Replacing Gavin Newsom voter experience (me!) ~tops
easy for me personally, the first part:
"Shall Gavin Newsom be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?"My answer: Yes.
My personal, three primary (but not exclusive) reasons:
1. San Francisco went dramatically downhill during his leadership (increase in homelessness, trash, litter, graffiti, open drug use, higher crime.. less family-friendly environments, etc.) but somehow he still got promoted...
When he brought his poor leadership to the state of California as Governor, we experienced the same decline, in the same areas, happen and spread across our entire state; no longer restricted to just a formerly beautiful and iconic city
2. During covid, we saw, under his poor leadership, convicted criminals released, higher crime rates, while otherwise law abiding, tax paying, small business owning citizens became suddenly criminalized... the most backward, non-sense, counter-productive to a healthy culture decisions I have ever experienced as a California native of 55+ years.
3. His executive decision/signature -and reasoning! on the moratorium to the death penalty -which allows evil, wicked kidnapping, raping, murdering criminals to continue receiving free meals, free shelter, free laundry service, free medical care, free dental, recreation, air conditioning, cable movies.. and after the Californians voted twice for it....
not to mention a long list of other reasons.. but,
YES. Gavin Newson should be immediately removed from office.
***
second part,
If the governor is recalled, the candidate who receives the most votes will be elected as the new governor.
WOW! to this list of candidates... 46 of them?
and the very, very first thing that came to mind is this:
HOW on God's good green earth, are people who have full time jobs, plus their commutes, plus children, grocery shopping, cooking, homework help, appointments for doctors, dentists, car maintenance, family visits, yards to care for, on and on...
with what time and energy is the typical full time working adult suppose to sit down and investigate each candidate to make the most educated, well informed, decision?
unrealistic!
-which is why so many people just default to name familiarity, or party loyalty, or some quick stereotype, or hopeful guess based on common life experience ='s common values (?),
like,
(since we are both retired, i had time to read, and he had time to listen....so, )
i read, "Chuancey "Slim" Killens" republican. retired correctional officer."
and since my sexy is a republican, and retired deputy... he was immediately interested.
-and we briefly looked him up, and watched, and listened to him on a rebel radio show...
in my mind, i am like.. oh my God, they all say the exact same things, year after year, -can anyone break the script?
and what ive learned, is that the republicans all have the same set of criticisms against the democrats as the democrats do against the republicans. every citizen should watch one hour of political comedy hosted by each political party. enlightening!
anyway,
then my sexy, he started explaining about how 'not to waste your vote' -and what that means, is:
if the most popular candidate wins.. you want to guess and vote according to who will most likely win for your party... if you vote for someone who doesnt have a chance to begin with... that's a waste.
and i understand the math on that; i do.
but i just have to vote for the person i most believe will do the best job whether i believe they will win or not.
but.. the time and energy to look up and research each and every potential candidate...
"short cuts please!"
turns out, some have much better websites than others..
turns out, some are much better writers than others...
but i have also learned over the years, -just because you can write/speak well.. or make a pretty website..
doesn't mean you can lead a city or state or country.
-and i am suspicious some of these candidates arent genuine at all, but really just want to see their name on the ballot, and benefit from the name exposure..
there is a great deal of weeding to do on the part of the voting citizen...
i spent a little minute on sarah stephens website..
a pastor, mother of 5, and married to a former police officer...
i share her values/visions on most, but not all issues. i have already written extensively, about how and why i am PRO-CHOICE.. so, when i read about her way of thinking, 'instead of spending millions of dollars killing people, innocent babies...'
i disagree without evening finishing the rest of the reading. I realize over and over, that those people who are against pro-choice, they all believe that changing the law will result in no more abortions. -it is my opinion, life experience, observation and education, that changing the law will not result in the end of all abortions, but rather will create a black-market, will unintentionally create a higher number of self-inflicted abortions, which can result in the loss of not just the baby, but the mother...
i remain believing -no one wants 'babies killed'. no one. we all have that in common. and pro-choice people understand that humans in crisis and desperate and hormonal and confused and pressured... backed in a corner.. they will seek abortions one way or another
i am always delighted and hopeful when i read, that EDUCATION ALONE can reduce the number of abortions in a given society. we share the same goal. all of us.. less need, and less numbers when it comes to abortions. i will always vote pro-choice and pro-education...
