Looking at the whole ballot
When S.F.'s voting pamphlet and sample ballot come out, which will happen soon, many citizens will be surprised to see how thick and dense it is. With 22 local ballot measures plus a variety of candidates to choose from, many potential voters may be tempted to toss the whole thing out or to vote only for the top of the ticket and a few favorite propositions. It's worth remembering, though, that sometimes failing to vote on one question may nullify your vote on another. Take the JROTC policy measure, for example. If the measure passes, voters will have expressed a wish for the Board of Education to reinstate JROTC in the schools instead of phasing it out. However, the vote will have no effect on what the Board does. It's only an opinion. People who want to change action, will have to vote on candidates for the Board of Education some of whom have expressed support for JROTC while others oppose reinstatement. It would also help if strong supporters or opponents of the action would go to Board of Education meetings and let members know how they feel. No one ever said democracy is easy, but it's important to know all the steps you have to take to ensure that your voice is heard.
The League does it again
If eternal vigilence is the price of liberty, it is lucky the League has so many members watching elections carefully in all parts of the country. On Shelter Island, at the Eastern end of Long Island, the League discovered that the U.S. Post Office was not allowing applications for absentee ballots to be made available in local post offices. The N.Y. Times quotes Cathy Kenny, president of the Shelter Island's chapter of the League of Women Voters saying "It's disturbing if the U.S. Post office is not open about letting this information flow through their own facility." The League complained, the local newspaper printed an article, and the postal service changed its mind. They decided that applications for absentee ballots were not the same as campaign material and began to make them available to the public. Once again the League has quietly and efficiently gone about its job of helping citizens participate in the democratic process of government. Three cheers for Shelter Island!
Think fast!
The first debate between the two major presidential candidates is coming up tonight and many San Franciscans can't wait to see what they will have to say. Even though everyone is focusing on economics this week, the debate will concentrate on foreign policy questions. Many of us worry about the U.S. relations with other countries, but few of us even know what questions to ask about policies and threats. Fortunately, David Sanger, in the N.Y. Times has suggested 10 questions that should be asked. The questions cover the world from Iran to Russia, Korea, and Darfur. If we could listen to the candidates thoughts on what they would do to deal with those countries, we'd be a lot closer to knowing what we have to expect from each man. Let's hope we hear some good answers tonight.
Troubling changes
Americans usually feel quite confident that their private papers, computer files and letters are safe from intrusive government interference. The thought of having a customs agent at an airport take your travel journal and hold it indefinitely for copying, seems creepy to most of us. Isn't that kind of action reserved for totalitarian states? Now, however, thanks to the vigilance of civil rights law firms we are learning that new U.S. policy allows such search and seizure even when there is no reason to suspect a traveler has commited any crime or is a threat to the country. In the turmoil of today's world when bad economic news and turbulent political campaigns have been the focus of attention for most news seekers, it is disturbing to hear that our government is expanding its powers to snoop without even telling us. We have to be grateful to journalists and lawyers who keep an eye on our privacy rights and protect us when we are too busy to take care of ourselves.
Can't wait to see it!
As most people in San Francisco know by now, Saturday, Sept. 27, marks the opening of the new Academy of Sciences building in Golden Gate Park. For months now people who walk or bike in the park have watched ongoing construction at the site and answered questions from tourists visiting the DeYoung Museum across the way about what was going up. We have to feel sorry for those tourists who are already on their way back to Indiana or Italy and won't be here to see the glorious unveiling. Even now the green-thatched roof offers an idea of the surprises in store. The importance of those ballot measures that we argued about and voted on some eight or ten years ago about building or not building a parking garage is now clear. They made it possible for the museum to stay in the park and for us to visit this major attraction. The price is high for a family, but not as high as Disneyland, and Disney never brought us a covey of splashing penguins nor a ghostly white albino crocodile. Now that's something to look for!
Untrashing our waterways
What happens to all the plastic cups and plastic bags that Californians use every day? Many of them get carelessly tossed on the ground or left behind at picnic sites. Eventually most of these end up on beaches. This weekend it's time to start cleaning up some of the mess we've created. Saturday's Coastal Cleanup Day is planned to be the biggest volunteer event in California. Mark this on your calendar--Saturday, Sept. 20, from 9 AM till noon. You can make your effort in your local community at a beach or park close to you. To find our where volunteers are needed, go to www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd/html Round up your children, your friends, and relatives and come out to join the fun. You'll be glad you did!
