Still alive...

Low-ish energy, but there are some hopeful signs.

I'm here, trying to read (trying to catch up!) and trying to respond as I can.

Life has been interestingly busy in some ways - I've been fascinated by an idea and playing with it far more than is my usual wont (which, alas, too often becomes a "won't"). It's not a big idea, or an important idea, but playing with something, and wanting to see how it works out, is a big deal.

I hope life is treating you all well... and hoping for rapid turnarounds for those for whom life *isn't* treating them well.

I voted today...

I don't like most election days, because I know so little about what's going on. But this is one where they had a lot of initiatives, and I knew exactly how to vote on them.

There's a really noxious idea out there, that the state legislature should not be responsible leaders who make difficult decisions, and that anything unpleasant and unpopular should be subject to a popular vote. Like taxes. Because, you know, when tax rates are fair, everyone is happy and overjoyed to pay them, and the only possible reason people could hate having to hand over some of their hard-earned is that taxes are TOO HIGH...
...said no competent historian, or, heck any competent, informed, adult human being, ever.

This really upsets me. People want to set a very high bar for tax increases (not reductions, of course - so if taxes were cut a wee bit more than was wise, you couldn't correct the issue easily). But grown ups can and should recognize that good governance requires resources - money included - and recognize that putting hard choices to a popular vote is often a very bad idea, since not everyone has the information and skills to make a good choice. The legislature might also lack information and skills - but at least you can vote them out of office!

So, I vote against any and all initiatives that try to set a high bar for increasing taxes, or that demand repeal of taxes (unless they seem grievously unfair - "mildly unfair" isn't enough, but "definitely unfair" might move me).

I also voted against Zack Hudgins, because his campaign made *so many* annoying robocalls that there was no chance I could fail to remember his name. Sorry Zack, you might be a great guy and might be a fine candidate. If you'd knocked on my door, and shook my hand - old fashioned canvassing, hard work but also very memorable - I would gladly have forgiven the robocalls, that shows real dedication, but robocalls take nothing but money... AND THE TIME AND RESOURCES OF UNWILLING PARTICIPANTS, i.e., THE RECIPIENTS OF THOSE CALLS.

And yes, I know - even if I'm on the Federal Do Not Call list, it's not a crime for a political campaign to call me. But geez... I wonder if maybe I put my number there so I wouldn't be annoyed by random strangers, for their own purposes, regardless of whether those purposes are of interest to me?

I got other robocalls, but they didn't call, again, and *again*. So I didn't remember who they were.