• Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Bear Flag League,  California,  Politics,  Proposition 73,  Proposition 74,  Proposition 75,  Proposition 76,  Proposition 77,  Proposition 78,  Proposition 79,  Proposition 80,  Special Election 2005

    California Special Election Watch: Flap’s Voter Guide for November 8

    Update #3 10:02 PM

    Only Prop 75 passing but majority of counties reporting are from Northern California and 99% of San Francisco County.

    Little LA, Orange or San Diego Counties have reported majority of their precincts

    Update #2 8:52 PM

    Will Arnold go 3-2 with 73, 74 and 75 passing?

    Update #1

    Watch real time election results with Flap here.

    From the Official Voter Information Guide:

    PROPOSITION 73

    WAITING PERIOD AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION BEFORE TERMINATION OF MINOR’S PREGNANCY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

    SUMMARY

    Amends California Constitution, defining and prohibiting abortion for unemancipated minor until 48 hours after physician notifies minor’s parent/guardian, except in medical emergency or with parental waiver. Mandates reporting requirements. Authorizes monetary damages against physicians for violation. Fiscal Impact: Potential unknown net state costs of several million dollars annually for health and social services programs, the courts, and state administration combined.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A YES VOTE

    PROPOSITION 74

    PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. WAITING PERIOD FOR PERMANENT STATUS. DISMISSAL. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

    SUMMARY

    Increases probationary period for public school teachers from two to five years. Modifies the process by which school boards can dismiss a teaching employee who receives two consecutive unsatisfactory performance evaluations. Fiscal Impact: Unknown net effect on school districts’ costs for teacher compensation, performance evaluations, and other activities. Impact would vary significantly by district and depend largely on future district personnel actions.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A YES VOTE

    PROPOSITION 75

    PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNION DUES. RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS. EMPLOYEE CONSENT REQUIREMENT. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

    SUMMARY

    Prohibits using public employee union dues for political contributions without individual employees’ prior consent. Excludes contributions benefitting charities or employees. Requires unions to maintain and, upon request, report member political contributions to Fair Political Practices Commission. Fiscal Impact: Probably minor state and local government implementation costs, potentially offset in part by revenues from fines and/or fees.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A YES VOTE

    PROPOSITION 76

    STATE SPENDING AND SCHOOL FUNDING LIMITS. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

    SUMMARY

    Limits state spending to prior year’s level plus three previous years’ average revenue growth. Changes minimum school funding requirements (Proposition 98). Permits Governor, under specified circumstances, to reduce budget appropriations of Governor’s choosing. Fiscal Impact: State spending likely reduced relative to current law, due to additional spending limit and new powers granted to Governor. Reductions could apply to schools and shift costs to other local governments.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A YES VOTE

    PROPOSITION 77

    REDISTRICTING. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

    SUMMARY

    Amends state Constitution’s process for redistricting California’s Senate, Assembly, Congressional and Board of Equalization districts. Requires three-member panel of retired judges selected by legislative leaders. Fiscal Impact: One-time state redistricting costs totaling no more than $1.5 million and county costs in the range of $1 million. Potential reduction in future costs, but net impact would depend on decisions by voters.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A YES VOTE

    PROPOSITION 78

    DISCOUNTS ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

    SUMMARY

    Establishes discount prescription drug program for certain low- and moderate-income Californians. Authorizes Department of Health Services to contract with participating pharmacies for discounts and with participating drug manufacturers for rebates. Fiscal Impact: State costs for administration and outreach in the millions to low tens of millions of dollars annually. State costs for advance funding for rebates. Unknown potentially significant savings for state and county health programs.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A NO VOTE

    PROPOSITION 79

    PRESCRIPTION DRUG DISCOUNTS. STATE-NEGOTIATED REBATES. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

    SUMMARY

    Provides drug discounts to Californians with qualifying incomes. Funded by state-negotiated drug manufacturer rebates. Prohibits Medi-Cal contracts with manufacturers not providing Medicaid best price. Fiscal Impact: State costs for administration and outreach in low tens of millions of dollars annually. State costs for advance funding for rebates. Unknown potentially significant: (1) net costs or savings for Medi-Cal and (2) savings for state and county health programs.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A NO VOTE

    PROPOSITION 80

    ELECTRIC SERVICE PROVIDERS. REGULATION. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

    SUMMARY

    Subjects electric service providers to regulation by California Public Utilities Commission. Restricts electricity customers’ ability to switch from private utilities to other providers. Requires all retail electric sellers to increase renewable energy resource procurement by 2010. Fiscal Impact: Potential annual administrative costs ranging from negligible to $4 million, paid by fees. Unknown net impact on state and local costs and revenues from uncertain impact on electricity rates.

