Study: At Least 5,000 Non-Citizens Voted in The Last Colorado Election

I personally would guess the total was a lot higher.

A Colorado study that found as many as 5,000 non-citizens in the state took part in last year’s election, and it has gotten some attention from Republicans on the House Administration Committee.

Guess which party they voted for.

Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), the panel’s chairman, called the study “a disturbing wake-up call” that should cause every state to review its safeguards to prevent illegal voting.“We simply cannot have an electoral system that allows thousands of non-citizens to violate the law and vote in our elections. We must do more to protect the integrity of our electoral processes,” Harper added.

Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler testified before the panel the panel that his department’s study identified nearly 12,000 people who were not citizens but were still registered to vote in Colorado.

What Gessler's department did was to compare voter registration records with the state's driver's licenbse and state issued ID records.

“We know we have a problem here. We don’t know the size of it,” Gessler said . Colorado is apparently looking into a registration system that would allow asking that some people provide proof of their citizenship in writing.

I guarantee you that if they do that, Eric Holder and the Obama Department of Justice will come running and sue them to block it.

A better system would be to demand photo ID at the polling places. The Democrats have been fighting legislation like that for years.

If the problem is this bad in Colorado, imagine how bad it is in Texas, California and New Mexico.

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Victorious Tea Party Congresswoman Screwed Over By RINO NRCC

One of the Congressional seats taken by the GOP was won by Tea Party favorite and Palin endorsee Renee Ellmers in North Carolina's 2nd District,where she defeated Bob Ethridge, who some of you may remember as the DC Strangler.

It was a tight race, and Ellmers received no help whatsoever from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) who spent thousands of dollars elsewhere for more establishment Republicans who ended up losing. However, she did get help from SarahPAC and other donors and she won by 2,100 votes.

Yesterday afternoon her lead mysteriously dropped to 1,600 votes, which put Bob Ethridge in in range to demand a recount.That means she's going to have to hire no less than eleven attorneys, One in each county to monitor each recount and an attorney to work with the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

I'll let Renee Ellmers tell you the rest in her own words:

Right now, our best estimate of the minimum cost we face is $50,000. But, of course, my campaign spent every penny we had before the election.

Yesterday, we appealed to the National Republican Congressional Committee for support, asking if they could contribute to help pay the costs of this recount. Their answer, unfortunately, was, No – that we would have to raise the money to pay for the recount ourselves.

I was afraid that would be their answer. Months ago, I went to Washington and asked the National Republican Congressional Committee and many conservative leaders to help my campaign. Many conservative groups – like the Susan B. Anthony List, Concerned Women of America, Freedom Works, and Sarah Palin’s Sarah PAC all helped, but the NRCC declined. Later, they did support other campaigns in North Carolina – which, unfortunately, lost – but we never received their support. In fact, their spokesman told the press “that the campaign wasn’t ready for prime time” – which actually made it even harder for us to raise money. So, I am doubtful we will get support from the NRCC to help with the expense of the recount.

Right now, I lead Bob Etheridge by 1,600 votes. That lead should hold up. But we can’t take anything for granted. We must leave no stone unturned to insure a fair recount. We cannot allow the kind of mishap that happened in Minnesota – when Al Franken was elected – to repeat itself in North Carolina.

Absolutely unbelievable..here's a strong conservative who belongs in Congress and who actually won her seat and the NRCC is turning their fat backs on her, just like they did during the campaign.

The RNC ponied up with $10,000, SarahPac has kicked in teh $2,400 max and she's getting a little help here and there, but right now she needs donations:

This morning my campaign manager set up a special fund – Renee Ellmers for Congress Recount Fund – to pay for the recount. I never dreamed I’d be asking you for another donation two days after the election – but I need to raise $50,000 ‘yesterday.’ The maximum you may give is $2,400. Each contribution – whatever the amount, whether it’s $25, $250, or $500 – is crucial and will be deeply appreciated. Could you send a donation and mail it today? Or, better still, click here, to give on my website.

