Just a few more days
Election Day is just around the corner and many citizens are dreading the experience of voting this year. The media has been filled with stories about how crowded polling places are going to be and about all the things that might go wrong with the voting process. Recently NPR ran a story on what voters should expect at the polling place. First time voters in particular will find many tips for what to expect and also websites they can use to get more information (in addition to this one of course as well as www.smartvoter.org). The story is well worth reading if you have any questions about what next Tuesday will bring.
Where does your change go?
Walking through some areas of San Francisco can be a wrenching experience for people because of the number of panhandlers asking for change. Some look pathetic, some are aggressive, while others are friendly and confiding. What is a compassionate person to do? The Mayor's idea of providing specific parking meters where change can be dropped instead of given to individuals might be a winner. We all know the heartbreak and health problems that can come out of putting money into the hands of people who are not able to handle it responsibly. Does the glow of seeing yourself as a generous person outweigh the worry about what may result from your gift? Many people would prefer to channel their generosity to organizations which will responsibly help those in need in the city. Let's hope the mayor moves forward quickly on this projct so we can see improved lives for many San Franciscans and improved civility on our streets.
Will every vote count?
As the election campaign enters its final days, it's time for concerned citizens to turn their eyes on the voting procedures in their county and state. Stories about possible registration fraud and voter fraud are widespread. The two basic concerns are that noneligible people will be allowed to vote or that eligible voters will be prevented from voting. Luckily, in these days of instant Internet connections, there are several website staffed by people dedicated to publicizing news of possible election fraud. One of these is www.votersunite.org another is the blog bradsblog.com
Both of these give useful information, but nothing beats individual effort at the polls. Many chapters of the League of Women Voters send monitors to observe what is going on at the precinct level. When unusual or suspicious actions are observed, they are photographed and recorded, then reported to the election officials. Only by this methodical grassroots effort can the integrity of our polls be ensured and our faith in democracy maintained.
Worrying about religion
Many supporters of both presidential candidates this year have been concerned about the frequent references to religion during the campaign. The most troubling comments heard are the ones that suggest Obama is a Muslim and is therefore unfit to become President. Of course it is not true, because we all know Obama is a Christian, but the argument goes beyond that obvious lie. To suggest that being a Muslim disqualifies someone from becoming President goes against everything America stands for. Colin Powell, one of our most admired public figures, had the courage to point out that Muslims are just as entitled to serve in public office as anyone else. Today in the N.Y. Times, Maureen Dowd celebrates General Powell's forceful statement. When this election is over and forgotten (will we ever forget it?) it's most lasting legacy may be the acknowledgement that all American citizens, no matter what their ethnic group or religion, can aspire to become our leaders. That's the lesson we hope our children will learn and perhaps the one that makes this seemingly endless election season worthwhile.
Can we change our ways?
With 22 San Francisco ballot measures to decide on, local voters may be tempted to pay little attention to the state measures. But some of them are very important. Prop 1a, for example, a would authorize the state to issue bonds to finance a high-speed rail system in the state, which according to a story in the S.F. Chronicle would change the way many Californians live. The first section of the rail system to be built would cover the route from S.F. to L.A. making it possible to travel by rail between the two cities in only two and a half hours. Although high-speed rail systems have been successful in Japan and Europe, they have not often been tried in the U.S. Commuters are used to driving back and forth to work and how many of them would switch to rail is an open question. Some experts argue that we would need to build high-rise housing near rail stations in order to make train commuting feasible for most people. How many Californians would give up back yards and low-slung housing to move to high-rises? It's worth thinking about and perhaps talking to young people about how they see their futures. Certainly rail travel cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions. Many city planners predict that sooner or later we will be forced to switch. Is 2008 the year to start?
Where will the water go?
At a time when most people are finding the economy and the upcoming election the top items on their worry list, it is difficult to get them thinking about the perennial problem of where California will find the water to keep going. Despite the temptation to push it aside, the Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force report summarized in today's S.F. Chronicle today is crucial reading. The delta won't wait while we sort out other problems before making a long-term plan for Califoria's water ways. The recommendations in the report are sensible and should be followed up as soon as possible. As a start, the Governor should ask to have the delta defined as a National Heritage area by 2010 so public/private partnerships can be forned to preserve this vital heritage for the state.
But that's not true!!
