GOP beats pretty much everybody (including themselves)...

November 3rd election results are mixed. The GOP's incompetence has miraculously been overshadowed by their successes in Virginia and New Jersey.

Upstate New York is what I'm talking about. I'm originally from that area (I mean this in an extremely general way - almost the entire state is upstate!) so this one is close to (my former) home. Why couldn't the GOP step in and endorse/fund the conservative guy (why not just say "Ooopps! Our Chairman over in New York just blew it and picked someone who doesn't represent our values at all so were funding this Gentleman that does?)? Just because he was beating them fair and square?

[My info was gained partly from Politico.com and the Republican Michigander blog - which I recommend you visit for their take on this]

Texas Results:

Official Results site

Although a red state, Texas passed all of it's proposed constitutional amendments. OK that was the bad news... what's worse is that not even 10% of my county turned out to vote.

The almost, but-not-even-close-to-being, good news:

The closest contests were on two bad propositions...

Prop. 1 "The constitutional amendment authorizing the financing, including through tax increment financing, of the acquisition by municipalities and counties of buffer areas or open spaces adjacent to a military installation for the prevention of encroachment or for the construction of roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure to protect or promote the mission of the military installation."

(Why? Tax increase plus, governmental growth is BAD)

AGAINST:

44.80%

FOR:

55.19%

Prop. 4: "The constitutional amendment establishing the national research university fund to enable emerging research universities in this state to achieve national prominence as major research universities and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund."

(Increase in funding, especially at this time is BAD).

AGAINST:

43.26%

FOR:

56.73%

I think I very well may try to become Precinct Chairman...

- Trent

First Time Voting!

I voted because of the beaches. An amendment to the Texas Constitution would make it a constitutional right to access public beaches, not just a right, a constitutional right. That's right folks, a constitutional right.

Proposition 9: "The constitutional amendment to protect the right of the public, individually and collectively, to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico."

Wouldn't you want a constitutional right to access beaches (even if they were already privately owned)? Actually I voted against the proposition (did I mention we already have an "Open Beaches Act"?), how much of a right do we need to make visiting the beach?

This first time voter was elated to cast a vote creating measures that will lower property tax!

Proposition 2: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the ad valorem taxation of a residence homestead solely on the basis of the property's value as a residence homestead."

Proposition 3: "The constitutional amendment providing for uniform standards and procedures for the appraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes."

First time voting, but not the last!

- Trent

P.S. I just realized I missed posting in the month of October completely! I beg your forgiveness.

PPS. Unfortunately I wasn't able to organize a rally against government health care because of some things that came up (too bad).