I apologize for asking for another gift so soon – but I am sure you understand.

As ever, thank you and best wishes.

Renee Ellmers

Part of the changes that need to take place in DC involves making some significant changes in the RINO establishment in DC. Meanwhile, if you can send Renee Ellmers some love and some shekels, she deserves it.

(via memeorandum, Dan Riehl, and Conservatives4Palin)

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Patty Murray Wins Re-Election In Washington

It appears they 'found' enough ballots in King County (Seattle) to send Osama Mama back to DC.

Murray spent nearly $15 million through September to Rossi’s roughly $2.5 million. Since Rossi was a GOP 'moderate' campaigning in a Blue state, I'm waiting to see how the GOP establishment blames this one on the Tea Party.

Congrats anyway Dino. You ran a good race, came close and made the Dems spend a lot of money.

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Last Night's Real Winner - Sarah Palin

One person who has to be particularly gratified about last night's results is Governor Sarah Palin.While she had some high profile losses among her endorsees, her batting average overall was spectacular, coming in at around .680 so far.

Governor Palin backed 43 candidates for the House, including superstars like Allen West. Thirty of them won, with nine other races still undecided, giving her a .700 batting average.

In the Senate, she did only slightly worse, 7 out of 12 for a batting average of .580..and that's not counting Joe Miller in Alaska, whose race is also still not decided. Among her endorsees? Marco Rubio for Senate in Florida, Pat Toomey for Senate in Pennsylvania, and John Boozman for Senate, in Arkansas.

One big loss for Palin was Sharron Angle, and I'm convinced that Sharron Angle only lost because Harry Reid trucked in thousands of Democrat and union operatives into Nevada in a massive GOTV operation that the RNC was apparently unwilling to put in place for the Tea Party favorite, who was a relative amateur in a big race like this. Without a real ground came, she came up short....but Governor Palin has hopefully learned from that.

Interesting exchange - as you may now, when Governor Palin was asked on "Entertainment Tonight" last week whether she'd run for president, she said she might, if there was nobody else credible to do it.

On "The Early Show" today, Senator Jim DeMint was asked about Palin's answer and asked if he could imagine a Palin-DeMint or DeMint-Palin ticket in 2012.

"I agree with her," DeMint said. "I would only consider if no one else was willing to do it at this point. Sarah Palin's done a lot of good for the country. She's gone out front and taken a lot of the slings and arrows from the critics. When women or minorities get involved in politics as conservatives, they take a lot of hits from the press. And she's done a lot of good for the Republican Party, and for our country."

Hmmmm!

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Obama Doubles Down

Well, he didn't disappoint me. In his post-election press conference today, Barack Hussein Obama did exactly what I predicted - he called the election results a clear sign that 'we all need to work harder in Washington' to compromise on 'solving the challenges we face' and spouted off an example of an undoubtedly non-existent businessman he claims he talked to who supposedly told him all about how people are tired of obstructionism and 'political battles' and called for the GOP to join with him on 'those things we can compromise on'...like energy self-sufficiency.

This, from a president who put a ridiculous moratorium on off-shore oil drilling and touts cap n' tax, a policy that will cost millions of jobs and raise energy prices through the roof!

The first question he was asked - by the AP, no less - was whether he felt last night's results were a repudiation of his policies.

Obama's response? Nope...people are just all wee=weed up about the economy, so we just need to follow the same course, only faster!

“There is no doubt that people’s number one concern is the economy,” he said. “What they were expressing great frustration about is that we haven’t made enough progress on the economy.”

The notion of compromise is quite interesting.If the president was really all that interested in compromise, why now? Why not during the 'stimulus' bill, or the debate on ObamaCare,or any of dozens of instances during the past few years when any hint of compromise with Republicans was missing?

I assure you,the man who said that hand to hand combat was coming if the Republicans won and told his minions that the GOP would have to move his way has no intention of compromising. He plans to double down and then attempt to label the Republicans as obstructionist if they refuse to go along with his agenda, which continues to be repudiated by the vast majority of Americans.

