Brian Loves You

November 7th is coming up too quickly! If you’ve been busy or for some other reason you weren’t able to register in time(car wreck?), like me, a lot of states allow for registration at the polls. I know Idaho does, so bring proof of residence, say your license, and a utility bill with your resident address.

I checked out a few websites, including votesmart, only to find that Idaho’s senate seat is going unchallenged and there is only one other candidate running for a house seat.

I find this to be ridiculous. The truth to the matter is a lot of Idaho voters I know, or that I talk to will vote a republican ticket only and leave the polling booth. When I voted last in Utah on a punch card ballot, it was pretty easy to vote a “your party only” ticket.

This isn’t what democracy is about, it’s about having the best of the best challenging each other for the position. I want to see 10 people running. I want well renowned local businessmen and professors challenging each other for that senate seat. I want lawyers, doctors, farmers, and young adults running.
A Ben Franklin quote comes to mind: “Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on the dinner menu. Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.”

You, and I as voters need to promote more candidates, talk about them often, encourage voting, and run for offices. Sure, I don’t think I’d ever get the conservative vote in Idaho, but boy would it cause some controversy when I did run. Maybe I could cause enough controversy for free air-time on the local TV stations.

Here, I’ll start with promoting candidates…I’m not a declared democrat, so don’t comment and scream “You’re just a PROGRESSIVE WITCH”… It’s just that these running candidates are the only running candidates that share common views with me.

Bill’s:

House Resolution 1 (H0001): YES, I promote this bill.  The bill is very clear and concise, it’s allocates funding to our schools directly, and your property tax won’t go up!  Maybe this will decrease your local towns Levy’s as well?  Hey, schools need funded somehow and if the state and counties can’t do it from taxing your works paychecks we have two options, question where those taxes are going and improve the state/local budgets, or find another avenue.

Amends, repeals and adds to existing law to enact
the "Property Tax Relief Act of 2006"; to revise school funding; to remove
the maintenance and operation levy for school funding; to increase the
sales and use tax to six percent; to appropriate an additional $250,645,700
to the Educational Support Program/Division of Operations; to provide for a
transfer of funds to the Public Education Stabilization Fund

House Joint Resolution No. 2 (HJR002): AGAINST. I can’t believe the state of idaho wasted 50k just to get this item on the ballot (read to the bottom if you have a minute)

MARRIAGE - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Idaho
to provide that a marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic
legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.

So candidates I endorse:

Idaho:

Senate: Write-in, Brian J. McManus
You could choose to vote for Charles H. Coiner, or not place a vote, or write me in! Maybe in two or four years i’ll challenge an officials election just to do so. I’ll run for the senate in 2010! Start your campaign donations now!
House: Jim Hansen (D) (District 2)

Governor: I don’t endorse any of the candidates nor do I have a write-in. Suggestions? :)

Utah:

Senate: Pete Ashdown (D)

Resources:

Candidate information links:

• Idaho Statesman’s Candidate Guide
• Spokesman-Review’s Candidate Guide
• Project Vote Smart (Any state)