Can I count on your vote?

Today is election day in California. There are several propositions on the ballot dealing with California’s budget problems. They amount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. This state spends far more than it takes in. That means something has to change, but the two sides are polarized. Political stonewalling prevents both the necessary cuts to services to reduce spending and raising the necessary taxes to increase revenue. As a result, nothing is done. Nothing. And we keep circling the drain.

According to the polls, these propositions are going to lose. The only one with a chance would prevent the lawmakers from receiving a paycheck when they fail to pass a budget. It’s like the voters are saying: “Hey, you work for us. If you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid.”

The Governator loves to send things to the voters, which in principle is a good idea; but these propositions, like his first attempt, are badly drafted and have far reaching, un-doable effects. And, what’s more, they won’t solve any of the problems. Mr. Schwarzenegger is a smart guy and an astute businessman. He should stop using his Hollywood charm to gloss over important issues and treat the people of California as intelligent voters who are worried about the future of schools, police, fire fighters, state workers and innumerable programs for those in need, particularly the disabled.

When these propositions go down, there will be serious and significant cuts to services all over the state. Frankly, even if the propositions pass the cuts will come. I am very concerned about the nursing Maggie receives. I don’t think they will cut the number of hours to which Maggie is entitled, but they will definitely cut the reimbursement rate – again. This will impact my ability to find nurses willing to accept the lower amount. I have warned the nurses here that there may be cuts and I’m hopeful they will stick around.

Yesterday a local school board membe rsaid she’s going to vote against them even though there will be drastic cuts to schools in San Francisco and throughout California. It’s time for real reform and this band-aid won’t really help. She said if we have to go over the cliff to get real reform than that’s what we have to do. I understand that sentiment and think it has some validity; but that’s easy to say. She won’t be the one going over the cliff and neither will I.

It will be the weakest among us. It will be Maggie and her peers, especially those without families who can support them. It will be children in foster care without families to protect them. It will be the mentally ill who have nowhere to turn for help. It will be teachers, librarians, and other state workers who lose jobs. It will be homeowners whose houses burn because there aren’t enough fire fighters. And, it will be kids who don’t have sports or music or shop classes in school. They are the ones who will be lying in a heap at the bottom of the cliff.

I better go vote. If only I knew what to do.