Compromise is the last thing he has in mind. And if new crop of conservatives coming into DC is thinking straight, they will have nothing to do with it.

You don't 'compromise' between oxygen and carbon monoxide....and trying to do so is a recipe for suicide.

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Allen West's Victory Speech..

I can't wait until he gets to DC. Can you!

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Watcher's Council Nominations,Post Election Edition

The Watcher's Council is a group of some of the most incisive blogs in the`sphere. Every week, the members nominate two posts each, one of their own and one from outside the group for consideration by the whole Council.Then we vote on the best posts, with the results appearing here on Friday.

So, let's see what we have this week....and do check out the debut offering of our latest member, Snoopy the Goon from Simply Jews

Council Submissions

• Simply Jews – The dull, throbbing anxiety of Jonathan Franzen’s potential reader
• Right Truth – Changes in Fighting Terrorism and the Conservative Tsunami
• Joshuapundit - Reconquista: The Democrat’s Civil War Surfaces
• The Colossus of Rhodey – Well, knowing Channel 28 …
• GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD – Miss Beautiful Morals
• Bookworm Room – NPR’s carefully crafted tales — and why I don’t listen anymore
• The Razor – Life in the Echo Chamber
• VA Right - Vote!
• Rhymes With Right – A Quick Note On Texas Poll Watchers Standing Behind Voters
• The Glittering Eye – Tyrant For a Day

Non Council Submissions

• Life in Israel - GETTING THE YIDDISH SLURS RIGHT submitted by Simply Jews
• FrontPageMag – Bin Laden’s Iranian Protectors submitted by Right Truth
• HillBuzz -An Open Letter to Rush Limbaugh and His Listeners — With Notes on the Democrat Civil War Already In Progress submitted by Joshuapundit
• Big Questions Online – In Praise of Irrational Exuberance submitted by The Colossus of Rhodey
• Abu Muqawama – An Open Letter to the Washington Post submitted by GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD
• YouTube/Team CrazyTalk -We Are The Ones: O RLY? submitted by Bookworm Room
• FrontPageMag – Thomas Sowell -Legacy of Lies submitted by The Razor
• RedState – A Special Note to Our Democrat Readers in Washington submitted by VA Right
• RedState – Pretending The Union Money Doesn’t Exist submitted by Rhymes With Right
• The Daily Bail – When The Big Banks Come Crawling Back, Screw ‘Em! Talking Points for the Anti-Bank Bailout Revolution submitted by The Glittering Eye
• Contentions - Some Historical Perspective on Negative Campaigning submitted by The Watcher

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After The Wave

Last night was an historic repudiation of Barack Obama's agenda.

The GOP has picked up house 61 seats so far, with a number still to be decided.No less than 16 state legislatures flipped to Republican control, along with a net gain of 7 governorships. And a total of 6 Senate seats changed hands, with two more - Washington and Colorado - still too close to call.

That is extraordinary considering how many seats the GOP had to defend, which they did successfully. In 2012, Democrats will have 21 seats to defend, far more than they did this year.

Even more impressively, the Democrats were forced to defend their turf in blue states like Michigan, California, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Washington, and were nearly wiped out across the board in battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Florida. Combined with the historic flip of state legislatures, that will have a great deal to do with what happens in 2012.

Independents broke decisively for the Republicans, by 55% to 40%. That represents a complete reversal from the last midterm in 2006, when independents voted Democrat 57% to 39%.

In four years, the independents, who were a major part of Barack Obama's coalition have deserted him and his party.

Even more telling was how the partisan divide has widened in Congress.The carnage among the Blue Dogs that came into Congress in '06 and '08 was intense, especially in the South, Mountain West and Midwest.And while the Republicans made significant gains in Congress in the Northeast, that region and the West Coast largely eluded the GOP wave.

