First time voter here...

[Mollis]

I'll be 18 next week.
I registered Independent. I would have registered Democratic, but my dad would have a shit fit.

But, for the main point of my message, I am ashamed of a lot of the people where I live. Northern California.
All I see are "Yes on 8" signs and people talking about how "queers shouldn't get married" for reasons like "they will teach our kids to be gay is schools" and "our mormon churches will shut down because of it."
It's such bull, and I wish I lived somewhere where people were not so ignorant.
They have no logical reason of wanting a yes on 8. They just don't want change.
Good thing though, most first time voters I know are voting no on 8. I hope there are enough of us.

[mikelgb]

1. Please consider passing this link around:

http://www.cafepress.com/noonh8



Congrats on being a first time voter and thank you for NOT supporting prop h8.

[Mollis]

4. Oh, yes

I have been spreading around lots of "No on 8" talk. I will get 10 bumper stickers in the mail in a few days to put on my car, binder, pass around to friends, etc.

[roguevalley]

38. Enjoy voting. its one of the best things I get to do. Congrats, hon.

[wryter2000]

2. Welcome to DU

Doesn't matter how you're registered for a general election. You can still vote the right way. And you're 100% correct about Prop 8. I wish I could have marked "Hell, no!" on my ballot.

[Mollis]

6. lol

Know what you mean about the "HELL NO" part.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. Very cool. I used to live in Fall River Mills. So I know what you mean.

[YOY]

5. Mormon churches whill be closed down???

How exactly would No on Prop 8 in California make that happen???

[Mollis]

9. My point exactly

These mormon girls I know that are...16 maybe?...they keep telling me their churches will close down. They have no idea what they are talking about...only spewing what their...pastors, or whatever...are feeding them.

[YOY]

14. I pity them.

To a point.

[Mollis]

18. I did.

But I have heard enough of their talk. Don't think I can anymore.

[Jed Dilligan]

36. Their persecution fantasy is that the government will "come after them"

for refusing to perform gay marriages. Which is ridiculous, because any church can marry or not marry a couple at its own discretion, last time I checked.

[Kerrytravelers]

7. Welcome to DU and contratulations on your first vote. And it gets to be for Obama! Yipeeee!!!!!

:bounce:

I understand how you feel in regards to Prop 8. I, too, live in California. I am happy that the polls are swinging our way, but we can't be complacent. We all have to vote! vote! vote!

:patriot:

[Robbien]

8. Happy birthday. A great year to turn legal

Welcome to DU Mollis. Here's hoping your hopes are granted.

[Mollis]

11. Thanks :)

I hope so, too.

[NightWatcher]

10. Welcome to DU, Thanks for the vote, and Congrats on the B-day. I think I covered everything

[Idealism]

12. I too will be a first time voter

Looking forward to it greatly, but am a bit concerned about the voter suppresion tactics and purging I keep hearing of :/

[Robbien]

13. Congrats to you also. And welcome to DU halo

Vote early and get everyone you know to vote early. It is the best defense we have right now for voter suppression.

This election hopefully will be better than the last.

[Mollis]

15. I wish I could vote early

but I don't think my stupid town will unelss it's absentee

[Robbien]

37. Califinoria has early voting, check with

your county elections office to find out where you can early vote
link for California county offices

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_d.htm

[Idealism]

17. Thanks for the welcomes

And I have been urging everyone to get out and vote early here, but in the godless county I live in (Palm Beach, Florida) you never know if your vote will get counted or not :(

Be that as it may I'm going to the polls 8am Nov. 4th and skipping school if I have to, and demanding extra credit from my teachers for it aswell. Talk about gaming the system lol

[Mollis]

19. I don't have school that day

luckily. So I will just swing by before work. My boss won't care too much if I am a little late. lol

[Betsy Ross]

16. Welcome to DU

Great to have more young folks here.

Having lived in Chico for a few years, I came across many of the folks you speak of. But I have been fortunate enough to live in the SF Bay Area for the last 30 years where the population is diverse and more accepting of others. Let's hope that you will soon be able to relocate to a place where you will feel more comfortable.

[Mollis]

21. Thank

I hope so, too.
Pretty much everyone my age does not wish to stay here, and will most likely leave asap

[napi21]

20. Don't be discouraged. There are pockets of people all over the

world who are absolutely against any kind of change. Lord know I know! I'm part of the older generation, and I'm all FOR change, but I live in Ga. and I'm surrounded by people of every generation who won't budge from their old ideas.

