(Foreword: There are those of you who read this blog who are dedicated Republicans and conservatives. We have agreed to disagree, with love, about a good many things. I hope you will remember this as you read.)
I had a cranky afternoon yesterday, and part of that was caused by taking some time at lunch to review the ballots for the primary election....it was voting day.
The Democratic ballot in my precinct had 10 races listed. The Republican ballot had 17 races plus (bonus!) 5 (five) proposed pieces of legislation.
Here were the legislative items:
Ballot Proposition #1: Photo ID-The Texas legislature should make it a priority to protect the integrity of our election process by enacting legislation that requires voters to provide valid photo identification in order to cast a ballot in any and all elections conducted in the State of Texas. YES OR NO
Ballot Proposition #2: Controlling Government Growth-Every government body in Texas should be required to limit any annual increase in its budget and spending to the combined increase of population and inflation unless it first gets voter approval to exceed the allowed annual growth or in the case of an official emergency. YES OR NO
Ballot Proposition #3: Cutting Federal Income Taxes-In addition to aggressively eliminating irresponsible federal spending, Congress should empowerAmerican citizens to stimulate the economy by Congress cutting federal income taxes for all federal taxpayers, rather than spending hundreds of billions of dollars on so-called “federal economic stimulus”. YES OR NO
Ballot Proposition #4: Public Acknowledgement of God-The use of the word “God”, prayers, and the Ten Commandments should be allowed at public gatherings and public educational institutions, as well as be permitted on government buildings and propoerty. YES OR NO
Ballot Proposition #5: Sonograms-The Texas Legislature should enact legislation requiring a sonogram to be performed and shown to each mother about to undergo a medically unnecessary, elective abortion. YES OR NO
I'm speechless about all of these and the way they are written. "so-called federal economic stimulus"? Please! But especially, oh especially, the last. The "mother" will be forced to see the sonogram? Please twice. Who gets to write this stuff?
I'm angry all over again.
So, I voted in my first Republican primary, EVER, in 26 years. And I am glad to say that, even in Texas, in the Republican primary, that last item was approved but only 69% - 31%. To the rest of that 31% I say,
!!
Also, over in the Democratic Primary, Hank Gilbert only won Agriculture Commissioner by 51% over Kinky Friedman (48%).
You gotta love Texas. Even when you don't.