-but it comes up as a hot topic every election. over and over, the GIANT THREAT THAT ROE V WADE will be overturned...
i used to get much more upset, and feel much more threatened.. but at 55,
i dont buy into the hype.. and think, if roe v. wade does get overturned..
the results are highly predictable. self-inflicted and black market abortions will show up on the rise.. unfortunate and preventable deaths of baby/child will happen..
back to court.. and back to pro-choice. if i am wrong.. and the law itself results in some dramatic reduction of abortions.. i would only be grateful to stand corrected.
***
i also do not line up with sarah on her stance about "churches being allowed to stay open" while there are mandates to close small businesses, large businesses, sport stadiums, schools, and any place of close contact gatherings.
i do not believe churches should some how be exempt from the social distancing mandates the rest of society is mandated to follow.
when the mall and schools can open.. so can the churches...
how can it be okay for the church goers, but not.. the tail-gate party people? i can't think of an argument that makes it okay for church goers to ignore the distancing rules everyone else has to follow...
anyway.. i haven't calculated how much time, thought, energy it has taken me to learn just a little bit more about only a handful of the potential 46+ candidates..
i only know for certain, the process to make an educated decision, when you factor in how much time it does take... very unrealistic for the majority of the voting age population.
and! i would like to suggest
that there be ONE website template, common to each candidate, which shares the same information, in the same format, in the same order, for every politician.
i.e.,
name, picture (brief bio)
party, education
hot topic issue stance. (hyperlink for how/why they landed on this value/decision)
homelessness -problem/solution
taxes -problem/solution
abortion -problem/solution
crime & punishment -problem/solution
vaccinations -problem/solution
immigration -problem/solution
climate -problem/solution
etc.,
this would at least streamline the reading/research process for the voters. sarah's website is lovely..
and i was equally impressed with our musician candidate, nickolas wildstar.. (problem/solution)
i do not agree across the board on the problems/solutions with any candidate, but i can see who has done some thinking...
In Jesus's gets my vote every time name, amen.
"I have recall-gavin-newsom-sticker-shock!" (me!) sandra, tvgp
... has estimated the costs to administer the recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom to be
$276 million....
!?!?!?
and i got out my readers to magnify... and i double-checked with two neighbors..
and, i absolutely wish to see him recalled; it cannot happen fast enough.. but WOW! to the cost...
i have recall-gavin-newson-sticker-shock.
and then i got to thinkin'
what does it cost annually to provide shelter, 3 free meals a day, free medical care, free dental care, free laundry service and free recreation to richard allen davis, alive and well on death row in san quentin prison? and what has it cost law abiding, tax paying citizens annually from the onset of his sentence?
1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021...
i could not seem to come up with a clear answer from my own online research, and so did send an email, and await response.
but of course, i do believe we could make up for this hideous $276 million, by implementing the death penalty California citizens voted for TWICE, only to have gavin sign an executive moratorium.
richard allen davis broke into a home, kidnapped an innocent 12 year old girl, violated and strangled her to death. he told police where they could find her body. we know without a doubt he is responsible for this
i never feel like i can find a word that communicates the level of evil accurately...
for this -atrocious crime.
to execute the death penalty in this case -which should have taken place who knows how many years ago..
but i do not regard the death penalty as murder (unlawful, premeditated taking of an innocent life with malice/intention). i do not regard the death penalty as evil for evil.. which to me would be kidnapping/murdering an offspring of his to seek revenge, and show him what it feels like..
i do believe some crimes are so atrocious, so heinous, that if you commit them, no matter what long, hard, sad story and list of excuses you might have, - you officially forfeit your right to share the planet with the rest of us. -and home invasion; kidnapping; violating/murdering a 12 year old falls in this category.
and we have already lawfully employed the justice system in this case...
i believe, as a Christian, the death penalty, in the case of richard allen davis, belongs to the scripture which reads, "we overcome evil with good."
and it would be very good, for Polly Klaas's family, for her friends, for the community in which she lived, for me, for you, for everyone in California, and in the United States, for every loving parent, and every loved and loving child
if we removed richard allen davis from the prison and the planet via the actual execution of the death penalty.
it breaks my heart any human being is capable of this level of evil and wickedness, i would not take pleasure in his execution
but i could do it myself without losing sleep.
Polly Klaas
january 3rd 1981 - october 1st 1993
In Jesus name, -amen.
a love poem, in memory of sue
i worked and worked some more
what for? -more to offer, more to give
for what it costs to really live
i worked and worked some more
what for? for you, and me, and us
and them -smiles in pictures..