Most of the Democrats who survived were the ones situated in solid Blue territory in those regions who were either decidedly on the Left or were in racially gerrymandered districts. Barbara Lee was re-elected in Berkeley,as were Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid, Pete Stark, George Miller, Jan Schakovsky and Barney Frank. So were Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters.

And on the Republican side, the new congress is decidedly more conservative. It's unlikely that Marco Rubio, Kelly Ayotte, Ron Johnson, John Hoeven, Allen West, Paul Gosar, Renee Elmers,Kristi Noem and Daniel Webster are going to find much common ground with most of the surviving Democrats..especially with Obama in charge.

Because President Obama is not going to react well to the massive reversal of fortune. We will get a hint of that today, when he will make a statement at a White House press conference.

Unlike Bill Clinton, I am convinced that Obama will not seek to move to the center with the idea of taking credit for the GOP restoring fiscal sanity to win re-election in 2012. Instead, he will label last night's election as a sign that 'people are tired of obstructionism' and what he will undoubtedly call 'politics as usual' and call for the GOP led Congress to join with him to work on the country's problems - HIS way. As an ideologue as well as a narcissist he is never wrong, and if elections like last night happen, it's because the electorate is a bunch of bitter clingers who are too scared to think straight and appreciate his genius. He will not give an inch, and the far Left of the Democrat party that mostly survived will join him in digging their heels in.

With that in mind, it is actually a positive thing in a way that the Republicans did not take the Senate.That leaves Obama with control of two out of three of the levers of government, but with a firm grip on only one, the executive. The Republicans got just enough Senate Seats to prevent the Senate from becoming a rubber stamp. Obama will undoubtedly try, but he will be unable to subsequently blame the GOP for the resulting gridlock and political warfare to come.

The most important thing to understand about this election is that this was not a vote for Republicans, but, as PJ O'Rourke put it, a restraining order on Obama and his enablers. The new Republican congress is being given an opportunity. They are being sent to Washington to stop Obama's policies and to fight to institute conservative new measures, even if Obama ultimately vetoes them.

By keeping the Tea Party activists in the GOP instead of creating a third party, Sarah Palin, Jim DeMint and few others have given the Republicans a new lease on life and an opportunity to prove that they can be trusted to govern responsibly, restore fiscal sanity and move the country back on track to the ideas of the Founders. If they pass that test, 2012 will see the Republicans on track to win the presidency and cement even bigger majorities in place.If they do not, the American people will simply abandon them...not just for an election cycle or two but forever.

The choice is theirs, and it will be interesting to see what they make of it.

-Selah-

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Live Blogging Continues...12:25 AM PST

RM: OK Monkey, last lap. So far, it looks like 58 seats for the GOP, with the rest not in yet, especially in California. By the way, the pot initiative looks like it's going down to defeat.

WM: Now that surprises me.

RM: Boxer is claiming victory in California, but Fiorina hasn't conceded yet.Washington and Colorado are still too close to call - we may even see recounts eventually.

WM: Hee hee! (yawn) We Dems are good at recounts. So anyway, whaddya think this all means?

RM: I think it's the beginning shot in taking back the country. As you said, th e two sides just got more polarized and Obama's not going to do anything to alleviate that. In a way, it's almost better that the GOP didn't take the Senate. If they and the new House members do what they were sent to DC to do - or at least make Obama veto their trying to do the right thing, they're setting themselves up for a real veto proof majority and taking back the White House in 2012.

If they screw up, it will definitely be third party time.

I also expect some major scandals to erupt in the Obama White House..maybe even bad enough to keep Obama from running in 2012.

WM: If that happens, I betcha Hillary is the hidden hand that holds the dagger...

RM: Very poetic Monkey, And as it happens, I agree with you.Any last words Monkey? Monkey? I do believe that JoshuaPundit's political guru has fallen asleep on me.Or something.

And with that, Let's close it down for the night.Thank you all for joining us.

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Live Blogging Continues...11:26PM

RM: So Monkey, right now the GOP has already made 57 pickups in the House, and they're probably going to end up with something like in the mid-60's. What do you make of that?

