Ballot Propositions Loaded with Misinformation, Distortions, Half Truths

By John Jay

Everyone out there in voter land needs to be extremely careful when deciding how to vote on any ballot proposition. If you vote based on the TV ads, you are dangerous to yourself and everyone else. Don’t vote on any proposition.   The TV ads are loaded with outright lies, misinformation, distortions, and half-truths. Ads with none of the foregoing are as scare as hens teeth! Statements that are not given under oath and penalty of perjury are nearly worthless!

Read the actual propositions, and the full text (if possible). The full text of the propositions is hard as hell to understand, because they were written by people who were carefully trained how to mislead people, using weasel words and legalistic babel that only they can understand: Attorneys.  I studied to be a paralegal for 2 years at Oxnard College and received my Paralegal (Legal Assisting) degree in 1987. I used my knowledge to represent some of my black friends at Point Mugu who needed help with their EEO complaints. I also represented myself in federal court (for one year), superior court, state appeals court, and small claims court. So, I know a little bit about the law and legal buzz words.  What I do not know, I look up in my enormous Black’s Law Dictionary.  Based on all of this knowledge and experience, I still have a damned tough time understanding a lot of what I am reading.

Conclusion: Ignore the TV ads, since there is little truth in any of them, either pro or con.   Try to read the propositions, the analysts summaries and the fiscal impact for each one. If you still do not understand the proposition, vote “no” or leave the space blank. Too many people voting in ignorance can drastically weaken our already feeble democracy.