Be on the lookout

Well, it looks like the political discourse in America is alive and well. Voters are pondering the issues, and browsing up and down the aisles of the marketplace of ideas. We've tried to do our part. We've put out two "Yes on 102" signs in our yard and both have been eagerly snatched up presumably by opponents of the initiative who apparently didn't know where to get their own signs. Rather than express their own views they prefer to squelch ours. The first sign we put out was gone the very next day, and I assumed that it had just blown away because it had been a blustery day and the sign wasn't stapled to the stick. The next sign I put up, I made sure to staple it to the stick and hammer it in extra deep. A few days later it was gone too - stick and all. I've heard that a few other neighbors have had their signs taken or vandalized, so I guess I shouldn't feel too special. You'd think that instead of risking getting caught stealing a political sign out of someone's yard, it would just be easier to put out your own sign with the opposing view point.

It will be interesting to see how these three initiatives fare with the voters in each of their states this November. Prop 102 in Arizona, Prop 8 in California, and Prop 2 in Florida are basically similar state Constitutional amendments that attempt to prohibit gay marriage, and simply define marriage as between a man and a woman. In California, a Survey USA poll shows that as of October 17th, 48% of the people surveyed supported the initiative, 45% opposed it, and 7% were undecided. It's going to be a close battle. Some people think that if Obama begins to show early signs of winning in the east on Nov. 4th that it could suppress the No Voters on Prop 8 in California because of a sense that victory is in the bag for Obama, however the same could also happen to the Yes Voters because disgruntled McCain supporters might stay home wallowing in defeat. In Arizona, a recent Cronkite/Eight Poll showed that 49% of respondents planned to vote for Prop. 102, while 40% were against it, and 9% were undecided. We can't take any results for granted here in AZ, so please be sure to get out and vote early for Prop. 102.