Thursday, November 02, 2006
The Issues
For the most part I have been addressing Bush and his administration in this blog. With the election days away, I thought I should mention a couple of issues here in California.
First lets talk about the tax on smokers. I admit I am somewhat bias on this issue as I am a smoker. As a matter of fact I feel almost obligated to continue being a smoker as an act of rebellion against more laws being enacted upon our bodies. (I chalk this up to a knee jerk reaction on my part so will not dwell upon it.)
This is Proposition 86, which gives me a great slogan.. eighty six 86. (I don't know if it is still slang for throw it out to 86 someone, but it used to be.) Here's the deal, they want smokers to fund through extortionist taxation, emergency services, hospitals, childcare, cancer and a very very small amount to smoking cessation.. after all, if we all quit smoking, you won't have those funds to count on. Not only is that unfair to smokers, but will probably create a black market for cigarettes. I already know of, but have avoided the temptation of places overseas that will ship me cartons of cigarettes without the current taxes being taken for the state of California. If the prices go up by $2.60 a pack, (which is what they intend with this legislation) I might have to consider becoming a smuggler.
Moving on, Proposition 87. OK, we all are not happy with gas prices. Here is the deal. Gasoline is made from fossil fuels, that is, non-renewable stuff. Once it is gone, it is gone. So there is an absolute need to come up with other ways to run our gadgets and gizmo's. We must find other energy sources, no ifs ands or buts. While it might hurt for awhile at the gas pump, it will hurt a lot less when we find clean renewable sources to switch to.
It should come as no surprise that the biggest opponents of this bill are the big oil companies. The good news is that next year an outfit called Magenn Power Inc has plans to start production of a power air rotor system (MARS) which is a lighter than air tethered thing that sort of looks like a blimp. This is really exciting stuff! There are other outfits out there that are selling packages to reduce carbon and pretty much get your home more earth friendly while saving you money with alternatives.
One of the outfits is Krystal Planet, who have a package that includes a system to produce your own Hydrogen to power hydrogen power cells.. which are also in the package for two vehicles. More exciting stuff.
It isn't like there are no other power sources to be had /found by a group set up to get us off of the petroleum pablum we have been sucking on for years so those who say they don't have to produce results, well how can they help but come up with something better when there is so much out there to find? (I didn't even mention the recycled cooking oil powered cars.. that any diesel engine can be converted to with a pre-heater device.) So I am for 87, bottom line? We need it.
OK, there are more measures on this ballot than Carter has pills. That is why I will stop with the ones I have addressed thus far. There are some places that have one more issue that I want to address.
The legalization of Gay Marriage. There is in this country supposed to be separation of church and state... despite Bush saying that God wants him to be president.. (I cringe at the very thought of a God that hateful.)
It is not the church that issues your marriage license. It is the state. Why? Because a marriage is a legal contract between two people that they wish to be treated as one family, protected by the same laws that protect opposite sex partners. No one is asking for special rights or privileges. No one is asking all churches to be willing to perform gay weddings. The Netherlands was the first country to strike all references to gender in their marriage laws. They were followed by Belgium. There are many places that have "civil union" laws which are pretty much gay marriages.
Why should some of the people have to go to extremely costly legal recourse to get the same rights as other citizens who choose as their life mate someone of a different gender than themselves? You will notice I said SAME RIGHTS. When my significant other passed away, because we did not have the money to have done all the extra legal work to obtain those same rights, I had to fight the state of Nevada to even release her body to me for burial. They would have given her an indigents grave in some nameless place, when I had already paid for her plot next to my son.
Every day homophobic parents and siblings are taking away the homes, the belongings, the memorabilia and sometimes even the ability to live from the surviving partner in an unrecognized union between same sex couples.
If your state has any propositions dealing with the legalization of gay marriage, I urge you to put your religious rhetoric aside, and vote to give all citizens the same rights to legal partnerships .. call it marriage, call it civil union.. it does not matter. It comes down to this... you don't have to approve or sanction their choices, it is only right that you give them the same protection under the law that is enjoyed by heterosexuals.
