Yesterday I did the week-before-election stuff, like calling my workers. Agnes has changed to an unlisted number, so I'd planned to drop her a note. However, she called today. It took her 4 or 5 tries to get past the answering machine, but eventually she got through. Agnes complained about the answering machine, but I didn't change MY number, now, did I? She wanted to suggest we wear warm clothes, since the gym gets a bit icy. Ora, my other one, is experienced, knows how to do it. (I thought she was one I called in the spring, but she didn't answer.) I also stopped by the school to check it out, and I asked if they can please ask the teachers to park elsewhere. Otherwise, people will cruise through the lot once and decide not to vote. There's a funding measure for the schools on the ballot, they really really want people to vote. (There are more than one, but the local one is the one they really want.) The principal was quite willing to cooperate.

Politically Incorrect games and and Alan Bock column. And, just to be consistent, see the latest Clinton assault on the Constitution.

Clinton said a couple of weeks ago that this election shouldn't be a referendum on his troubles. Now, if he were as popular as the polls claim, would he say that? Gore says it should be one. I'm going to believe Gore over the Liar and treat it like one. And I get to vote for two of the people who could make a difference!

Actually, three, if you count the Governor's race. Both major party candidates are mediocre. You'd think, with this many people in the state, we could do better than Gray Davis, who was governor Moonbeam's chief of staff, and Gray is a fitting name, too. It's hard to tell what he believes, except that Clinton is a wonderful President. Lundgren, the Reep, isn't much of an improvement. He, as Attorney General, doesn't enforce laws he doesn't like, and didn't, for instance, point out to the Feds that the 10th Amendment is still in effect. Normally I would ignore these two, and vote Libertarian, but this year, as noted, is different, and I'll have to hold my nose and vote for Lundgren. (And Pagan was complaining about Howard Stern! Trust me, I'd prefer him.)

I think the Democrat, Cruz Bustamonte, will be Lt. Governor. (The Republican candidate didn't manage to unseat Vic Fazio the last two tries, though it was close.) Or perhaps not, if Davis becomes Governor. Californians tend to cross parties between the Gov and the Lt Gov, which works pretty well. This is one I'm going for the Libertarian on.

Bill Jones, the Republican Secretary of State, is doing a fine job, in my opinion. I also think it's a safe seat, so I'm voting for the Libertarian.

For Controller, again, the Democrat Incumbent is fine and will likely be re-elected. Again, Libertarian.

Now, the Democratic contender for Treasurer is a Liberal tax-and-spend Clintonian, so I'll be voting for the Republican.

Attorney General will doubtless go to the Democrat (I'm going on name recognition here) but I'm voting Libertarian there. Besides, I think this is the third guy who came here to ask for my signature to get him on the ballot.

Quackenbush homme will doubtless hold onto Insurance Commissioner. It's another chance for me to vote along party lines.

State Board of Equalization, I'm going for the Republican, not that it matters.

This is a bumpersticker I saw. The Senate race is a lot easier for me. I've mentioned before Boxer's continuing hypocrisy about sexual harrassment. I haven't liked her since she was kiting checks in the Congress, and I don't think her morals have improved any. She's been doing a negative campaign. Her campaign manager says "she's a 4'11" grandmother, how divisive can she be?" The answer is, very. Another tax-and-spend Democrat, and I will vote for Fong happily in hopes.
It was nice to see, by the way, that there were close to 400 anti-Clinton protestors at his Boxer appearance in San Francisco yesterday. These only get local press, but I assume the same is true across the country, just not reported. (And the WOMEN, the soccer-Mom age, were the ones who were interviewed!)

Then we have the Vic Fazio seat. I have voted against him since I moved here, and we almost got him in '94. (He authored and pushed through the Congressional 40% (FORTY percent!) pay raise. The RAISE was more than most of the people in the district made annually.) I got a Fazio-recording just before we went to the Candidate's forum asking us to vote for Sandie Dunn. They know this is probably a lost cause, as the district has become Republican in the past few years. Besides, Dunn says "nu-cu-lar". Ouch. And here she's an alumna of University of Wyoming. She should know better, both on how to pronounce "nuclear" and as a Democrat. (She used to work for our Republican Senator with the great name, Malcolm Wallop.) Once more, counting it as a referendum, the Republican gets my vote, with apologies to my Libertarian friend.

I have more opinions, to everyone's stunned surprise, but they'll wait till another time.