    FLAP RECOMMENDS A NO VOTE

    Well, there you have it!

    Now, go and vote.

    Flap knows you will be glad you did.

    For more Voter guides head over to XRLQ’s place.

    Once again, here are links to the blogger election guides of which I’ve been made aware:

    1. Stephen Bainbridge (update here)
    2. BoiFromTroi (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 80)
    3. Tammy Bruce
    4. California Conservative (see also)
    5. Cobb
    6. Matthew Hoy
    7. K.G. at California Mafia
    8. Lonewacko
    9. Hugo Schwyzer
    10. Citizen Smash
    11. Michael Williams
    12. Yami Monkey
    13. Xrlq

    BFL Special Election blog

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    Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page

  • CIA Secret Prisons Leak Case,  Politics,  Terrorists

    CIA Secret Prisons Leak Case Watch: New “LEAK” Probe

    Update #1

    The ASSociated Press has GOP Leadership Consider Leak Probe

    Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert are circulating a draft letter calling for a congressional leak investigation into the disclosure of secret U.S. interrogation centers abroad.

    The Washington Post reported Nov. 2 on the existence of secret U.S. prisons in Eastern Europe for terrorism suspects. The Bush administration has neither confirmed nor denied that report.

    “If accurate, such an egregious disclosure could have long-term and far-reaching damaging and dangerous consequences, and will imperil our efforts to protect the American people and our homeland from terrorist attacks,” stated the draft.

    The Associated Press obtained a copy of the draft request to Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas and his House counterpart, Intelligence Committee Chairman Peter Hoekstra of Michigan.

    Frist and Hastert said the joint probe by the House and Senate intelligence committees should determine who leaked the information and under what authority.

    “What is the actual and potential damage done to the national security of the United States and our partners in the global war on terror?” the draft letter asked. “We will consider other changes to this mandate based on your recommendations.”

    Flap KNOWS loose lips sink ships!

    If you have a top security clearance then keep your damn mouth shut.

    If you do not agree with a policy or your orders – resign.

    Don’t sell out your country.

    If you blab, then go to prison………

    Matt Drudge in a Flash Alert has GOP LEADERS TO LAUNCH NEW ‘LEAK’ PROBE; INFO TO WASH POST ‘DAMAGED NATIONAL SECURITY’.

    Sources tell Drudge that early this afternoon House Speaker Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Frist will announce a bicameral investigation into the leak of classified information to the WASHINGTON POST regarding the “black sites” where high value al Qaeda terrorists are being held and interrogated.

    MORE

    Said one Hill source: “Talk about a leak that damaged national security! How will we ever get our allies to cooperate if they fear that their people will be targeted by al Qaeda.”

    According to sources, the WASHINGTON POST story by Dana Priest (Wednesday November 2), revealed highly classified information that has already done significant damage to US efforts in the War on Terror.

    Developing…

    The Washington Post has CIA Holds Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons

    Debate Is Growing Within Agency About Legality and Morality of Overseas System Set Up After 9/11

    The CIA has been hiding and interrogating some of its most important al Qaeda captives at a Soviet-era compound in Eastern Europe, according to U.S. and foreign officials familiar with the arrangement.

    The secret facility is part of a covert prison system set up by the CIA nearly four years ago that at various times has included sites in eight countries, including Thailand, Afghanistan and several democracies in Eastern Europe, as well as a small center at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, according to current and former intelligence officials and diplomats from three continents.

    The hidden global internment network is a central element in the CIA’s unconventional war on terrorism. It depends on the cooperation of foreign intelligence services, and on keeping even basic information about the system secret from the public, foreign officials and nearly all members of Congress charged with overseeing the CIA’s covert actions.

