Turtle's Voting Guide: The whole darn ballot

Recently Slate magazine published how their staff were planning on voting in the presidential election under some notion of providing transparency. I know people are clambering, clambering I say, to know how I'm going to vote.

Well, maybe I haven't decided yet? Did you ever consider that?

I'll at least leave you with my thoughts the choices from the top of the ticket to the local questions on my own ballot. This is ballot for Minneapolis Ward 9, Precinct 1 in Minnesota. Incumbents have a *. You can make your own assumptions on how I will vote.

PRESIDENT

• Chuck Baldwin, Cons - The Constitution Party are kind of like libertarians, except that they are hell-bent to ban abortion and aren't so thrilled with the separation between church and state.
• Bob Barr, Lib - Got to hand it to Bob Barr. He's his own person.
• Roger Calero, SWP - I checked out his campaign website, which is hosted by the socialist newspaper he edits, The Militant, which might be a violation of federal campaign and tax law.
• John McCain, R-While I wouldn't have voted for McCain in 2000, I had respect for him. I no longer hold any respect for him.
• Cynthia McKinney, Grn - I generally don't vote for people who assault police officers. Conspiracy theorists turn me off too.
• Ralph Nader, Indep - Nader probably has the biggest ego in this race; and keep in mind that he's competing for that title with Obama, McCain, Barr, AND McKinney.
• Barack Obama, D - He's a centrist. He's less liberal than John Kerry. But he's a pragmatic and principled centrist. He actually has some plans to deal with our most pressing problems. Plus, I'm more confident that he'll try a couple things first before starting a war.

U.S. SENATE

• Charles Aldrich, Lib - I once tabled at the Minnesota Libertarian Party convention. It was creepy.
• Dean Barkley, I - Barkley is a principled centrist. He has mostly well thought-out policy positions and a couple of screwy ones that will go nowhere so who cares. A reasonable choice.
• Norm Coleman, R* - Coleman is hands-down the most slimy politician in Minnesota, possibly the Midwest. Seriously, he is a do-and-say-anything-to-get-elected guy. Coleman spent 4 years kissing Bush's ass and the last two running away from him. On the eve of the 2006 election all of a sudden he thought that there were problems with the Republican agenda in Washington and the way the war in Iraq was going. Norm must go.
• Al Franken, D - I liked Al Franken a lot in his previous careers. His play-it-safe, tone-deaf campaign has been underwhelming. But he understands public policy and would vote mostly the right way (party line).
• James Niemackl, Cons - According to the Star Tribune, he is a "member of the Knights of Columbus and Fraternal Order of Police." Enough said.

MINNESOTA SUPREME COURT AND APPEALS COURT
SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE
Seat 3

• Paul H. Anderson * - A respected incumbent associate justice. He was "found qualified" by the Minnesota Women Lawyers.
• Tim Tingelstad - Has fought to politicize judicial races. Told the Star Tribune: "I believe that justice is served when judges fear God and love the people." Unsurprisingly the religious right wants him elected really bad. He was not found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers.

Seat 4

• Lorie Skjerven Gidea * - Gidea is a recent appointee and seen as a Tim Pawlenty lackey with little prior judicial experience. Although the Minnesota Women Lawyers found her to be qualified.
• Deborah Hedlund - Hedlund has also been found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers. I hear that she's kind of crazy in the courtroom. Her campaign YouTube videos are uninspiring.

APPEALS COURT JUDGE
Seat 1

• Edward Toussaint *- Only one in the race!

Seat 8

• Thomas J. Kalitowski *- Only one in the race!

Seat 9

• Roger M. Klaphake *- Only one in the race!

Seat 10

• Harriet Lansing *- Only one in the race!

Seat 15

• Kevin G. Ross *- Only one in the race!

Seat 16

• Dan Griffith - Griffith is running on a platform that judges should be elected, not appointed. He was not found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers.
• Terri J. Stoneburner * - The incumbent has been endorsed by the Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers and found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers.

SALES TAX AMENDMENT

• Constitutional amendment: Increase state sales tax by 0.375% to pay for environmental and cultural programs.

