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Thursday, October 13, 2005

I'm Smarter Than You: Special Election Edition

posted by Richard @ 4:58 PM
Let's take these three at a time, shall we?

PROP. 73

Waiting period and parental notification before termination of minor's pregnancy. Initiative constitutional amendment.
My vote: NO. First things first - I'm a pro-life libertarian. I firmly believe that abortion is murder, the Roe v. Wade decision was poorly reasoned and has no constitutional basis, and I will celebrate the day that we put abortionists put in prison next to all the other murderers for hire. BUT the fact remains, in this country today, as wrong headed as it is, abortion is considered a right. That's why I can't vote to deny it to only a certain segment of society.

I suspect that - if anyone actually reads this blog - I'm going to get some grief for this. Bring it on. I'm open to arguments on the subject, and I'm perfectly willing to change my mind on this one given proper persuasion.

PROP. 74

Public school teachers. Waiting period for permanent status. Dismissal. Initiative statute.
My vote: YES. It's not going to help, but sure, why not? Really, no matter how easy you make it to dismiss teachers, I don't see a great purge coming anytime soon - no matter how incompetent teachers may be. Speaking as someone who was a student in the public school system in the past few years, a purge is one of many steps that is needed to fix our schools. This won't do it, but it's a symbolic step in the right direction.

PROP. 75

Public employee union dues. Restrictions on political contributions. Employee consent requirement. Initiative statute.
My vote: YES. Your modern union is nothing more than a creatively titled PAC, which draws its donations at gunpoint. This is the biggest no-bainer on the ballot.
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Comments:

So torn on 73. Unlike you, I'm fine with abortion (as long as it's in the first trimester as originally intended by Roe V Wade), but the though of 14 year olds doing the triathalon of teenage pregnancy (sex, no protection, abortion) without the parents even getting a courtesy notice scares the hell out of me. Considering for a second that our children can't go to the local zoo with their class unless they have a permission slip signed and dated, do we really want to allow them trips to planned parenthood without a similar parental check?

posted by Anonymous Anonymous @ 6:46 PM
I see your point. But even at 14, should the parent have the absolute final say in the child's medical care? If a parent can over rule this, what other procedures can they deny on principle?

It's a thinker. This is one that I'm probably going to ultimately decide in the booth.

posted by Blogger Richard @ 10:18 PM
It's hardly a right if someone else had the right to deny it. I thought that was common sense...

posted by Blogger Richard @ 1:04 PM
The two examples you gave of schools requiring parental permission are questions of legal liability on the part of the state - not rights. A school isn't a doctor, and field trips are privileges.

As for child labor laws, I'm no expert, but I believe that in the state of California there is no required parental consent for those over the age of 14. (At least I don't recall there being one when I started working.)

Like I said, I'm open to persuasion. Just explain to me why parents have the right to deny abortions. Is there a public safety issue here? Or is it just beacause "abortion is bad"?

posted by Blogger Richard @ 2:12 PM
Just checked - you were right about parental permission to work.

posted by Blogger Richard @ 2:17 PM

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