    The existence and locations of the facilities — referred to as “black sites” in classified White House, CIA, Justice Department and congressional documents — are known to only a handful of officials in the United States and, usually, only to the president and a few top intelligence officers in each host country.

    OK, there seem to be alot of LEAKS coming out of the CIA lately.

    Is the real GWOT being waged by the CIA against rather than with President Bush?

  • Criminals,  Politics

    France Riot Watch: State of Emergency Declared in France

    French President Jacques Chirac (R) gestures as he speaks with Prince Albert of Monaco at the Elysee Palace in Paris. The French government has authorised sweeping emergency powers, including curfews, to tackle the country’s worst urban unrest since the 1968 student revolts after a twelfth straight night of violence.

    The ASSociated Press has State of Emergency Declared in France

    President Jacques Chirac declared a state of emergency Tuesday, paving the way for curfews to be imposed on riot-hit cities and towns in an extraordinary measure to halt France’s worst civil unrest in decades after 12 nights of violence.

    Police, meanwhile, said overnight unrest Monday-Tuesday, while still widespread and destructive, was not as violent as previous nights.

    “The intensity of this violence is on the way down,” National Police Chief Michel Gaudin said, citing fewer attacks on public buildings and fewer direct clashes between youths and police. He said rioting was reported in 226 towns across France, compared to nearly 300 the night before.

    The state-of-emergency decree — invoked under a 50-year-old law — allows curfews where needed and will become effective at midnight Tuesday, with an initial 12-day limit. Police — massively reinforced as the violence has fanned out from its initial flash point in the northeastern suburbs of Paris — were expected to enforce the curfews. The army has not been called in.

    Curfews should have been instituted after the first few nights of violence.

    Nationwide, vandals burned 1,173 cars, compared to 1,408 vehicles Sunday-Monday, police said. A total of 330 people were arrested, down from 395 the night before

    Local officials “will be able to impose curfews on the areas where this decision applies,” Chirac said at a Cabinet meeting. “It is necessary to accelerate the return to calm.”

    The recourse to a 1955 state-of-emergency law that dates back to France’s war in Algeria was a measure both of the gravity of mayhem that has spread to hundreds of French towns and cities and of the determination of Chirac’s sorely tested government to quash it.

    Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said curfew violators could be sentenced to up to two months imprisonment, adding that restoring order “will take time.”

    “We are facing determined individuals, structured gangs,” Villepin told parliament on Tuesday. He vowed that France will “guarantee public order to all of our citizens.”

    About time the French government stepped up to the plate to quash this violence in the streets.

    The societal structural problems (non-assimilation) within France and their immigrant Muslim communities will take longer to solve.

    Stay tuned.

    France’s Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin addresses the National Assembly in Paris November 8, 2005. Youths rioted for a 12th night in France while the government announced plans to impose curfews in the rundown suburbs hit by the violence.

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Bear Flag League,  California,  Politics,  Proposition 74,  Proposition 75,  Proposition 76,  Proposition 77,  Special Election 2005

    California Special Election Watch: Schwarzenegger Campaigns in Final Burst

    California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger greets voters in the backyard of a supporter’s home during the final stop on his special election tour in Del Mar, California, November 7, 2005.

    Reuters has Schwarzenegger in final burst in uphill campaign

    A day before a special election that could influence his re-election chances, Gov.
    Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigned across California on Monday for four ballot initiatives lagging in recent polls.

    “It’s a much bigger battle than I thought it would be,” Schwarzenegger told reporters at a restaurant about 35 miles

    from San Francisco where he greeted invited supporters. “It’s a tremendous fight.”

    The former actor, who faces re-election in 2006, backs initiatives lengthening the amount of time it takes public school teachers to get tenure, boosting the governor’s powers over the budget, limiting union dues and changing the way the state draws its legislative districts.

    “Tomorrow is the time, it’s judgment day,” said Schwarzenegger, who starred in the “Terminator” movies.

    Judgment Day it is!

    California Voters PLEASE VOTE.

    Polls are open 7AM – 8PM.

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    Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page