Voting in Colorado is a lot of work. We voted on nine national, state, and local races; chose whether to retain or reject seventeen justices; and made up our mind on eighteen state and two local referenda. Fourteen of the statewide issues are amendments to the state constitution - that's a big deal to me; you don't amend a constitution on a whim. On another complicating note, four of the eighteen statewide referenda have been pulled by the unions that proposed them as a result of successful negotiations with certain business leaders, so those votes don't matter. Is it possible to be an educated voter? Yes. Will the vast majority of voters be deciding many significant issues on a whim? I'm afraid so...
So, out of 46 choices, we voted the same on 42. (Not bad...?) I don't consider myself to be an expert on all 46 issues, but I'll offer my opinion on one race and two Colorado constitutional amendments:
President: John McCain. McCain is the right kind of moderate - he swings to the center on the very issues where he should disagree with his Republican counterparts. In particular, his approach to immigration is realistic and compassionate. (Sidenote - I was discouraged to see how many Republican candidates I could vote for see the immigration issue as black-and-white. But, hey, I live in Tom Tancredo's old congressional district - what did I expect?) In addition, I have hopes that McCain could nominate Supreme Court justices that might overturn Roe v. Wade. On the other hand, Obama would be a move far to the left on many issues; he is not a moderate; on the rare occasions that he disagrees with his Democratic counterparts, it's in the radical direction. On abortion, he's as pro-choice as you can get. Don't get me wrong - if Obama were to get elected, I think he would make a good president. As an American living in Europe, people might like me better knowing that Obama is my president. Certainly, if Obama wins, my life will not fall apart... but he didn't receive my vote. At any rate, I urge you to pray for both candidates.
Amendment 48: Yes. This is one of only two constitutional amendments that I voted for. A person is a person.
Amendment 50: No. Generally speaking, an expansion of the gambling industry exploits the poor.
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Speaking of politics, things are all set for the upcoming dialogue on campus between my friends Craig and Dan:
Come join us on October 23 - bring your rotten eggs and tomatoes! See this post for more details.
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It's bittersweet, but I'm cheering for the Phillies in the NLCS. (How 'bout that Brett Myers at the plate? But I'll tell you what, Brad Lidge is gonna blow a save before the postseason is over.)
2 comments:
Wow, my soul is shattered that you didn't vote for the guy in the Boston Tea Party!!
No, I like your explanation for your McCain pick. It's not as extremist or narrow as other Republicans whose blogs we both frequent.
You are sure of your positions on issues (which as you said is a rarity with voters). While our votes differ (I went third-party out of pure undecision) I respect your pick and even more so, agree with your comment on other countries liking Obama more and how we need to prayer for either President.
See you tomorrow, yee haw!!
Third-party voter - you really are a cowboy! Yee-haw, indeed. Which third-party candidate did you choose? Mr. Jay of the Boston Tea Party that you alluded to? I definitely considered a third-party vote in '04, and I'm already planning to vote for Nader's granddaughter in 2052.
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