Well, it’s Friday again and I’ve been bereft in blogging and commentary the last couple of weeks. The only page I’ve done any updating of has been my Spam/Scam Phone page — unfortunately, it’s had much too much business lately. A pox on these telemarketers, scammers and thieves and their “partners” in criminology — the telecom companies and politicians beholden to their monies.
Commentary on Taxes
On a more positive note Tax Day has come and gone. Owing to a couple of late financial documents and a bit of a mix-up at my tax preparer’s office, my tax returns did not get filed until the last day — April 18th. But my refunds have already been deposited into my credit union checking account.
The main reason we got refunds this year were medical expen$e$ — eye care, doctor$, pre$cription$ and dental cost$. I’d rather not have had the costs (and deductions). And I am very glad we’re still covered by my wife’s health insurance from her former employer — we still have to pay for it, but it’s a lot cheaper than getting it on our own or doing without.
The good part about this is that I used the refunds and just paid off the last of the dental costs I’d charged on my credit union charge card — with a couple of dollars left over for other things, such as, the co-pay on her next prescription which I will pick up on my afternoon walk today.
Commentary on Elections/Voting
The California Presidential Primary Election Official Voter Information Guide (California) arrived in this week’s mail. (This is a throne-reading document.)
“If you are registered with a political party: You can vote for a candidate running for President in that party.
“If you are registered with no party preference, you can vote in the Presidential primary for the following parties: Democratic, American Independent, Libertarian.
“If you registered with no party preference and want to vote in the Presidential primary for one of the following political parties: Republican, Green, Peace & Freedom, you must re-register to vote with that party by May 23, 2016.”
So, if you registered as an “independent,” that is, you are not registered with any political party, or you registered as a member of the American Independent Party by mistake and want to vote in the Republican primary, you have less than a month to correct your error. (If you registered in the American Independent Party and want to vote in the Democratic primary, you also have to re-register.)
On a related note there is Prop 50: Suspension of Legislators. Legislative Constitutional Amendment. Summary: Authorizes Legislature to suspend Members, including without salary and benefits. Prohibits suspended Members from using powers of office or legislative resources. Provides suspension may end on specified date or by vote of Member’s house. Fiscal Impact: No effect on state spending in most years. Minor savings in some years. (Read between the words, why not?)
I found it amusing that the two legislators who wrote the “Argument Against Proposition 50” began with the following:
“Proposition 50 is a scam brought to you by those that would turn a blind eye to a culture of corruption in our State Capitol! Voters should oppose this measure because: It perpetuates a culture of corruption in the state capitol . . .”
These two men are elected legislators and members of this “culture of corruption” . . . ?
Hmmm . . . oh, well, maybe I misunderstand and although they are legislators, they are not members of this culture of corruption. Of course, if this is true, why have they not been yelling and screaming about it . . . maybe they have, and I just haven’t heard them.
Also, in the Voter Guide there is a list of the candidates for the open U.S. Senate seat: a list of 35 candidates. That’s right: 35. I thought that I paid fairly close attention to politics in California, but I have learned to the contrary. I only recognized four (4) names on the list.
One of the candidates is named President. A woman named President is running for the U.S. Senate seat from California.
Each county in California designs its own ballot. How many of these names are going to fit in the same column? How many counties are going to have ballots running more than one page in length for this single office? How many people are going to try to vote for a candidate in each column, or on each page, and thereby cause their ballot to be tossed into the shred-and-recycle bin?
Commentary Links
Well, I just finished my last cup of coffee, and it’s time to quit-and-post. However, for those of you interested, here are some web-links for further information:
An online copy of the Voter Guide: www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov
Campaign finance information: powersearch.sos.ca.gov OR cal-access.sos.ca.gov
Register to vote online at: www.RegisterToVote.ca.gov
Additional links for the Voter Guide in other languages, registration and voting, candidates and Prop 50 are listed throughout the Voter Guide.
