A lot of people want to know how to vote on the ballot measures and major offices in 2 weeks. Here’s how I’m voting, and why.
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Ballot Measures #
YES on Amendment 3: Change to Judge Appointments #
Better Courts for Missouri helped promote this measure to arrest the leftward list of appointments. The ballot language is awful, but this amendment is a step in the right direction. From their web site:
Amendment 3 is a package of very modest reforms including: •An additional gubernatorial appointee to the Appellate Judicial Commission, bringing the total to four members of seven. This will allow the people to exercise more accountability through our elected Governor. •The Commission will be required to nominate four people to each panel presented to the Governor, an increase of one over the current three. This will ensure that panels will be harder to package in a way that would favor one particular nominee. •Instead of allowing a sitting Supreme Court judge to play an active role in selecting their colleagues, Amendment 3 would require a retired judge to serve in a non-voting, advisory role. Right now, Missouri is one of only seven states which allow a sitting judge to serve in a voting capacity on the judicial selection commission. •Terms of gubernatorial appointees to the Appellate Judicial Commission will be shortened (to four years) and re-staggered. Under this plan, Governors would get to appoint two commissioners during their first year in office and two more in the third year of their term.
NO on Proposition A: St. Louis Police Board #
I’ve already written plenty on this subject. Feel free to read my latest article.
NO on Proposition B: A 760% Cigarette Tax Hike #
This proposition puts thousands of Missouri jobs at risk in communities all around our borders – except the border with Illinois. It’s another one of those insane sin taxes intended to both curb a bad habit AND increase revenues. Obviously, it can’t do both. Either it temporarily bloats government, leaving a budget hole when the behavior ends, or it bloats government and the deadly behavior continues. Just vote no.
YES Proposition E: Stop Jay Nixon From Going Tyrannical With Obamacare #
Jay Nixon tried to implement key provisions of Obamacare last year by executive fiat. This Proposition ensures neither he nor any bureaucrat in Missouri every tries that crap again. Here’s more from last week.
State Offices #
Governor: Dave Spence. #
He will actually govern, as governors should, not vacation for four years the way Jay NIxon has.
Dave Spence knows how business and jobs work—he’s created both. He will get Missourians back to work (with Mitt in the White House). Vote for Dave Spence for Governor.
Lieutenant Governor: Peter Kinder #
Peter Kinder has been done an excellent job as Missouri’s Lieutenant Governor. He fought Obamacare when no other statewide officeholder would. He’s stood for strong conservative principles since his days in the legislature. We need Peter Kinder back in JC.
Attorney General: Ed Martin Jr. #
No matter how much Chris Koster lies, here’s the truth: Ed Martin is an upstanding, intelligent corruption fighter who’s worked for ordinary people his whole adult life.
Ed drove the implementation of Missouri’s fantastic open check register online—a system so transparent that Jay Nixon tried to kill it. Grover Norquist praised the open data as a model for the other 49 states.
Most importantly, with Washington tyranny growing every day, Ed Martin will be our strongest ally in preserving freedoms for our state and its people. His opponent has done NOTHING to stop Washington’s assault on state sovereignty. The erosion of freedom ends when Ed Martin takes his oath of office.
If I could only cast a vote in one statewide race, I’d cast it for Ed Martin for Attorney General.
Secretary of State: Shane Schoeller #
Leftists, a few year back, mounted a successful strategy of putting hardcore progressives into the office of Secretary of State in states they wanted to flip from Republican to Democrat. You should read The Blueprint: How the Democrats Won Colorado.
The reason Democrats targeted SoS jobs? Control of elections.
Shane Schoeller is a solid Conservative Republican who will run the state wisely and fairly. He will ensure fair elections, free from fraud. This is a critical race, and we need to win. After the Attorney General race, this is the most important statewide office election in 2012. Vote for Shane Schoeller for Secretary of State.
Treasurer: Cole McNary #
Cole worked to reform education in Missouri as a State Rep, and he’ll keep Missouri’s fiscal house in order as Treasurer.
Two men impressed me greatly at a meeting in 2010, when the Tea Party was just kicking off its election year strategy: (now) State Senator John Lamping, and Cole McNary.
Both men had the backbone to discuss issues we disagreed on. Both made strong cases for their side without getting personal, pointed, or belittling. Cole hung around for an hour after the meeting ended to continue the conversation.
Will that make him a great Treasurer? Perhaps, or not. But it tells you that Cole McNary is the kind of guy who will look you in the eye and tell you the truth. We need that.
Federal Offices #
US Senate: Todd Akin #
Todd Akin received the highest Heritage Action Scorecard rating of any member of the Missouri delegation (82%). He has been an outstanding representative of MIssouri’s 2nd Congressional District since Jim Talent went onto the Senate.
**Todd Akin will promote jobs, energy, fiscal responsibility, peace through strength, and life. **
If we don’t elect Todd and win the Senate, Obamacare will be fully implemented.
If Todd Akin isn’t not our next Senator, the Supreme Court, and thousands of lower courts, will flip left.
If you have no other reason to vote for Todd Akin, for this: he will stop another Elena Kagan from reaching the Supreme Court.
If you don’t vote for Todd Akin on November 6, you will take it to your grave.
Second Congressional District: Ann Wagner #
I’ve gotten to know Ann over the last year, and I will vote for her with enthusiasm. I will also remind her of the values of the district she represents, and I’ll let her know how she’s doing on the Heritage Action Scorecard.
Ann will help the state and the country recover from four years of Obama’s authoritarian rule. She’ll vote to repeal Obamacare, to increase jobs and energy, and to hold the line on regulations and spending. That’s all I need to know to elect her to represent me in Congress, and, if you live in the 2nd district, I hope you will vote for Ann, too.