WM: It's not a bad night's work for the ReThugs...but what's interesting to me is how it's going to polarize Congress even more. A lotta the Blue Dogs who came in via Rahm in '06 and '08 got their asses handed to them...and a lot of what's left is exactly that, the Left of the party. Ike Skelton, Stephanie Hersath-Sandlin, Gene Taylor, Tom Periello..all gone.

And a lot of the ReThugs who are coming in like your pal Allen West, like Paul Gosar, like Renee Elmers are a lot more right wing. Same with a lot of the Senate, on both sides. Can you say g-r-i-d-l-o-c-k?

RM: Yeah , especially with Obama at the head of the circus. BTW, the California Secretary of State's website crashed, so numbers on the Cali senate race are delayed. If I were Fiorina, I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet.

WM: Hope squeaks eternal in the primate's breast..I told you before Boxer stays, I know these things.

Rm: You also knew that Mark Kirk wasn;t going to win in Illinois..

WM: Owchie! Don't remind me. That cost me some serious shekels. Any fresh numbers for us?

RM: I don't know what more we're gonna get tonight. Washington is a dead heat, with Patty Murray up 14,000 votes with 68% of the precincts in, and Ken Buck is up by about 10,000 votes in Colorado with 70% of the precincts reporting, so who knows when those will be settled?

Plus a lot of the House votes in the West still need to play out.

WM: Another Margarita?

RM: Why Not? At least you're not mixing cognac with banana extract any more these days.

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Live Blogging Continues...10:05PM

RM: Check this Monkey! Mark Kirk in Illinois and Pat Toomey in PA are projected winners!

WM: Somebody really screwed up in Chicago! And dammit, it could cost me money!Here's hoping somebody finds a box of ballots somewhere.

RM: Not only that, but Ken Buck is ahead in Colorado - by over 30,000 votes. So far, the GOP has picked up about 55 House seats, and there's more to come.

WM: I hear Sharron Angle and Carly Fiorina are toast.

RM: It looks that way, but I wouldn't bend over just yet..especially when it comes to Fiorina, although California, you know..

WM: SO it's 55 seats in the House and what, 6 Senate pickups?

RM: Yeah, but that's not counting Colorado or Washington.

WM: So I had it called right, a max of 8 seats?

RM: It looks that way, so far. But the night is still young.

WM: That's for sure!

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Live Blogging Continues...9:12PM

WM: Updates, Rob?

RM: Yeah,Patty Murray has pulled back ahead in Washington over Dino Rossi. She's up by not quite 30,000 votes with 56% of the vote counted.

WM: That's gonna be a real branch hanger. All depends on whether King County'd been counted yet.

RM: You got that right. Also, Sharron Angle is down by about 28,000 votes Nevada with about 11.6% of the votes counted. Early days, but worrisome.

WM: Looky Pal, yesterday and today Harry Reid brought in a small army of union guys and Democratic operatives to get the vote out and fix what needs fixing, y'know? And may I remind you that Nevada has a Democrat as its Secretary of State? Politics, baby - the art of the possible.

RM: We'll see. On the positive side, Allen West in FL22 was one of the 42 seats the GOP picked up so far.

WM: Yeah , you been shilling for him for quite awhile.

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Live Blogging Continues, 8:45PM PST

WM: mmm, these enchilada thingies sure are tasty.

RM: Just a little sweetener for the Dems defeat. Tell me Monkey...tomorrow, Obama's going to give a presser before he gets out of town. Do you think he'll be a little contrite at least, maybe reach out a bit to the Republicans?

WM: HOO HE HAH HAH HAH HAH! You better nurse those drinks a little longer Rob! I'll tell you exactly what he'll say.He'll say that (decent Obama imitation)' the results of last night's elections prove that the country wants and end to obstructionism and politics as usual, and now is the time for the Republicans to work together with me to solve the nation's problems.'