Details: "Tax increase amounts to 38 cents on a $100 purchase. Money would be divided among projects related to clean drinking water (33%), natural areas and wildlife habitat (33%), parks and trails (14.25%) and arts and culture (19.75%). Must be approved by a majority of all voters - not voting on the question counts as a "no" vote."
Think of it this way: When you go to Target and buy some diapers, some baby wipes, a cheap plastic toy, vitamins and Advil, oh and then a birthday present for your daughter's friend's six year old birthday party, you might find yourself astonished it all added up to a $100!. Money is tight these days. But if you're spending $100 at Target, you can afford to chip in 38 cents that --with everyone else's contribution--will do tremendous things to clean our waterways, have state parks that are open on Memorial Day weekend, and maybe stop our community theaters from closing. The Legislature and Governor haven't been able to agree to fund our long-term priorities for a couple of decades, so it's up to the voters.

U.S. HOUSE
District 5

• Barb Davis White, R
• Keith Ellison, D*-Remember two years ago the contention in the congressional race here? People were freaking out that a "radical," black Muslim would go to Congress. The world didn't fall apart and all those local DFLers spitting venom two years ago are now oddly quiet.
• Bill McGaughey, I

MINNESOTA HOUSE
District 62A

• Jim Davnie, D*-Davnie has spent his time in St. Paul working for education reform and funding, addressing the foreclosure crisis, and defending personal equality, among many other things.
• Dave Shegstad, R-The local crank on Minnehaha Avenue. Shegstads the one who three years before anyone heard of Sarah Palin told us in his write-in City Council run that the "real people" supported him even though evidently the real voters didn't.

4TH DISTRICT COURT
Seat 9

• Philip D. Bush * - Endorsed by Republicans, Democrats, and even a union.
• Eugene Link - I can't find anything on the web about the guy. Honestly, why waste voters' time running if you can't put up a simple website or answer the Star Tribune questionnaire?

Seat 53

• David L. Piper - Piper has gotten the endorsements of numerous prominent Democrats and Republicans, as well as local law enforcement and judicial officials. He was found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers. Umm, and e has a very lawyerly name.
• Jane Ranum - Ranum has gotten the endorsements of numerous prominent Democrats and Republicans, as well as local law enforcement and judicial officials. She was found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers. Ranum is a former excellent state senator. It'd be nice to have some more qualified women in the judiciary.

Seat 58

• Thomas F. Haeg - Haeg has gotten the endorsements of numerous prominent Democrats and Republicans, but mostly the wrong ones. He was found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers.
• James T. Swenson * - Swenson has gotten the endorsements of numerous prominent Democrats and Republicans, but mostly the wrong ones. He was found qualified by the Minnesota Women Lawyers. Perhaps go with the incumbent, even though he's endorsed by Rich Stanek?

HENNEPIN COUNTY SOIL AND WATER SUPERVISOR
Seat 1

• Kim N. Boyce * - Only choice. Yay!

Seat 3

• Richard A. Klatte - His most important issue is: "Global Warming. Making big oil companies pay for cleaning the air, water, and soil they've destroyed." Good luck taking down Big Oil on the Hennepin County Soil and Water Board!
• Ben Torell - "Balancing the Preservation of our Natural Resources while endorsing responsible enjoyment of the outdoors." He's an ATV enthusiast.
• James Wisker - Has a "Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior and am currently employed as the Program Manager for the Regulatory Department at Minnehaha Creek Watershed District." Hey, maybe we want someone actually qualified for this position!
• Rahn V. Workcuff - "I strongly agree that a marriage should be only between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of same sex marriages. I strongly agree that all MN residence should have affordable health insurance. even if it means new or added cost to businesses. I strongly agree that we dont (sic) need anymore increase in taxes, we are all ready being taxed to death." He's more ambitious than the Klatte taking on Big Oil!

Seat 5

• Jeffrey A. Beck - Says good things about utilizing ecological principles, but can't write in complete sentences or use punctuation in his position statement.
• Karl Hanson - Wants to protect private property rights. I'm torn.

MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL DISTRICT

• Operating levy: $585 per pupil increase

"$172 tax increase on a $213,000 house. Total per pupil levy if passed: $1,200. To hire more teachers, keep class sizes down, purchase technology and textbooks and improve reading, math and science programs."
The state and federal governments aren't doing their job funding education, so this is the way we have to do it. Improving the schools has a direct impact on housing values, so it's in everyone's best interest to approve the levy.

• Referendum: Expand school board and elect some members by district

"Minneapolis voters will decide whether to expand the city's school board from seven to nine seats with three elected citywide and six elected by districts, similar to the city's Park and Recreation Board. All are now elected citywide. If approved, the plan would be phased in over two voting cycles."
This measure is thanks to legislation forwarded by Rep. Jim Davnie and supported by the entire Minneapolis legislative delegation. The School Board had an opportunity to put it into effect and move forward, but instead the incumbents chose to fight it by putting it on the ballot and delaying implementation two more years. The current school board, while greatly improved from 4 years ago, is not accountable. Voters don't know who to hold accountable for our failing schools right now. When I wrote each member of the school board about this proposal, only two even responded back to me. That solidified my belief that the current structure doesn't encourage accountability when you have 7 at-large representatives from the entire city.

School Board Member - 3 seats
Vote for 3

• Carla Bates - Endorsed by the DFL and SEIU. What else do you need?
• Jill Davis - Endorsed by the DFL, the AFL-CIO, SEIU and the teacher's union. What else do you need?
• Sharon Henry-Blythe * -Has been an incumbent too long and part of the problem.
• Lydia Lee * - Lee is running for her second term and has done a good job. A quality board member despite her opposition to the school board reform plan. Endorsed by the DFL, SEIU and the teacher's union. What else do you need?
• Doug Mann - Local crank that got kicked out of the local NAACP for being disruptive. At least he has a website.
• Kari Reed - She homeschools her five children. She opposes the current levy proposal because the schools evidently don't need more money, but "creative solutions" like homeschooling and charter schools. I think we know where her priorities lie. She'd be a nightmare on the Board.

Another reason zero-tolerance policies are stupid

File this under stupidity.  This is what we get from "zero-tolerance" policies.

From today's Star Tribune...

Box cutter was for work, but to school, it's a weapon

A Blaine High School student was suspended for having the knife in his car, violating a weapons policy.

By ABBY SIMONS, Star Tribune

Last update: September 18, 2008 - 9:57 AM

A Blaine teenager has been suspended from school for 10 days and faces possible expulsion Monday after a box cutter was spotted in his car in the high school parking lot. Administrators invoked the school's zero-tolerance weapons policy, which allows little disciplinary leeway.

[Click through for more]

Expulsion because he inadvertantly left his box cutter in his car instead of returning it to a locked cabinet at home immediately after work?

It's so easy to just have so-called "zero tolerance policies."  When parents and school boards force this on to school administrators, this is what you get.  We now live in an age where school administrators understand the seriousness of school violence.  Why don't we trust them to make rational distinctions between real threats and stupid incidents like this one?

You know we need new people in charge when...

You know we need new people in charge of our school systems when something like this happens:

• Teacher fired for "wizadry" after performing magic trick in class

What is this, medieval Europe?

Of course this happened in Florida. Maybe we should consider whether we want to keep Florida part of the United States. Perhaps we could give it back to Spain? Or better yet, it can be part of a new arrangement to Cuba: Have free elections and we'll give you the state of Florida!

Thanks to Majikthise for pointing me to this story.

School buses and bars

I live in south Minneapolis. There are neighborhood bars every few blocks. I heard once that my ward has the most bars per capita outside of downtown.

Still, I always pause when I see school buses parked during the day close to a bar when there isn't a school for several blocks. I know they have to park somewhere, but it makes me wonder.

These are two of three buses I saw parked next to the Schooner Tavern around the corner from Rainbow Foods last Friday at 1:47 PM.

Illegal items in schools

"Hey kid, wanna buy some Skittles? How about some peanut butter cups? If you got five dollars, I can use my connection to get you a full-sized Snickers bar."