"remember when..."
for love, family, friends, for nicer things
for the vacations and memories hard work brings
i never stopped -loving you along the way
motivated every single day, by a mortal clock
time affords, by love, the only true reward
i worked and worked some more; what for?
to leave the work world in comfort and style
spend time and energy my own way for a while
enjoy watching you grow, while my body declined
increasing the value and my respect for time
would i work so hard? do it again if i could?
for my son, family & friends;
i would.
"Like, We Were JUST! there..." (sexy! & tops!) butte, ennis & virginia city Montana #IWA #butteamerica @writeousmom
and no sooner, did we return, and... CBS sunday morning featured the very place
we just visited:
-only, in their 6+ minute segment, they forgot to mention a few things
like,
oh my goodness! you do not -DO NOT- need to be a passenger on a former school bus,
and drive on hairpin turns, up, up, up and up the rocky mountain, praying you'll make it back alive, to see and fully appreciate
OUR LADY OF THE ROCKIES
/that's write up there with driving to James Lick Observatory... never again!
what YOU SHOULD! YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD DO
is head over on flat land to the butte plaza mall. visit the "Our Lady of the Rockies" gift store
ask the beautiful, kind person behind the counter at the register
if you could please watch the 20+ minute documentary video ~about~ the inspiration for; and making of... Our Lady of the Rockies
this gorgeous, against all odds, amazing and inspiring sculpture
which you can see during your visit to butte, montana -from so many different angles
always looking over; calming..anchoring you in; blessing the residents and tourists below
and which is illuminated at night.
i may have mentioned in prior posts, "i feed on documentaries!" and i've seen this one
a couple times now.. moves me still.. and i delighted in getting to introduce it to my sexy
and i noticed when we glanced at her after watching, vs. before..
well, it just automatically increases your awe & appreciation.
****
and everything CBS Sunday Morning mentioned.. much of that and more, was covered by the fun and fabulous, very knowledgeable, Chris Fisk, a local historian, high school history/social studies teacher, and! butte history trolley tour guide
We highly recommend you take the trolley tour!
and! shame on you, if you visit butte, montana without dining at Mr Dogs
where you eat your giant, 4-course-meal of a delicious hot dog
on a plate, with a fork and knife.. in an intimate, romantic and eclectic ambiance which celebrates quite an array of seasons and cultures all at once; antiques, italian/americana, Christmas, vintage/modern.. real/silk... it's as visually entertaining as the meal is fulfilling
all a delightful and pleasant surprise when you consider the 'local hot dog stand'
appearance of the Mr Dogs building itself. and, bonus, if the 81 year old owner has time to visit and swap stories with you.. born and raised in butte, montana.. he is a genuine historian, and wonderful conversationalist
****
and, true.. originally we scheduled our visit so that we could attend butte's
annual folk festival.. but that was covid-canceled until next year
how could CBS Sunday not mention it though!?!
it is like, the coolest -most way awesome- wonderful friend and family~friendly event of the year!
and to see the head frames used as a stage for bands/musicians from all over the world
# butteamerica #itsabigdamndeal #headframespirits
and,
you have yellowstone national park only a couple hours away
and, glacier national park a half day drive away in the other direction..
but, "thank you!" here to my best brother ever..
our visit included a trip to ennis
where we are still talking about three major things:
1. "this is the best burger i've ever had.. period. hands-down..."
2. guns galore, out in the open in a retail store.. and yet.. zero issues here with mass shootings
-how different a criminal culture vs. hunter/sportsmen culture
3. "cheers! to our whiskey tasting experience.. great time!
and virginia city -history and charm in every direction.. old fashioned 'cousins' candy store.. ice creamery.. lots of gift shops.. and for every 1 modern day gift shop.. a dozen preserved buildings from the late 1800's; old post office, clothing store, kodak film/general store, museum-like tour..
and true, our views during the drive to and from virginia city, along/through the rocky mountains
-would have been spectacular, -had it not been for the multiple wild fires. prayers here.. californians appreciate what you're going through.. during our stay the skies were an opaque smoky white which seem to grow more dense by the hour...
***
all n' all, a wonderful, blessed, spend-quality-time-with-family vacation and visit
and an entire week of great meals & drinks!
/little known, never shared secret history to close my post:
the main avenue in butte, montana
which stretches all the way through this richest city on earth
the one you will need to drive on to get,
like, anywhere..
from the airport, to the super walmart, to the best western, to the casino, to the butte plaza mall, to our favorite rib & chop house restaurant
Harrison
well, it's named after us..
technically, it was named long -before us, but,
"that's us! the Harrison's!"
"cheers! thank you Jesus! hallelujah & amen!"