What about those energy props?
Alternative energy is an attractive prospect for many Californians, so it's no surprise that the coming election includes two ballot measures designed to encourage its use. Why have these two measures been questioned by so many groups? The S.F. Chronicle today does a good job of outlining the views of both supporters and opponents of Prop 7 Renewable Energy Generation and Prop 10 Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds. Supporters and opponents of Prop 7 have produced a number of TV ads that run over and over again on our screens, but the effect of watching them may cause more confusion than enlightenment. Who do you believe? Voters will have to read the fine print and make their own judgements. Prop 10, put forth by T. Boone Pickens has generated fewer ads, but equally strong disagreement. The Chronicle article will help voters sort out some of the issues. Equally important in deciding which ballot measures to support are the careful assessments made by the California League of Women Voters. The League's recommendations give a concise overview of positions taken in the light of League principles adopted over the years.
Recycling idea
Everyone has had the experience of looking into a closet or a drawer and noticing that it is full of usable items that we no longer want. Recycling isn't always easy. You may have a place to take used clothes, and books can be given to the library for their book sales, but it's all those other things--tools and ornaments and furniture--that languish untaken. Now the Chronicle tells us, there is a place to list and get rid of almost anything--Freecycle, a community of people who post on the Freecycle Network. They list any items they want to get rid of so others can arrange to pick them up. Everything listed is free and it can range from small items like cans of soup to major appliances, with a few exceptions such as pets. It certainly sounds like a good idea. Perhaps we should all get rid of all our tired old junk before the holidays come along and we stock up on more of the same.
What are women saying?
Newspapers and other media never tire of asking the old question, "What do women want?" although everyone has long since had the chance to point out that different women want different things just as men do. Now the nomination of Sarah Palin has raised that old issue again. Palin has certainly gotten a lot of attention from both men and women with her lively performances on the campaign trail, but the real question should be "What do voters want?" Focusing on specific groups within the electorate tends to be divisive. We are facing a national choice for president of our country, not an election for president of the fifth grade class. It's not the boys against the girls. We gave that up years ago when we grew up and women took their place beside men working together for our families and our communities. Let's ask our political parties to grow up too and ask what we as individuals want to choose for the future in this important election.
Heavy reading, but rewarding
Those of you who are willing to take up a challenge on a Monday morning might want to check out David Latterman's analysis of San Francisco city politics. Tracking the fluctuations in political views in S.F.'s eleven supervisory districts is not easy, but Latterman's report does just that. He charts voting patterns over the years and shows which districts stay firmly in the conservative or liberal columns and which ones are shifting in either direction. Some of the findings will only confirm voters convictions about who are the most liberal and who the most conservative city residents, but the shifts are interesting to follow. It's hard to know to what extent these shifts might affect local elections in November, but it will be fun watching.
Good for Good Neighbors!
Anyone who walks through the Tenderloin district at any time of day notices the number of people clutching brown bags as they weave their way down the street. Now it appears that at last some of the many liquor dealers in the area are uniting in a voluntary program to reduce practices that have encouraged alcohol abuse. The stores, through an agreement brokered by the mayor's office, will no longer sell alcohol between 6 and 8 a.m.; they will refrain from selling single containers of alcohol in paper bags; they will no longer cash Supplemental Security checks, nor will they give credit for alcohol purchases. One move that will surprise many is that they will no longer sell individual scouring pads because those can be used to make crack pipe filters (who knew?). All of these measures should help to some extent. Now we need to look at providing more alcohol rehab programs and stronger social services to move people into a more liveable life. We would all benefit.
Choosing public power?
The idea of public energy is not a new one in San Francisco; as the S. F.Chronicle reminds us, voters have been making decisions about this since the 1920s. This year voters will have another chance to choose when they vote on Proposition H on the November ballot. Today's Chronicle outlines some of the history of this issue in the city and the options we are facing. The ballot measure is a complex one and it will take some time to understand the points of view of supporters and opponents. Most people in San Francisco support the idea of having more energy come from renewable energy sources, but not everyone is convinced that taking over PG&E is the way to do it. The Mayor opposes the ballot measure, but eight of the supervisors support it. The Chronicle article is well worth reading to get background on the issue. In a few weeks the League's own Pro/Con publication will be available and that will be well worth studying too. As voters we have our work cut out for us in this coming complex election.