My husband & I already voted for Barack and all the other Dems on the ballot. PLEASE, make sure you & all your friends VOTE! We can destroy those old ideas, but we have to do it together!

[bigtree]

22. I registered Independent at first to support Anderson over Carter

Anderson promised legalization. Poor choice though, as I found I couldn't vote in the primary in my state as an Independent. I changed as soon as I was able.

[Mollis]

23. Ya...

I figured that if during the next couple elections there is someone I need to vote for in a party, I can always switch for primaries.

[Lugnut]

24. Happy birthday!

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[lynettebro440]

25. Happy Birthday

and fight hard for your beliefs.

[dixiegrrrrl]

26. Well, come on in and sit down, put your feet up.

and Welcome.:hi:

Parents can be so unreasonable, can't they?


Congratulations on your first vote in a few weeks.

[Mollis]

27. Very unreasonable

I think I might have to actually lie to my dad and tell him I voted for McCain, just so he doesn't flip out.

He is very one sided on EVERYTHING

[dixiegrrrrl]

29. as the saying goes..

Never try to teach a pig to sing.
It don't work and it annoys the pig.

[VP505]

32. Naw, you don't have to lie

to your Father, just remind him that your entitled to vote privacy, you voted and he can just wonder how you voted and let it go at that.

[Mollis]

34. At first I'm going to try

to tell him over and over again that it's my privacy, I'm 18 now, etc etc. But...it probably won't work for him.
Not like if I DID vote for McCain like he wants...wouldn't help him here in Cali. At all.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

28. What does your father's view point have to do with how you register?

There are things about your life he does not need to know about. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you'll feel comfortable with your own values.

[Mollis]

33. Oh, I'm comfortable with my values.

I tell everyone what I think about the props and the candidates. Even if they don't care. haha

My dad is just...my dad. You would have to know him to understand.

[tjwash]

30. First thing...

...PLEASE look at ALL the propositions and initiatives. Break them all down, and be informed of them. Know what they ALL stand for, and make a very concise decision on each and every one. Please don't be a single issue voter. I know that it is real tempting to register and get out there voting just because of a single issue, or a single candidate; but unfortunately that tends to do more harm than good at times. Rule of thumb...if you are unsure of what a prop or a measure does you can always do less harm by voting "no." You can also abstain from voting on one at all if you wish.

Second thing, your dad will not be in the booth with you when you cast your ballot. From what it sounds like, he's also going to try and intimidate you into voting for stuff that you don't necessarily want to vote for. Just lie to him if he pressures you and demands to know how you voted. It'll keep him happy, and off your back, and your vote will stand for what YOU want it ti stand for. He can't stand over your shoulder and watch what you do.

Third thing, if you have any questions about issues in California regarding the upcoming election, we happen to have an EXCELLENT California forum here at DU. Make use of it...it's an awesome resource.

Oh...and welcome!

[Mollis]

31. thanks....lol

and I have looked up every proposition and read the pros and the cons and fiscal impact. Pretty much everything I could read except the actual text, because we all know those things make so sense.

I have even given the basics to my friend who is registered Democrat. He was confused about prop 8...how it's "vote no if you are for it." I like to think I have helped a bit..lol

[tjwash]

35. Yes overturns...no keeps it as it is currently.

Make sure you do your homework on 7, 10, and 11 as well.

My humble opinion on 10 and 11:

Prop 10 sounds good in 30 second commercial bites, but studying it in any detail makes one gag.Don't drink the T-Boone Pickens kool-aid on that one. That bill gives him 200 million dollars so he can corner the natural gas market, and price gouge us all later as he sees fit. It's essentially a special interest give-away to the natural gas industry that promises no environmental benefits, and really has no clear cut plan on getting us off of fossil fuels...hell we already end up importing about 15 percent of our natural gas from the very same foreign sources that he rails about in the context of oil. This will make it necessary to bump up the amount of NG imports if it passes and gets implemented, and we all know how THAT's working for us already.--voting no on it.

The first clue you get about Prop 11, is that the state GOP is funneling HUGE amounts of money to get this pushed through and passed. It creates redistricting boards that are composed of 5 DEM, 5 Rebub, and 4 Ind. It flat out logistically ignores the political breakdowns of the individual districts, and gives equal standing to the GOP even though they are nowhere near what would be represented. voting no onit