Election day tomorrow...

[hellziggy]

I've avoided talking too much about politics here this year.
After how heartbroken I was after the last presidential election, I'm just having a hard time staying optimistic.
If you saw the "Who would you vote for?" widget I posted a few weeks ago, you know I'm voting for Obama. A huge majority of you here on my flist are voting for Obama. Many of my non-LJ friends are voting for Obama. But until the final counts are in I just can't let myself hope that he will win.
I'm not even that scared of McCain winning, even though the McCain currently running isn't the same one I actually used to respect. I'm freaking TERRIFIED that McCain might win and then die. The idea of President Palin quite literally makes me nauseous. Also, while I don't think race should matter one bit, I have some fear that Obama may lose some states simply because there are people who just won't vote for a black man. In 2008 prejudice is still that strong in some people. How fucking sad is that?
*sigh*

But anyway, this post wasn't meant to be about the presidential race. I wanted to put my view out there about one of the issues on the ballot:

Constitutional Amendment
"Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to dedicate funding to protect our drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore our wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve our arts and cultural heritage; to support our parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore our lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater by increasing the sales and use tax rate beginning July 1, 2009, by three-eighths of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2034?"
Yes
No

I support each and every issue listed in this. I believe that those are all things that we should be doing.
But I am voting NO.
Yes, earmarking tax money for this is something I support. But I DO NOT support using a Constitutional Amendment to do it!
The definition of constitution from dictionary.com:
8. the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.
9. the document embodying these principles.

The constitution is not the place to make laws. I voted against the transportation amendment in 2006, and I intend to vote against this one.

Comments

[boliviafang.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting that! I had been hearing ads about protecting our water. And water, locally and globally, is a huge issue for me. But something about what I was hearing didn't feel right. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I was uncomfortable. Thank you for explaining what the amendment was about.. and I, too, agree with all those issues, but I appreciate your explaining why it shouldn't be an amendment. I agree with that, too.

The constitution is not the place to make laws. That's an excellent point to remember.

[hellziggy.livejournal.com]

This one is really hard for me. I really really really want to vote yes because the issues are all ones I believe in. But I just can't vote yes to it. Tax allocation is something that needs to be done at the legislative level. *sigh*
At least it's a no lose situation for me because if it does pass I'll be happy with the protections even if I do think they did it the wrong way.

[boliviafang.livejournal.com]

That's how I feel about the presidential election. I have to vote what I personally believe is right, and that unfortunately puts me at odds with.. oh, my entire state, not to mention the majority of the country. But the good news is, I don't dislike the other candidate, and I will not be mad when he gets elected. I will probably be relieved. Then maybe I'll get to complain for eight years.