Michigan ballot proposals for 2006

Here are my plans on how I’ll vote for the 5 ballot proposals this November:

1. Amendment to require that money held in conservation and recreation funds can only be used for their intended purposes – No

   I’m not a big user of recreation in this state and if the money can be better spent elsewhere, then I think that’s a good idea. Shifting money around is better than cutting overall services.
   

2. Amendment to ban affirmative action programs for public employment, educaiton, or contracitn purposes – No

   I feel that affirmative action continues to be a good idea and enables fairer competition between two equally qualified candidates. It hasn’t impacted me negatively and if someone of another race was chosen over me for a position, I certainly wouldn’t be up in arms about it and blame it on affirmative action and race.
   

3. Allow the establishment of a hunting season for mourning doves – Yes

   God put animals on this earth for our enjoyment and consumption, and if somebody wants to hunt mourning doves, what’s the big deal? Mostly I think it’s just silly for someone to oppose this proposal and I want to stick it to them by getting this proposal passed. I believe I read somewhere that this proposal was put forth by the group against establishing a mourning dove hunting season. Now let’s watch it backfire…
   

4. Amendment to prohibit government from taking private property by eminent domain for certain private purposes – Yes

   I think it’s rediculous for government to take private property from one person to use for other private – or even public – purposes. If a property is blighted, there are other ways of evicting the owner and improving the land.
   

5. A legislative initiative to establish mandatory school funding levels – No

   It’s a good idea to guarentee funding for K-16 education, but I don’t think that this is the way to do it. I have read that this will cost beyond $500 million the first year and go up drastically after that, imposing a huge strain on the state budget. There needs to be a better way to increase education funding.

I have been thinking about these the last couple of months – some I’ve had my mind made up for ages – and some I just decided on today. I’ve read editorials and other articles about the proposals and know there are valid arguments for voting the other way, but the above represents what I feel is think is best.

I just finished watching the third goobernatorial debate and I think that DeVos finally was challenging Granholm on the issues that they’ve made this campaign about.

I’m going to have to call this one a toss-up as to who was stronger. DeVos was definitely stronger than the last 2 debates, but Granholm is always impressive and she held her own against him.

I think the most impressive moment was at the very beginning when Granholm, during her first question, turned right to DeVos and told him to stop using the names and images of young murder victims while claiming that Granholm was somehow responsible. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in DeVos’ shoes when Granholm gave him that steely glare.

I also thought it was impressive how Granholm during her closing statement tossed out the tidbit that DeVos incorporated something in Bermuda to avoid paying some kind of taxes. Tossing it out at the end gave DeVos no chance to reply and I wouldn’t be surprised to see some kind of discussion about it in the press. However, since it was at the end, it may very fall by the wayside and be forgotten.

I wanted someone in the audience to ask DeVos, straight to his face, if he was responsible for burning down the Ada covered bridge as a teenager. It is interesting that his father’s business (Amway) offered to pay to have it rebuildt after it was destroyed in arson:

When heavy snows collapsed the roof in 1979, the people of Ada mounted an all-out effort to raise funds to restore the bridge. Shortly after the repairs were finished, however, the bridge was completely destroyed by fire. Not to be disheartened, the citizens, with the help of nearby Amway Corporation, once again rallied to the aid of their beloved bridge.

I was suckered in to meeting with an IBO who sells Amway/Quixtar and while he was rattling on and on about how awesome it is, I asked, “So I bet you’re gonna be voting for DeVos, right?”

He wasted no time in espousing his true feelings – “HELL YEAH, I AIN’T NO DEMOCRAT!”

Hilarious. I ended the meeting shortly thereafter.

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