Every major election produces rumors and downright falsehoods that are spread, either maliciously or through ignorance, but this election seems to be winning a prize for the number of them circulating. The spread of technology makes it so much easier for anyone to thoughtlessly forward an email which may be true or may be pure fantasy. Any responsible citizen owes it to the country to check out rumors before passing them on. Fortunately technology offers easy ways to do that. Many political websites try to combat false rumors about their candidates, but perhaps the quickest and easiest to check on specific statements is to go to www.snopes.com The quick list of hot topics on the left side of the front page lists the names of each of the presidential candidates (as well as other listings) which leads to a list of statements that are circulating and an icon to indicate whether each is true, false, or half-true. The background information for each of these statements is also given. Take a look at it, you'll be glad to find the facts so you can help debunk some of the unfair rumors casting a shadow over our election process.
Is this any way to run government?
As San Franciscans prepare to vote in yet another election, many of them are looking at the bloated voter pamphlets that arrived in the mail and wondering if they can ever get through them. John Diaz in the S.F. Chronicle this morning writes about how far we have come from the idea of a citizen-controlled government. Most initiatives today, far from being introduced by ordinary citizens, are put on the ballot by wealthy individuals or groups with deep pockets and special interests. The topics this year for Californians to choose from range from cars fueled by natural gas to increasing crime victims rights and decreasing the age at which teenagers can be tried as adults from 16 to 14. Many of the propositions deal with issues the legislators should handle on their own. Diaz points to the one initiative on the ballot--Prop 11--which could only have appeared as an initiative. This proposal, strongly supported by the League of Women Voters, changes the method of redrawing electoral districts to reflect population changes. It takes the process out of the hands of the legislature and authorizes a bipartisan citizens committee to do the work. Despite the burden of a long, unwieldy ballot, it is well worth the voter's time to work all the way down to Proposition 11 and cast a vote to support it.
We all need to worry
Our democracy only works if we have a trustworthy voting system in every state. The N.Y. Times today performed a service to all of us by calling attention to a problem this year with voter registrations. Several states are removing more voters from their voting lists than ever before--more are being removed than are being added through all of the active voter registration drives. The Times has checked and found that more voters have been removed in several states than the number of people who have died or moved out of state during the year. Apparently a major problem is that states are using Social Security lists to verify voter applications, although they are forbidden to use such lists. The Social Security Agency itself knows that its lists are faulty and should not be used for verification. Fortunately for those of us who live in California, this has not been in problem in our state. Nonetheless, the country's system is only as healthy as the systems in all of the states. The League is joining with other voting rights groups in calling for an investigation of this problem and a correction to the mistakes before November 4th rolls around.
Time to vote again
There is still a month to go before the November 4 election, but today is the day that early voting starts in San Francisco and many other locations. The state is sending out vote-by-mail ballots starting today. If you have any doubts about whether you are registered to vote--if you have moved since the last time you voted, for example--now is the time to check with the Department of Elections. And if you haven't started to look at the long array of ballot measures we will be facing, now is the time to start. There are 22 city ballot measures and 12 from the state. They are complicated and can be confusing. Start planning now. Go to one of the forums in your neighborhood. Visit www.sfvotes.org to see watch videos of the local candidate interviews and pro/con discussions of local ballot measures. Get together with friends to talk about the election. You don't want to walk into your polling place on November 4 without a clue as to how you are going to vote. The time is now to start your election clock going!
Did you see all those propositions?
C.W. Nevius in today's S.F. Chronicle points out a real threat to the democratic process in San Francisco. The current voters pamphlet is a bloated publication that will cause many a voter's eyes to glaze over. Not only are their many candidates to choose from--from president down to local supervisors--but there are an unconscionable number of ballot measures. California has 12 measures on the ballot and San Francisco has 22. It will be tempting for many people to skip over most of the measures withut reading them. "When in doubt, vote no" seems to be the motto of many citizens, but there are important measures that may be lost if too many people do that. Any voter is entitled to ignore a few of the trivial measures that show up, but at least take a good look at the topics covered. Don't let the important measures that will keep our city going and help the local community get lost. Visit SFVotes.org for information about local ballot measures, pick out the ones that mean something to you, and be sure to cast your ballot. This election is too important to miss.
A view from the other coast
The N.Y. Times today takes a look at how the upcoming election is playing out in San Francisco. The pictures that accompany the article show the usual lively political scene in the city, but the article points out that reality isn't quite as simple as many political commentators suggest it is. For all the outspoken anti-war signs and the pro-Obama displays, many people in the city have doubts about which candidate to support. Economic turmoil such as we have all seen in the past week makes everyone think of their own financial future. Will the stock market tumble further? What will happen to my 401k not to mention my mortgage? Will tourists still come to the city if the credit crunch gets worse? This is not a year for anyone to be complacent in making predictions and it's often useful to get a view from the outside.
