While politics are not your typical rosalicious fare, I do take a surpising stance on 2 controversial ballot measures up for vote here in Colorado in November.
Essentially, Referenda C & D allow the state of Colorado to keep more of our tax money, specifically for use in the areas of higher education, health care, and transportation. C & D lift spending limits on TABOR (the TAxpayer's Bill of Rights)that previously put a cap on big government spending.
Sounds like something I'd be totally down with, right?
I'm thinking of voting against it.
Make no mistake: I am a self-proclaimed left-wing liberal through and through. I definitely lean in a socialist direction and truly believe that healthcare and education should be thoroughly funded by government. I would also never mind paying more in taxes just so these services could be made available to
everyone.Ok, so you're probably wondering (if you haven't stopped reading this post yet)...
why the big NO vote on C & D?Well, besides the fact that I have to see Gov'r Bill Owens' shiny, schmarmy mug on every
PRO C & D ad, I am apt to see these measures as a big ol' waste of our money. In fact, Colorado has continually been wasting our money- hence, the big "budget crisis" and the call for taxpayers to pony up more money.
(Now if
that didn't sound Republican! SHUDDER!)
Let it be known again that I, personally, have no beef with getting shorted on my tax return for the next 5 years. Hell, I hardly ever get any state refund anyway. And as I've already mentioned, I am more than happy to fund healthcare, and education especially, with my tax money.
No, my problems with these measures boil down to the fact that our government has up until now had its priorities all wrong. Wasteful spending has found the government in this position, and now they're appealing to us liberals to help bail them out. All of the sudden there's no money to pave roads and keep college tuition from going through the roof? Well, they should have thought of that while they were spending $572 on an oil change! (See the
Independence Institute website for references)
Further, how can we be sure that the government isn't going to take existing funds from healthcare and education, apply them elsewhere, and replace those funds with C & D revenue? That would leave those areas as underfunded as before!
And from my perspective working in the development office at a Univeristy, tuition rates are going up whether C & D pass or not. The state of education in Colorado is in shambles right now. The amount of money C & D will funnel into higher ed really isn't going to amount to a hell of a lot.
The scare tactics being used to promote C & D are meant to appeal to people exactly like me, people who believe in the importance of education, public transportation, and government subsidized healthcare. A liberal. A hippie-tree hugging liberal.
Admittedly, I have a basic distrust in government right now, and rightfully so (look at who's running the show in this country). I feel like we're always being told one thing, with the exact opposite being done. That's the same with C & D: the government wants to make up for its irresponsible spending with OUR money. But will they? Will we truly see improvements should C & D pass? I am prone to think not.
What some are some other solutions, you ask the conservative in liberal's clothing? How about lobbying the f'ing HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY for more affordable services?! How about promoting public transportation so more people use it, lessening the need for more road repair? How about simply SPENDING LESS ON POINTLESS SHIT AND USING THAT MONEY WHERE WE NEED IT MOST?
Politics, man, politics.
Herein lies my motto-
C & D: I ain't buying it.But I would feel like a traitor if I
didn't vote for it.
What's a girl to do?
