It was 44 years ago, 1960, a neighbor and I walked door to door
in Texas in behalf of a guy named John Tower. We did not have a
clue what we were doing, it just seemed like the thing to do.
It was 44 years ago, 1960, a neighbor and I walked door to door in Texas in behalf of a guy named John Tower. We did not have a clue what we were doing, it just seemed like the thing to do.
By 1962 I still did not have a “political” clue. Terms like House of Representatives, and U.S. Senate were undefined memories of a high school civics class. A steel worker gave me a copy of a paperback named “Conscience of A Conservative” by Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. It was a 45 minute read laying out fundamental American governmental principles.
In those days, mass political mailings were rare and most news came from one of three radio/TV stations or the newspaper. We lived in Connecticut and used to call it the “Hudson Curtain” which filtered all the news in New England from the rest of the nation.
Long story short- I had a crash course “practical politics” as I discovered how to organize the conservative grassroots in Connecticut. It turned out to be a significant body.
Then a move to California in late ‘64 and ultimate settlement in Morgan Hill with letters to the editor of the Dispatch and Times. That led to an invitation to write a weekly Dispatch column. That led to a decade long race against incumbent Assemblyman Rusty Areias, which ended in helping Peter Frusetta put the seat into the Republican column.
All that built a base of political activity that continues today. I am often asked for my suggestions regarding the Ballot. Here are my picks:
Bush and Cheney: If you are literate enough to be reading this column and not voting for them over their opponents, please stay home and don’t vote. We already have enough dumb voters.
U.S. Senate, Congress, State Senate and Assembly: It is a numbers game. The party with the most members has the power. If it is closely divided, the power is neutered by “mavericks” who will barter their votes to the opposition for personal gain. Democrats have been in legislative power for decades and made a mess. We need strong Republican majorities for a while.
Church of the Valley hosted great exposure for the School Board and MH city council races. I understand the DVD of those events is going out on the cable channels several times.
Regarding School Boards: Were I voting in Gilroy, I would vote for Rhoda Bress, Robert Heisey, Patricia Midtgaard. In Morgan Hill I am voting for Julia Hover-Smoot, Bob Griesinger, Mike Davenport. In the Judicial race for office #7 Griffin Bonini gets my support.
In the Gavilan District the nod goes to Mark Dover.
Regarding the Morgan Hill administration. I am choosing to endorse neither candidate for mayor. I have no doubt that Dennis Kennedy will win it handily.
There are five candidates for two seats on the City Council. I am voting for Julia Starling. She lacks the sophistication normally requisite for the office, but she makes up for it in backbone and integrity. My second vote goes to Allan Abrams.
Now, we come to the “black hole” in the ballot! We have 19 “yes/no” issues to decide. Most carry even more weight than the votes above. Please mark your ballot very carefully. Your votes here effect the lives of your grandchildren.
Begin with a bias toward a no vote on every initiative. They represent the failure or cowardice of our elected authorities to act. You are being asked to make decisions based upon TV sound bites and pages of legalese gibberish.
Set an absolute “no” vote on every new tax or bond issue. Remember, you will never be asked to approve funds for an unpopular cause. However, each new dollar you authorize for a popular cause releases a dollar behind the scenes for an unpopular expense.
1A Yes. Helps stop raids on local government. 59 Yes. Light drives out “darkness.” 60 Yes. Statement of the obvious to protect primaries. 60A Yes. Helps stop raids on local funds. 61 No. A bond, that is, new debt. 62 No. An incredibly dangerous proposal. 63 No. It is a tax. 64 Yes. Helps tether shakedown law suits. 65 No. It is replaced by 60A.
66 No. Bleeding heart effort to neuter a good law; 67 No. A tax; 68 No. Self serving effort to get into the gambling game; 69 Yes. This one is not a clear choice. If you feel a government data base of fingerprints is wrong, you should not support; 70 No. More self-serving efforts to play with gambling money; 71 No. A bond issue. Also, it appears to me this may be an effort to add commercial value to an aborted fetus using “junk science”; 72 No. Another step toward socialized medicine.
Regarding our county measures (A, B, C): Supervisor Don Gage recommends Yes on A and B. County Sheriff Lori Smith recommends a Yes on C.
I encourage you to treat your vote as sacred. It is one of your “unalienable” God-given rights/responsibilities. Each of us has a sphere of influence. Please use yours to encourage others to vote wisely. If you would like to help, then phone Kyle Baker at 408-690-8356. He is working to organize Morgan Hill turnout.
