

Prop 3 “Children’s Hospital Bond Act.” $980 million in bonds to upgrade children’s hospitals. Adding interest expense this would approach $2 billion over the next 30 years. We have just approved a massive budget and simply cannot afford to burden ourselves especially when we have not spent hundreds of millions of previously approved bonds for this very purpose. Larry says vote NO.  OPPOSE.

Prop 4 “Abortion Waiting Period and Parental Notification Initiative.” “Sarah’s Law.”
Parental, or other adult family member, notification by a physician 48 hours prior to performing an abortion on a minor child.
 Larry says vote YES. SUPPORT

Prop 5 “Nonviolent Drug Offenses. Sentencing, Paroling and Rehabilitation.”
Mandates probation with treatment instead of jail or prison for many drug crimes and diminishes sentences and shortens parole for many nonviolent crimes when drugs are involved.” LA Times.  George Soros is a major player supporting this measure.  Larry says vote NO. OPPOSE

Prop 6 “The Safe Neighborhoods Act.”
 Police and Law Enforcement Funding. Criminal Penalties and Laws.”
“Eliminate bail for undocumented individuals charged with violent or gang-related felonies.” This measure “deems any youth 14 years or older who is convicted of a “gang-related” felony as unfit for trial in a juvenile court, thus, prosecuting these youth as adults.”
Estimated cost $500 million for additional prison space.
Larry says vote YES.  SUPPORT.

Prop 7 “Renewable Energy Generation.”
Increased clean generation requirement on utilities.  It is rare to find both major parties in agreement. Both the CA Democratic and CA Republican Parties OPPOSE this measure.  Larry says vote NO. OPPOSE

Prop 8 “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” You don’t need an attorney to interpret these 14 concise words. Over 60 percent of CA voters approved Prop 22 in 2000 only to see it thrown out by our activist court.  Larry says vote YES.  SUPPORT

Prop 9  Marsy’s Law: “Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008.” This will provide enforceable rights to family members of crime victims.
Larry says vote YES.  SUPPORT

Prop 10 “Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy.” $5 billion in bond rebates to buyers of natural gas and alternative fuel vehicles. Funded by T. Boone Pickens (whose company produces natural gas).
Larry says vote NO. OPPOSES

Prop 11 “Redistricting.” Instead of statewide elected officials picking the voters it should be the voters picking them. The down side is that this Prop. did not include the same provision for congressional districts that are “gerrymandered” manipulated, to protect both major parties.
While not complete Larry says vote YES. SUPPORT

Prop 12 “Veterans Bond Act of 2008.” This Bond Measure will provide access to low-interest mortgages for veterans. With all of the recent fallout over subprime and other questionable mortgages this is a tough call. However this bond is for Cal Vet’s where the current program only covers those who served prior to 1977. This is the least we can do for those veterans who served our country in the past 30 years.
 Larry says vote YES.  SUPPORT

Stay tuned. In the next two weeks I will post Part two of  “Larry’s Picks”


About Larry Gilbert