Ballot argument submission report

Marcy,

  Of course we should continue to file arguments, but it would help for
people to be more on top of the process in order to avoid unnecessary
setbacks. This is partly my fault, because I remember hearing something
about Supervisor Elsbernd taking the opposition on three arguments, but
I didn't hear which ones, and then in thinking about other aspects of
the process, got distracted and forgot to look into it in order to warn
people.

  Good for Jawg for taking the initiative to go out and get signatures.
I'm going to Oregon, or would try to help too. I would suggest lines of
moviegoers waiting to get into theaters as a good place to approach
people for signatures, especially on a Saturday night.

Yours in liberty,
        <<< Starchild >>>

Starchild,

Yes, the priority rules for picking arguments is for the birds, but
that should not keep us from putting in our two cents; if for no
other reason, to get used to participating in the formal political
process (which most of us in this group have not done much of). Jawj
is talking about gathering signatures this weekend for a run at the
paid arguments. I am willing to help. I would see such an effort as
exposure for the LP, mainly. Jawj does not belong to this list, so if
anything develops, I will post.

Marcy

--- In lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com, Starchild <sfdreamer@e...>
wrote:

Marcy,

  Don't get me wrong, I also appreciate Jawg taking the time to

write

something -- though sadly as it turned out, Jawg's and Phil's
submissions went for naught because Sean Elsbernd decided to

oppose

those particular measures, and as a Supervisor, he gets first dibs

on

being the official opponent. I've always thought this was a

terrible

policy; as a matter of fact, I don't think Supervisors should be
allowed to put things directly on the ballot at all. Unlike the

rest of

us, they already have the ability to pass laws and resolutions as
legislator, and if they think something ought to be passed, they

should

pass it themselves in the usual legislative manner instead of
grandstanding to the public.

  As for me, I submitted 17 and 21 nearly identical copies of

my

arguments against Propositions F and A respectively. Barbara

Meskunas

submitted one copy of an argument for the Taxpayers Union, and

another

single-copy argument was submitted by the Coleman Advocates for
Children and Youth. And in a stroke of extraordinarily bad luck,
Coleman won the lottery, which was held at 2pm. I had forgotten or
didn't realize that the deadline for opposing bond measures was

5pm, so

I hope to find out in another 10 minutes or so whether I will be

the

official opponent of Proposition A. Again there are only IIRC two

or

three other entries competing against my 21, so barring another
disastrous fluke of the odds, we should be represented on the

ballot at

least once.

  I was glad to see the Pink Pistols secured the opposition

slot against

Proposition H, the firearms ban. Their representative was present

(I

forget his name), and I asked whether he would be willing to have

the

Libertarian Party sign on to the rebuttal, and he responded very
positively. Log Cabin Republican Chris Bowman was also present and
promptly made a similar request on behalf of the GOP however,

which

seemed to be received with equal favor.

Yours in liberty,
        <<< Starchild >>>

P.S. - Sean Elsbernd is also reportedly working on legislation

that

would end the practice of stacking the lottery, which would

definitely

be a good move, so long as the proposal contains no hidden, nasty
surprises.

Thanks for once again making my day, Starchild! Shucks...go ahead

and

disagree with me! Now, seriously. First, I am grateful that Jawj
took the time to do what she did do. Second, I do think shorter
writing has more chance of getting read than longer ones.

Third, we had a good time at the Department of Elections today.
Jawj, Starchild, Phil, and I were there putting in our two cents
worth (I did not write an argument, just helped Phil with his).
Power to the People!!

Marcy

Marcy

--- In lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com, Starchild <sfdreamer@e...>
wrote:

  Everyone knows how reluctant I am to disagree with Marcy on
anything... (just kidding!) 8) ... but I'm not so sure this is a

good

idea to submit as it is. First of all, why so short, Jawg? You've

got

300 words to make an argument, but you've only used 123 (plus

name

and

title of course). Surely that space could be put to good use!

  Also, it's probably an unfortunate truth that if asked

whether

government has become better and less corrupt because of the

creation

of the Ethics Commission, most SF voters would answer with a

resounding

"Yes!" So I would strongly suggest not making that particular

point, as

much sense as it may make from a libertarian perspective.

  Your effort is certainly appreciated, but If this is all

we've got, we

might be better off not making a bid to be the official opponent

and

just submitting a short paid argument, because I expect that

other

potential opponents have more specific and hard-hitting critiques

of

Proposition C, and it would be a shame to deny the voters a

chance

to

hear them.

Yours in liberty,
        <<< Starchild >>>

Great argument from Jawj.

Marcy

From: J. E. D. Greenwald
To: Marcy Berry
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 12:05 AM
Subject: Proposition C opposition

Who watches the watchdogs? Will we soon need an Ethics

Commission for

the Ethics Commission?

Stripped of its window dressing, Proposition C is a measure to

allow

the Ethics Commission to set its own salaries.

This is the true genius of government at work. To take

laws aimed

at producing open, honest government and turn them in an ethics

racket

providing well-paid jobs for the boys.

Do you really think our government has become better and less

corrupt

in the years since the creation of the Ethics Commission? Or

that a

specialized bureaucracy is needed to police laws that would

otherwise

be enforced by the existing administrative and judicial

system, with

the help of a vigilant press and public?

VOTE NO ON C.

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