Monday, November 3, 2008

Election Matters: Massachusetts

You asked for it folks... and here it is.
Please use this post as a place to discuss

The Massachusetts Elections of Interest


These would include, but are certainly not limited to:

State Senate: Fred Berry (unopposed)
State House: Joyce Spiliotis
(unopposed)
Registrar of Probate: Pam O'Brien
(unopposed)
Ballot Questions:
....1: Repeal the State Income Tax?
....2: Decriminalize Marijuana?
....3: Prohibit Dog Racing?

10 comments:

Peabody_Insider said...

I'll start off with my choices on these topics...

First, I HATE when people get to run unopposed. It just seems un-American to me. Unless EVERYONE really does agree with these folks... it just is a sad reflection on our society.

I Still LIKE Berry.

The others... no comment for now.

Ballot Questions:

NO on Question One

A foolish endeavor by a wacko libertarian who would destroy the State in order to achieve her goals.

YES on Question Two
Not because I love my weed... I don't. I just think that this is much ago about very little. Concentrate on the big crimes and let this be in the same category as a speeding ticket.

NO on Question Three
I like dogs, heck I LOVE them. But overall these animals are NOT being mistreated, and if there are a few who are not getting the proper treatment... we already have laws on the books to protect the dogs and punish the owners.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, right, destroy the state. Your Commie lib friends who spend all of our money at the state house are already destroying the state. Too much waste. Don't give these fools any of your money.

NO on Question 1. It's the ONLY CHOICE. Who the hell doesn't want a 5.3% raise. That's another $6K for my family!

Peabody_Insider said...

You can't even possibly point to waste that would come to ONE PERCENT of the State Budget... let alone the 40% that will be lost if this passes.

You are living in a State that is very well run - with some obvious problems that need fixing.

The smart way to fix these problems is to investigate, evaluate and then institute improvements to increase efficiency and reduce waste.

The foolish way to fix things is to kill the whole system and then assume someone else will save the day.

Anon:
You say you will save $6,000.00 a year for you and your family. Great.

BUT... what is the music and art program at your child school worth to you? What about your street lights? Or, for that matter, plowed streets in the winter and paved streets all year round? What about the fact that when you dial 9-1-1 the State Police answer in about 3 seconds? And a cruiser will be there in around 5 minutes (in Eastern MA)? And what about health care? Or special needs assistance? Or Child Protective Services? Or foster care? Or an ambulance when you need one?

You $6,000 will feel just great when it is in your pocket... but if (when?) you need any of the services provided to you by the State and City... what will you do when they aren't there? Or you need to pay for them one at a time?

I think you are getting a great deal right now. And I think most people will agree with me.

If you haven't already voted... Vote NO one ONE.

Anonymous said...

OG says..
if you truly think that voting YES on question 1 will cause political reform you are dreaming...there will never be real political reform that you yearn for because of.....UNION CONTRACTS and POLITICAL PARTY GRIDLOCK...they can keep my state taxes because it will end up costing me more if they let me keep them...OG says Vote NO on Question 1 too!

Anonymous said...

I voted NO on question 1. The reason? I'm not hurting financially by paying my taxes. I don't mind having to pay my taxes, it gets me a lot of the services I think we should have. I've been a taxpayer for over 25 years now and what I don't have in my paycheck right now I'm not really missing.
Now I do hate the way the state mis-handles my tax dollars. I think most of us do. But if we remove the income tax it will not make the politicians any more thrifty with state funds. These guys will just create more ways to get money from us. Property taxes WILL increase, as will the valuations on our homes. There may be a 2 1/2 limit on the tax increase each year but there is no limit on how much value they place on your property. Add that to the 2 1/2 percent and you will have a sizable tax increase while remaining within the 2 1/2 percent tax limit. Then they will increase the sales tax. How nice. Your excise taxes on your vehicles will also be increased to gain more revenues. Fees throughout the state will increase as well such as license and registration renewals. Services like water and sewer rates, gas and electricity will be taxed. And after they have done all of that, they will vote in a NEW income tax by the year 2012. Voting out the income tax is a lose-lose situation.

Peabody_Insider said...

Boston Globe calling the Ballot Questions as follows:


1. Repeal the income tax?
No 69%
Yes 31%

2. Decriminalize marijuana?
Yes 65%
No 35%

3. Abolish dog racing?
Yes 58%
No 42%

Kerry Leads by wide margin

Anonymous said...

OG says..
do the vote results on Question 2 surprise most of you? while I did change my initial thoughts on this and voted YES I have to say that I am surprised that this passed and by such a large percentage...what do you all think ???

Anonymous said...

Question 1 fails: great, let's allow morons at the state house to continue mis-spending our hard-earned money on PI's favorite social programs.

Question 3 passes: great, Madge the ticket taker is now out of work. No problem at all: there are lots of jobs our there for 56-year-old ladies with bad backs and a 10th grade eudcation. Nice. We care more about dogs than we do people. Welcome to Obama-nation.

Question 2 passes: THANK GOD. At least now I can get stoned. It'll take my mind off of what's ahead. It'll help me deal with the fact that the middle class is totally F-ed the next 4 years.

Anonymous said...

Eddie electric just remember, smoking pot is still illegal. Possessing pot is still illegal. The only thing different is you won't go to jail for having less than an ounce on you. If you have less than an ounce but it is contained in several little baggies, then you will still be busted for possession with intent to distribute. If you work a job that has drug testing, then you can and will still get canned for testing positive for pot. Get it? It's still against the law. Only the criminal punishment has changed.

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