Obama will not admit for a minute that he had anything to do with those problems. To him, it's all about the Republicans not bending over for him and the voters being too stupid to recognize his awesomeness. That's what he'll say, trust me. Remember, Obama's been going around telling the voters that the Republicans are going to have to work with him, now - not the other way around. Wait and see if I'm not right.

RM: You probably are. He's not exactly someone willing to learn fr0m his mistakes, is he?

WM: Any new returns to report?

RM: Well, so far there's a 30 seat GOP pickup in the House. But what's really interesting is the state races. I'm looking at massive gains for the GOP in state legislatures, and a pick up of no less than 6 governorships - and that's just what's happened so far.

WM: Did that crazy Tom Tancredo win in Colorado?

RM: Doesn't look like it. But the Republicans actually won in Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin,places where you never would have thought they would. And speaking of crazy, Ron Johnson retired Russ Feingold in the Wisconsin senate race, Pat Toomey is up 52-48 with 96 % of the precincts counted and Mark Kirk is up over Giannoulias in Illinois 48-46% - with 96% of the precincts in.

Not only that, but Dino Rossi is up 53-47 over Patty Murray with almost 40% of the returns in.

WM: Early days yet. Will see if Illinois and Washington hold.

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Live Blogging Continues...

RM: FOX just predicted that the House goes GOP, with a gain of a minimum of 60 seats.

WM: Eh!

RM: And here's the latest - Kirk is ahead by 20,000 votes in the Illinois Senate with 78.5% of the votes counted , and Pat Toomey is about the same amount ahead with 92% of th eprecincts in, so that's looking good.

WM: What about Colorado?

RM: Ken Buck is behind Michael Bennet, but less than 20% of the precincts have reported. Could just be Denver and Aspen. Oh, And David Vitter won inLouisiana.

WM: Good news for the hookers!

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Live Blogging Continues...6:14 PST

WM: Hee hee! Looks like Joe Manchin is going to the Senate from West Virginia! And that's per FOX!

RM: Yeah, I saw it. Too bad.Meanwhile Boozman won in Arkansas and Roy Blunt looks to take it Missouri..

WM: Yeah, but neither of those are any surprises.

RM: We'll see if Toomey wins in PA and Mark Kirk in Illinois.

WM: If a ReThug wins in Illinois..no way!

RM: Meanwhile, so far the Republicans have picked up IN8, IN9 - That's Baron Hills seat- VA5 and VA9...

WM: Periello's history,huh?

RM:..FL24 and FL8. Alan Grayson no mas.

WM: Gonna be an interesting night..

RM: Have some more tequilla Monkey. You'll feel better.

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Live Blogging Continues...

RM: FOX just called Connecticut for Blumenthal.

WM: Told ya it would stay Democratic.

RM: OK, but I see some good signs in important House races. In Indiana, Democrat incumbent Baron Hill is being slaughtered, Democrat incumbent Joe Donnelly is down by 2.5 points with just over half the vote counted, and in Virginia, long-time Democrat Congressman Rich Boucher is also behind with about half the vote in. Th enext big news I expect tohear is from PA.As a matter of fact, so far there are 31 projected GOP House winners..and only six Democrats.

WM: Early yet...want a margarita?

Rm: Uh-huh.

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Live Blogging Continues...

RM: Well, looked who dropped in! Hey Weekend Monkey!

WM: Howdy Rob! I'm lookin' at the exit polls - not so good for the ReThugs

RM: Hey, We'll see. FOX just called Florida for Rubio, and Kelly Ayotte won in New Hampshire.So did Pat Toomey in PA. Sadly, if Coons' lead holds Christine O'Donnell has had it.

WM: You really expected her to win?

RM: Oh, I just had a feeling, maybe.

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Early Returns...

A number of projections are being made based on exit polls--DO NOT BELIVE EXIT POLL DATA! Just ask President John Kerry.

Drudge is calling Indiana for Dan Coats(R) and Kentucky for Rand Paul(R).

CNN has declared incumbents Democratic Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy and Republican South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint winners...no surprises there.

