Tuesday, November 4, 2008

How I voted, in case you care

Who did Tooch anoint with his much-coveted vote this year? Which issues won his all-important nod? Read on and find out.

President: Bob Barr. He's a moderate libertarian with a conservative bent, which means he and I disagree on some issues. But his overall platform is one that expands liberty instead of contracting it. That's a rare thing in this day and age, and makes him unique on the presidential line of the Arizona ballot. I didn't have to agonize over this at all.

By the way, I do find his conversion convincing. Nobody abandons conservatism for libertarian ideas, works with the Marijuana Policy Project and consults for the ACLU in order to gain political advantage. And we need to welcome converts -- the future of libertarianism lies in one-time authoritarians who have seen the light.

Congress: Sydney Hay. Yes, Hay is a social conservative, but she's savvy on economics and very pro-free-market (she sat on the board of the Goldwater Institute). That'd be an important quality in a House that has engaged in serial ineptitude for years when it comes to economic issues. Democrat Kirkpatrick is sounding the economic populism bell and touting her drug warrior credentials, so to Hell with her. Libertarian Thane Eichenauer is on the ballot and would be my choice if Hay's economic credentials weren't so impressive and important.

County Attorney/Sheriff: After the Dibor Roberts affair, I was very much looking forward to voting against Sheriff Steve Waugh and County Attorney Sheila Polk, who rallied behind the thuggish Sergeant Jeff Newnum and prosecuted Roberts. Unfortunately, the ballot is Soviet-style for these offices -- their names, with no alternatives. I wrote in Dibor Roberts for Sheriff and her husband Merrill for County Attorney.

Prop. 100, barring new taxes on property sales and transfers: Yes

Prop. 101, blocking state officials from imposing socialized health care: Yes

Prop. 102, barring the recognition of same-sex marriages: No, goddamnit

Prop. 201, basically abolishing contract law and turning home sales into a litigious free-for-all: No

Prop. 300, raising state legislators' salaries: No

That's not everything, of course. Some of the races I took a pass on, several offices were uncontested (or contested only by a nice old lady whose memory has been slipping for a few years), and a few propositions were make-the-best-of-a-bad-choice situations. I also voted against a jail tax.

You think you did better? Bring it on.

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3 Comments:

Anonymous Matt C. said...

President-Wrote in Mary Ruwart. I just couldn't bring myself to vote for Barr.

In Maryland we have two amendments to the constitution.

The first is for early voting. I voted "No". Too many shenanigans with early voting, you know, "Vote early, vote often."

The second was to allow slots in select locations through out the state. I voted "No". The simple reason is that I don't believe a constitutional amendment should say such things that are really the realm of legislation. Also, the majority of the proceeds go to the state government. We already have a problem with the state spending too much money. I don't think we need more money to spent in worthless programs. It forces the spendthrift govenor to actually show the actual costs of his policies, either raise taxes or make spending cuts.

My two cents.

November 4, 2008 3:03 PM  
Anonymous M.S said...

Pres: Barr

Prop 100: Yes

Prop 101: Yes

No on all the rest of the props.

No on retaining every sitting judge (what? I don't have the time to look all of them up)

Libertarians on all the other positions where there was a Libertarian running.

M.S
Phoenix, AZ

November 4, 2008 7:21 PM  
Blogger Thane Eichenauer said...

I did better than you as I voted for a Libertarian for Congress (Warren Severin in my case).
Knowing economics does not a bit of good if you use the asterisk exemption of (except when it comes to occupation of Iraq).
Hay and Flake (CD-6)both have solid Goldwater bona fides and both think paying to occupy a foreign county is a net good.
LP candidate Warren Severin (CD-5) is in a similar situation, his Republican opponent David Schweikert's favorite economist is Freidrich Hayek, same exemption, except for occupation of Iraq.
http://www.LibertarianSolution.tk/

November 5, 2008 2:37 PM  

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