Election Results

iPod morning commute music: XTC, Skylarking (1986)
XTC is one of those rare bands that formed in the days of punk, shifted into New Wave, and then somehow transformed itself into a pop band influenced more by The Beatles than the Sex Pistols. This album was produced by Todd Rundgren, and while I understand the band members didn't much care for it, the critics and fans did. For the most part a gentle album, with the exception of Dear God, a very bitter song. If you haven't heard XTC before, this is a great place to start.

The election results are in. Since I was focused on Washington State issues, I'll make a few comments on the results. The politically (I guess) correct anti-smoking bill passed, as everyone knew it would. With the exception of my parents and Susan, who posted a comment down below on the issue, everyone I talked to was going to vote against it. Just goes to show you how many people I know. Voter rejected repealing the gas tax, money from which goes to repair roads across the state. A somewhat strange, in my opinion, initiative diverting money from our state sales tax to audit state agencies' budgets passed. I almost voted for it, but in the end did not. Two initiatives about medical malpractice failed, probably for the best...I voted against the one supported by doctors and for the one supported by lawyers, though my first inclination was to vote against them both.

As I'm not a resident of Seattle, I could not vote for or against the monorail proposal, which failed: The issue as I understand it is now dead, but Seattle residents will STILL have to pay for the money spent laying the groundwork for the system which is now rejected. Of course, the stupid thing (as Susan also mentioned somewhere below) is that Seattle now has NO rapid transit plan, leaving it as STILL one of the worst cities in the States for commuting.

On the national level, I don't think anyone should be surprised that Democrats fared better than Republicans in this election. President Bush's approval rating is the lowest it's been, with more and more Americans questioning both his policies and his administration. This was particularly telling, it seems, in Virginia, where the Republican candidate, running behind in polls, had Bush come in at the last moment to campaign for him. Unfortunately for him, there just weren't any coattails for him to hang onto.

Finally, the man who taught me how to help register voters here in Japan, Mark Smith, is now a public figure, so I can use his full name! He has won the Lynnwood (WA)Council Position 2 seat with 61% of the vote! Mark was the Vice Chair in charge of membership and voter registration, Democrats Abroad Japan-Kansai before moving back to the States and taking his involvement up to that next level. Congratulations, Mark! We'll be toasting you at our next meeting.