Vote Today!

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

If you are voting in the USA -- please go today and vote your conscience. Can we set a record for turnout? I hope so.


* Aren't sure where to go? Google has a great little tool (http://maps.google.com/maps/mpl?moduleurl=http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/mapplets/elections/2008/us-voter-info/us-voter-info.xml&utm_campaign=en&utm_medium=ha&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-sk-mp&utm_term=voting) to tell you where you need to go- just plug in your home address (or wherever you are registered to vote).

* Not registered to vote? Some states allow you to register on election day. Go to the aforementioned link and Google will also tell you if you can register.

* If you have problems, like with faulty voting machines, and aren't taken seriously at your polling station, contact the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Election Protection Hotline, at 866 OUR VOTE. The ACLU is another good place to turn to, at 877 523 2792.

* For the majority of us, the biggest hurdle is just getting out there in the first place. Wake up! It is time to vote! Make your voice heard!

* On your way to vote, call your local friends, family, and neighbors. Take them with you. If you can, spend your day helping (reminding, driving, giving directions) to people.

All power to you!

[KarenRei]

And if you can make time, go canvas for your preferred candidate! Even if you think they're going to win the state, you'll help downticket races and propositions, as well as helping them win a popular vote mandate.

[n_dawg]

So Obama's the President-elect, huh?

Cool.

[TheAeronut]

Yep, our first African-American President. And he's part negro too. At least he can properly claim the status of 'African-American'......

I think that most of us look forward to the coming changes - at least most of them.

J.P.

[evmavin]

So now we need to make sure he will allow us to fairly qualify for any Aptera tax incentives:)

[JimmyDreams]

So now we need to make sure he will allow us to fairly qualify for any Aptera tax incentives:)

I donated $50 to his campaign, and because of that, I have Obama's private cell phone number. I'll call him and talk to him about it.

Just one of the many changes we can expect....a President who listens to the little people.:)

JimmyD

[Apt3448]

Very excited about the general election, but on top of that we californians really showed the world what we are made of! A good day for all chickens in California, they will be glad to know Californians care more about them than about the rights and dignity of gay people.
We still have a long way to go...

[zguitar71]

Very excited about the general election, but on top of that we californians really showed the world what we are made of! A good day for all chickens in California, they will be glad to know Californians care more about them than about the rights and dignity of gay people.
We still have a long way to go...

It happened in MT 2 years ago, blows my mind too. This is a state where people do not want government telling them what to do but the majority of those people forgot about that and voted to allow government to ban it anyway. it is faith based politics, we shun Iran for it but welcome it in our own country. Go figure!

[KarenRei]

My partner and I have been trying to hold ourselves together today. 52% of California voters decided to annul our marriage yesterday, so needless to say, it's been really tough.

[aptera1213]

sorry karen...one note of hope is that young people who vote don't seem to be afraid of "the gays", so over time as old folks die off we should be more loving and accepting in the future

it wasn't so long ago that inter-racial marriage was illegal...that rightfully ended...so it shall be with gay marriage too...you can't stop love...hell you can't even contain it...

[NmGfan]

The passage of Prop. 8 is not retroactive (so, no annulments). There are about 35K couples that, for now at least, are still married. :happy0025:

[aptera1213]

and the lawsuits have begun, so who knows...

[NmGfan]

Because this requires a change to the state constitution, the legal wrangling will carry-on for quite a while. Does that mean status quo until the final (appeal) gavel? :happy0025:

[KarenRei]

The passage of Prop. 8 is not retroactive (so, no annulments). There are about 35K couples that, for now at least, are still married. :happy0025:

I've heard some people arguing otherwise... we'll see. Everything's up in the air right now.

[BrianK]

I still have a hard time understanding how that one (prop 8) didn't get voted down.

I think it should have been worded differently. You had to vote "no" to say "yes" to gay marriage.

At least farm animals got a fair shake. :p

[NmGfan]

I've heard some people arguing otherwise... we'll see. Everything's up in the air right now.

Keep the faith. I got my info from a TV interview of a high ranking State Judge on a local SF Bay Area news broadcast. She clearly states that the initiative is not retroactive.

