Okay, you’ve been convinced. Voting this time—although it is every time—is really extremely important. But there are so many choices, too many propositions, too many judges you never heard of….what to do?
Here’s a quick summary and set of proposition recommendations.
PRESIDENT-VICE PRESIDENT
Joe Biden-Kamala Harris
Generally, when number 45 has bragged to the public about how he was able to achieve something that other presidents, particularly Barack Obama, had not been able to achieve, we have ignored his statements. One such achievement he has not yet tried to claim, nor will he, is that Mr. Obama while in office, became just the fourth POTUS to visit all 50 states—joining former presidents Nixon, Clinton and George H.W. Bush. This was a very big deal symbolically, as President Obama had repeatedly said he was elected to represent all Americans, not just some.
The occasion was instigated by an 11-year old girl’s letter to the POTUS that he hadn’t visited South Dakota during his terms of office, and that dismayed her. Even though South Dakota is very red, and had voted against Mr. Obama numerous times (during the 2008 democratic primary, which went to Hillary Clinton, and both presidential elections), Mr. Obama and his aides decided that correcting that omission was important, so they arranged a graduation commencement speech at Lake Area Technical Institute Community College in Watertown, S.D.
The town and the state “put on the dog” for the visit, arranging a town parade, TV viewing parties, lawn watchers offering “free lemonade” to members of the presidential party and a very large crowd of on-lookers and well-wishers at the town’s small airport. (The president had to use a smaller, auxiliary Air Force One plane in order to land). The town had not hosted a sitting president’s visit before, and this was a heady time.
The POTUS even got a chance to hug, shake hands with and congratulate the 11-year old letter writer, Rebecca Kelley, at the airport, and the young girl reportedly thought she had died and gone to heaven. Mr. Obama’s brown face was never an issue in this South Dakota visit. That THE president was in their town and their state was all-important. When the president mentioned some townspeople by name in his commencement speech, he even got some positive changing of minds on his performance as president and probably some more votes too, though it was too late for that then.
The point is, here was a case in which the office of the president was clearly much, much more important than any personal animus against the current office-holder because of race or behavior. Too bad a greater number of our elected congresspersons still don’t get that and will probably not do well on November 3rd because of that.
Remember, if you don’t vote, don’t complain! Number 45 can’t stay if we vote the other way!
Prop 14—YES, Authorizes more stem cell research in California.
PROP 15—YES, increases funding for public schools, community colleges and local governments.
PROP 16—YES, overturns Ward Connerly’s Prop 209 which killed Affirmative Action in California.
PROP 17—YES, expands voting rights to ex-felons in California.
PROP 18—YES, expands voting rights to nearly 18-year olds.
PROP 19—YES, modifies, but does not overturn Prop 13, especially for seniors.
PROP 20—YES, makes sex trafficking, child molesting, etc., punishable as violent felonies.
PROP 21—YES, modifies, but does not overturn, Costa-Hawkins. Helps low-income renters.
PROP 22—NO, this is a plot by owners, not for most drivers.
PROP 23—YES, helps patients, more protections.
PROP 24—YES, more consumer protection for digital data.
PROP 25—YES, allows SB 10 legislation on ending current bail system to go into effect.
RECOMMENDATIONS
ON PEOPLE RUNNING:
• There is a big Republican-funded push to oust some of the most well-established and persistently people-centered representatives we have. That effort should be beaten down.
VOTE FOR CONGRESSWOMEN
MAXINE WATERS AND KAREN BASS !!!
Mark Ridley-Thomas—YES
Holly Mitchell—YES
Reggie Jones-Sawyer—YES
Steve Bradford—YES
Mike GIPSON—YES
JUDGES
Myanna Dellinger (72) Klint J. Mckay (80) David D. Diamond (162)
LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Charne Tunson (1)
Nichelle Henderson (5)
Anthony Danna (2)
Raquel Watts (7)
WATER DISTRICT BOARD
Leticia Vasquez-Wilson
Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.
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