Rob Portman has just been declared the winner in Ohio by FOX

On big House race in Indiana, where Democrat incumbent Baron Hill is trailing Dan Young 42-53%.

Two more GOP pickups so far - Todd Rokita in IN-4 and Mario Diaz Belart in FL21.

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Chris Coons In Delaware: "I'm Not Getting TheTurnout I Expected"

Whoopsie!

It seems Coons campaign manager Christy Gleason sent out a nooner to supporters saying close monitoring of voter turnout in the state’s 41 representative districts showed “lower turnout in New Castle and Kent counties than we’re comfortable with.”

New Castle County is the populous north part of the state - and where Chris Coons' strength is. Christine O'Donnell's strength is in the other two counties, Kent and Sussex.

This is not a done deal by any means.....

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Kali-fornia Dreaming - A Guide For The Perplexed

For those of my fellow inmates in this asylum of ours on the Left Coast wondering how to vote on the various propositions and downstate races, here are my recommendations.

Carly Fiorina is a 'conservative' on only a very few issues,but she's at least intelligent and sane which puts her miles ahead of Babs Boxer.

Likewise, Meg Whitman is unlikely to be able to do anything in the governor's seat given the composition of the state legislature which is heavily Democrat thanks to partisan redistricting, on which more later.But I can tell you that Jerry Brown would be an absolute disaster - not only for California but nationally, since California is responsible for one sixth of the US economy.

As such, both Fiorina and Whitman deserve your votes.

I'm a lot more interested in seeing Tony Strickland get into the Controller's office, since he's a fiscal hawk.

The propositions? Here's a brief rundown.

Prop 19 essentially legalizes marijuana. I'm voting in favor even though I'm a non-user simply because as a fiscal matter far too much of our resources nationally and state-wide are used to combat the traffic and it's a losing battle. The state may as well legalize it and tax it. Your call.

Prop 20 is of major importance. It retains a civilian, non-partisan board to oversee redistricting rather than letting it revert back to the legislature. Keeping redistricting out of the hands of state politicians could be a major help in getting the state in order to a strong, fiscally prudent governor. A yes on Prop 27 does exactly the opposite, giving redistricting back to the politicians. I recommend a yes on Prop 20 and a no on Prop 27

Prop 21 is the proverbial camel's nose in the tent, allowing the government to charge a 'car tax' supposedly to keep the parks and beaches open. Don't believe it for a second - this is simply a desperate attempt to raise taxes to pay for more spending, and if it passes it will only be the beginning. I recommend a no on Prop 21.

Prop 22 safeguards local funds from appropriation by the state. I recommend a yes on Prop 22.

Prop 23 is another important one. It suspends California's job killing environmental regs as spelled out in AB 32 Until California's unemployment rate is below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters. I recommend a yes on Prop 23.

Prop 24 rescinds a tax break, one of the few businesses in the Golden State currently enjoy. I recommend we keep it while we still have a few businesses left, so no on Prop 24.

Prop 25 and Prop 26 are mirror images of each other, something that happenes frequently in California and unnecessarily confuses voters. Prop 25 rescinds the 2/3 majority now required to approve a budget and raise taxes and fees and changes it to a simple majority. It is a direct bullet aimed directly at the heart of Proposition 13, the measure California voters passed back in 1978 that limited the amount and frequency property taxes can be raised after a number of draconian hikes by the socialist denizens of the State Legislature. Having taxed virtually everything else to the stratosphere, Prop 25 is a bid to go after what little wealth remains in people's homes and property by camouflaging such increases as 'fees'.

Prop 26 is exactly the opposite, requiring the 2/3 majority to approve a budget and state fees. I strongly recommend a no on Prop 25 and a yes on Prop 26.

If Jerry Brown becomes governor and Props 20, 23, 24 and 26 go down to defeat, it will simply hasten the collapse of California and drive even more businesses and productive citizens out of the state. With Meg Whitman in Sacramento and Props 20,23, 24 and 26 in place we may actually be on the road to solving some of California's deep seated problems.

-Selah-

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