2005 Election results!! post your thoughts here -> <-

[deep]

These are the 3? elections to watch.

1 New Jersey Gov. Race

2. Virginia Gov. Race

3. California - referendum on GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger government-overhaul measures

Voters in New Jersey and Virginia picked governors Tuesday after high-spending, mean-spirited campaigns that were closely watched by political analysts for signs of the public's mood ahead of next year's midterm elections. Elsewhere, New York and a few other major cities selected mayors.


Statewide ballot referendums put gay rights before the voters in Maine and Texas, while several government-overhaul measures on the ballot in California were seen as a referendum on GOP Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, who campaigned hard for them..

 

[nbcrusader]

It will be interesting to see if the $100+ Million spent by the unions to defeat Props 74, 75, 76 & 77 will work.

 

[deep]

A friend at work said that at least Arnie got them to spend them selves out on this election.

btw, did you see the L A Times ed. recommendations on this election?

 

[deep]

It will be interesting to see if the $100+ Million spent by the unions to defeat Props 74, 75, 76 & 77 will work.

did you see the L A Times ed. recommendations on this election?

here they are

Proposition 74: Yes. Expanding the probationary period for new teachers from two years to five is a small but worthwhile educational reform.

Proposition 75: Yes. Public employee unions wield disproportionate influence in Sacramento, and this measure would help rein it in.

Proposition 76: No. This measure would grant the governor's office too much authority over the state budget.

Proposition 77: Yes. Letting a panel of retired state judges draw state and congressional district boundaries offers the best chance for real political competition and an end to gridlock.

and some call the L A Times a liberal rag?

 

[financeguy]

I have a suspicion that Diebold will steal Virginia for the GOP.

 

[deep]

ok

one more picture of Kaine and U2deomocrat

 

[nbcrusader]

A friend at work said that at least Arnie got them to spend them selves out on this election.

btw, did you see the L A Times ed. recommendations on this election?

Seems like a reasonable approach on the Arnold initiatives.

And yes, the unions will be hurting for the next couple of years. I heard news reports that the election spending nearly put the teacher's union into bankruptcy.

 

[melon]

I have a suspicion that Diebold will steal Virginia for the GOP.

Diebold would make any detail-oriented person nervous, that's for sure.

Melon

 

[deep]

i always request a paper ballot at the polls


they never ask me for i d

they just have me sign my name

and write my address



touching a screen that is supposedly recorded on a tape that may get transported to a central tabulation place

.... many ways for tampering to occur.

 

[Lancemc]

Oh my God, I live in New Jersey, and this governers race is just the most pathetic and irritating thing I have ever experienced. I swear, every SINGLE campaign ad I've seen from either candidate is just a blatant smear tactic!

I just saw one this morning, OK get this. It was an ad smearing Doug Forester for his use of smear tactics in his campaign!

That's a paradox! Blatant hipocrocy. A SMEAR AD CONDEMNING THE OPPONENT FOR RUNNING A SMEAR CAMPAIGN!!

I CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE OF THIS!

 

[Sherry Darling]

Kaine is winning!

U2dem, if he wins, I'll buy you a beer.

When you're 21, of course.

 

[financeguy]

Yes I now would like to revise my opinion. Kaine will quite probably win it.

The Republicans must have programmed the machines wrongly.

 

[melon]

Oh my God, I live in New Jersey, and this governers race is just the most pathetic and irritating thing I have ever experienced. I swear, every SINGLE campaign ad I've seen from either candidate is just a blatant smear tactic!

I just saw one this morning, OK get this. It was an ad smearing Doug Forester for his use of smear tactics in his campaign!

That's a paradox! Blatant hipocrocy. A SMEAR AD CONDEMNING THE OPPONENT FOR RUNNING A SMEAR CAMPAIGN!!

I CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE OF THIS!

The largest paradox is that, when polled, most people decry negative campaigning. Yet, when it comes to the effectiveness of negative campaigning, it is proven that people respond to that better than positive campaigning. The only way negative campaigning will end is when the public ceases to listen to it.

Melon

 

[financeguy]

The only way negative campaigning will end is when the public ceases to listen to it.

What about legislation? I think that PART of the reason that negative campaigning has become ingrained in the US system is that libel laws are fairly loose.

So, the downside of having full and frank freedom expression is negative campaigning.

It is perhaps a matter of choosing between tougher libel/slander laws or full and free rights to expression.

But if restrictions on freedom of speech are advocated, the US Constitution is a stumbling block.

 

[melon]

What about legislation? I think that PART of the reason that negative campaigning has become ingrained in the US system is that libel laws are fairly loose.

