Proud of my home boys

[MsGuy]

Last year the politicized wing of the anti-abortion crowd decided to press their advantage and engineered a "personhood begins at fertilization" constitutional amendment onto today's ballot. Even the opponents thought for sure they would steamroll this idiocy through the electorate.

That the amendment (which would have the effect of not only criminalizing abortion but also many forms of birth control and in vitro fertilization techniques) was totally unecessary didn't seem to faze them (Ms has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation and only one clinic that will even consider providing the prodedure).

The arrogance of their over-reach turned out to be their undoing. Voters just rejected the amendment by a surprizing 55% margin in a reasonably high turnout for an otherwise uninteresting election.

I suppose it's another example of "you can't fool all the people, all the time."

[Guest CharliePS]

Yeah, Mississippi! Of course, the fact that 45% of voters were for this abominable initiative certainly gives one pause.

[MsGuy]

Yeah, Mississippi! Of course, the fact that 45% of voters were for this abominable initiative certainly gives one pause.

LOL, Charlie, down here we don't get all that many chances to celebrate victory over the Southern Baptist Convention, so please try to be understanding of any undue exuberance on my part.

Palm Springs, it ain't.

[Guest CharliePS]

There was a less notable election in Palm Springs yesterday, too. Our gay mayor was re-elected with 70% of the vote against six challengers, and one of our straight city councilpersons, a former police chief, was ousted by a gay art gallery owner. There is now only one openly straight person left on city council; he is also the only Republican. Interestingly, he is the one whose judgment I respect the most.

[Lucky]

At the Gay Pride parade on Sunday, in the area where I was watching, not a single person clapped as the gay mayor passed by.

Palm Springs voters also voted to increase the regressive sales tax.

[lookin]

Congrats, MsGuy! It's always nice to know we're surrounded by folks who aren't quite as goofy as the pundits say they are. Of course, it would be nice if the pundits weren't quite as goofy either.

[TampaYankee]

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a narrow victory for the proposition -- sure of it. The good people restored my faith that there has got to be some limits as to what the people are willing to embrace.

It is hard to get a fair assessment of what is going on in the country these days until election day. The pundits and media are all more interested in pushing activist view points for political purposes or conflict and extreme views and actors for ratings purposes and the polls can be rigged to say what the polster wants to see much of the time. Only when real people vote on concrete issues do I have any faith regarding what they are actually thinking.

I take my hat off to the voters of MS, OH, AZ (and other states that escape me for the moment) that give credence that there is a lot of common sense that still prevails in the country.