We got our Official Voter Information Guide this week from the lovely, although dramatically troubled, California. This 79 page document describes, among other things, five propositions up for voter approval. I love America. I love the freedoms we have. I love democracy, but it scares me that I can't understand what the effects of certain laws will be! If I can't understand them, then I assume that there are hundreds of thousands of voters like me who can't understand them either. So, we have a whole bunch of voters voting on matters that they don't fully understand.
That's kind of scary.
Take Proposition 17, for example (page 9 of the "Quick Reference Guide"). The proposition is about allowing insurance companies to increase or decrease "cost of insurance depending on whether driver has a history of continuous insurance coverage." Pros? If you're a driver who has continuous auto insurance even while switching insurance companies, you could save up to $250. Cons? Apparently, Mercury Insurance is paying millions to back this proposal, which could allow them to possibly raise premiums on good drivers, leading to more uninsured drivers. These pros and cons are straight out of the "Quick Reference Guide." Who's right? Who's wrong? Is it better for the populace to have or not have this bill? What will be the ultimate effect on car insurance premiums, on accidents, on gas prices?
Democracy - you get what you ask for. If you don't know what you ask for, you don't know what you get.
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Hey John! Nice blog. I totally agree with you on how confusing politics can be. That's why I have Dave to help me sort through things! He always has an opinion about those sorts of things.
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