...

But if restrictions on freedom of speech are advocated, the US Constitution is a stumbling block.

The trouble with such laws is that the Supreme Court has a tradition of particularly protecting expressions of political speech. I tend to think that any law that would try to ban negative campaigning would likely be declared unconstitutional.

And, yes, libel and slander laws are particularly difficult to enforce when it comes to public figures, such as Hollywood celebrities and politicians. That's why celebrity gossip mags generally have as little to fear as smarmy politicians.

Melon

 

[joyfulgirl]

Kaine is winning!

U2dem, if he wins, I'll buy you a beer.

When you're 21, of course.

I bet she's out there working the polls.


I forgot to call my Mom to make sure she got out to vote (even though she'll vote Republican I always make sure she does it).

 

[Irvine511]

looks like CNN is predicting a win for Kaine in VA!!!

congrats and a job well done to U2dem!!!



looks like Bush's last minute visit to help out Kilgore demonstrates that the man-child has become political poison.

onward to 2006!!!

 

[DaveC]

# Voters in Maine were deciding whether to repeal a law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Recent polls showed the repeal trailing by a wide margin.

I'd like to see the result of this race. Here's hoping the people of Maine have some sense to not let this ludicrous waste of taxpayer cash pass.

Honestly, is it really necessary to have a plebiscite on repealing a law like this in 2005?

# Texas became the 17th state to pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage, according to a projection by the AP.

Looks like I spoke too soon.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

bloomberg won... i'm so shocked

[/sarcasm]


he was running against a guy with a 1970's porn stache who barely beat a guy named weiner in the democratic primary...



he's done a great job with NYC since 9/11... good to see that the overwellming majority of the voters in the city agree. more democrats voted for bloomberg in this election than voted for rudy G in any of his elections.

 

[anitram]

looks like Bush's last minute visit to help out Kilgore demonstrates that the man-child has become political poison.

onward to 2006!!!

Constant vigilance!

 

[melon]

Looks like I spoke too soon.

Yeah, well, Texas, once again, shows it's a bastion of tolerance.

I don't know why one person would want to live in that hellhole.

Melon

 

[melon]

bloomberg won... i'm so shocked

he's done a great job with NYC since 9/11... good to see that the overwellming majority of the voters in the city agree. more democrats voted for bloomberg in this election than voted for rudy G in any of his elections.

As many Democrats have put it...

"He's not a real Republican."

It's not difficult to see why he was reelected.

Melon

 

[Rono]

It will be interesting to see if the $100+ Million spent by the unions to defeat Props 74, 75, 76 & 77 will work.

That is the price if you want to compete against the big election budgets of politic party`s,....and their friendship politics.

 

[deep]

These are the 3? elections to watch.

1 New Jersey Gov. Race

2. Virginia Gov. Race

3. California - referendum on GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger government-overhaul measures

Republicans lost all three.

 

[deep]

I have a suspicion that Diebold will steal Virginia for the GOP.

looks like they tried something

November 08, 2005

Voters Report Problems With Machines in Virginia

Virginia televsion station WDBJ-TV reports voters in at least four different precincts "say their votes for Tim Kaine were not recorded or took several attempts to go through. They contend the electronic touch screens repeatedly indicated they were voting for Republican candidate Jerry Kilgore instead of registering their intended vote for his Democratic opponent Tim Kaine."

 

[U2democrat]

'nuff said.

 

[phanan]

The Republicans must have programmed the machines wrongly.

 

[nbcrusader]

That is the price if you want to compete against the big election budgets of politic party`s,....and their friendship politics.

It's the price if you want to continue to own the Democratic controlled legislature.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

As many Democrats have put it...

"He's not a real Republican."

It's not difficult to see why he was reelected.

Melon

he's not a real republican, nor is he a real democrat... despite being a member of the republican party, he really is a true independent... does what he this is right regardless of what the party might think.

 

[joyfulgirl]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1109-04.htm

Published on Wednesday, November 9, 2005 by the Portland Press Herald (Maine)

Voters Endorse Maine Gay Rights Law
by Paul Carrier

Maine voters reversed themselves on a contentious issue Tuesday by embracing the state's new anti-discrimination law, giving supporters of gay rights a convincing referendum win after two previous losses.

With 75 percent of Maine's 634 precincts reporting, unofficial returns showed Question 1, which would have repealed the law, going down to defeat, 56 percent to 44 percent. That means the law, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, takes effect immediately, making Maine the sixth and final state in New England to put such a law on the books.