First lets talk about the tax on smokers. I admit I am somewhat bias on this issue as I am a smoker. As a matter of fact I feel almost obligated to continue being a smoker as an act of rebellion against more laws being enacted upon our bodies. (I chalk this up to a knee jerk reaction on my part so will not dwell upon it.)
This is Proposition 86, which gives me a great slogan.. eighty six 86. (I don't know if it is still slang for throw it out to 86 someone, but it used to be.) Here's the deal, they want smokers to fund through extortionist taxation, emergency services, hospitals, childcare, cancer and a very very small amount to smoking cessation.. after all, if we all quit smoking, you won't have those funds to count on. Not only is that unfair to smokers, but will probably create a black market for cigarettes. I already know of, but have avoided the temptation of places overseas that will ship me cartons of cigarettes without the current taxes being taken for the state of California. If the prices go up by $2.60 a pack, (which is what they intend with this legislation) I might have to consider becoming a smuggler.
Moving on, Proposition 87. OK, we all are not happy with gas prices. Here is the deal. Gasoline is made from fossil fuels, that is, non-renewable stuff. Once it is gone, it is gone. So there is an absolute need to come up with other ways to run our gadgets and gizmo's. We must find other energy sources, no ifs ands or buts. While it might hurt for awhile at the gas pump, it will hurt a lot less when we find clean renewable sources to switch to.
It should come as no surprise that the biggest opponents of this bill are the big oil companies. The good news is that next year an outfit called Magenn Power Inc has plans to start production of a power air rotor system (MARS) which is a lighter than air tethered thing that sort of looks like a blimp. This is really exciting stuff! There are other outfits out there that are selling packages to reduce carbon and pretty much get your home more earth friendly while saving you money with alternatives.
One of the outfits is Krystal Planet, who have a package that includes a system to produce your own Hydrogen to power hydrogen power cells.. which are also in the package for two vehicles. More exciting stuff.
It isn't like there are no other power sources to be had /found by a group set up to get us off of the petroleum pablum we have been sucking on for years so those who say they don't have to produce results, well how can they help but come up with something better when there is so much out there to find? (I didn't even mention the recycled cooking oil powered cars.. that any diesel engine can be converted to with a pre-heater device.) So I am for 87, bottom line? We need it.
OK, there are more measures on this ballot than Carter has pills. That is why I will stop with the ones I have addressed thus far. There are some places that have one more issue that I want to address.
The legalization of Gay Marriage. There is in this country supposed to be separation of church and state... despite Bush saying that God wants him to be president.. (I cringe at the very thought of a God that hateful.)
It is not the church that issues your marriage license. It is the state. Why? Because a marriage is a legal contract between two people that they wish to be treated as one family, protected by the same laws that protect opposite sex partners. No one is asking for special rights or privileges. No one is asking all churches to be willing to perform gay weddings. The Netherlands was the first country to strike all references to gender in their marriage laws. They were followed by Belgium. There are many places that have "civil union" laws which are pretty much gay marriages.
Why should some of the people have to go to extremely costly legal recourse to get the same rights as other citizens who choose as their life mate someone of a different gender than themselves? You will notice I said SAME RIGHTS. When my significant other passed away, because we did not have the money to have done all the extra legal work to obtain those same rights, I had to fight the state of Nevada to even release her body to me for burial. They would have given her an indigents grave in some nameless place, when I had already paid for her plot next to my son.
Every day homophobic parents and siblings are taking away the homes, the belongings, the memorabilia and sometimes even the ability to live from the surviving partner in an unrecognized union between same sex couples.
If your state has any propositions dealing with the legalization of gay marriage, I urge you to put your religious rhetoric aside, and vote to give all citizens the same rights to legal partnerships .. call it marriage, call it civil union.. it does not matter. It comes down to this... you don't have to approve or sanction their choices, it is only right that you give them the same protection under the law that is enjoyed by heterosexuals.