[KarenRei]

A number of articles are calling it "legal chaos" because the arguments from both sides are legally valid. At least thankfully it's the California Supreme Court that'll get to make the call on which view is correct. For now, I'll just have to settle with being in legal limbo.

On the bright side, the ACLU has already joined with Lambda Legal in filing suit that this is a revision, not an amendment, and thus went through the wrong process.

[NmGfan]

Yeah, the judge mentioned that the initiative process is probably going to get "adjusted" because of this; it wasn't intended to circumvent the existing constitutional amendment process. Money can obviously play a serious role in the outcome of an election and an insane amount of money was poured into this initiative. Interestingly enough, it was the State Supreme Court that cleared the way for same gender couples to get married earlier this year and the initiative was a reaction to that. Same judges, same court... :happy0025:

[Spank Daddy]

Too bad Prop 10 did not pass...we could have saved $4,000 on the Aptera

[MegaAutoBit]

That would have been cool. At least the California Bullet Train passed.

[Spank Daddy]

<bitter>
<soapbox>
It is real cool, but aside from zero pollution what is the point?
Most Californians will never use it. We are a car society.

$20 billion to build + $1 billion/year to operate :eek:

The So Cal route is not even direct from SD to LA, so the time savings compared to the Surfliner is just a few minutes.
Anything further I might as well fly up to Nor Cal in 25% of the time.

New Train Route: http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/map.htm
Surfliner Train Route: http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/oct08/W31.pdf

Instead we should have passed Prop 10 and Prop 7 to further technologies like the Aptera and solar power.
It is too bad gas prices went back down just before the election, we seem to be slipping back into complacency again.
</soapbox>
</bitter>

[n_dawg]

Hey, I for one am happy gas prices have fallen temporarily. I might be picking up a Geo Metro cheap before they go back up again. :)

[jstdadd]

<bitter>
<soapbox>
It is real cool, but aside from zero pollution what is the point?
Most Californians will never use it. We are a car society.

$20 billion to build + $1 billion/year to operate :eek:

The So Cal route is not even direct from SD to LA, so the time savings compared to the Surfliner is just a few minutes.
Anything further I might as well fly up to Nor Cal in 25% of the time.

New Train Route: http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/map.htm
Surfliner Train Route: http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/oct08/W31.pdf

Instead we should have passed Prop 10 and Prop 7 to further technologies like the Aptera and solar power.
It is too bad gas prices went back down just before the election, we seem to be slipping back into complacency again.
</soapbox>
</bitter>

That's what they said about BART in 1968...and today there are probably 12 local commuter rail lines that connect to it, and the entire extended Bay area connects, all the way over to Sacramento.

You have to start somewhere. California needs a European-style rail system, with passenger trains that run on schedule.

[KarenRei]

I loved the high speed rail system in Japan. And I have to say, I've even enjoyed your lower speed trains out in CA. When I go to pick up my Aptera, I'm considering taking a train cross-country rather than flying. Flying out to CA has turned into a ~$450 per cramped seat, three-leg, all-day endeavour. I could catch an evening train in SE Iowa, sleep, ride in comfort the next day, sleep again, and arrive in the morning for a little more than half the price and a small fraction the CO2 emissions.

With high speed rail, it'd be an even easier choice. And you have to start somewhere!

[MegaAutoBit]

I don’t know what they are currently projecting for a LA to San Diego trip. What I do know is it takes me anywhere from 4-6 hours to go from LA to San Luis Obispo on the surf liner. With the bullet train, even though it’s going through the inland valley, I can travel twice the distance SF to LA in 2.5 hours. WOW!

[Dolphyn]

Hey, I for one am happy gas prices have fallen temporarily. I might be picking up a Geo Metro cheap before they go back up again. :)
Almost every car I've ever owned is a Geo Metro. I think they are pretty good cars, almost always 40+ mpg.

Right now, I have two. One is convertible and the other has been converted (to electric). :)

[n_dawg]

Haha, like the Metrompg guy. Cool! :)