The only thing on my ballot that I haven't decided (other than the judges, of which there are 8, and you can vote for....no more than 8...) is video lottery (slots.) The amendment specifies the funds go to education, which was particularly sneaky, given the education budget. I'm not happy with slots as a state revenue source, yet am unopposed to other "vice" taxes such as alcohol and tobacco, which I can't quite reconcile. OK, so authorizing slots is introducing (allowing) a vice industry expressly for the purpose of making money off it. I guess that tastes bad to me. I dunno.

Me too, Kat.

IO sad N, Tony Hillerman died. [link]

Wow. I have heard several (black) people say that electing Obama would just lead to an assassination because people will never let a black man be president, but just... wow.

I think abortion is also sensitive because it only effects half the population. Well, actually only half the population is really involved in teen pregnancy. Palin's son-in-law to be is a rare case. I can list a number of women who's lives were changed by a teenage pregnancy and I can't think of one man . Doesn't mean there aren't any,but I don't think my experience is unusual

Here is a link from no on 4 [link]

It has a number of links to studies including by the American Academy of Peds. Bottom line: most kids do tell either parents or parent surrogates. Those who don't usually have good reason. Notification laws don't increase communication among healthy families, but do have awful health results among those with already bad communication. Incidentally, notification alternate adult usually includes notification of police or social worker who in turn tells parent.

And granted that one is sort of overly ludicrous, but the fact that people are actually thinking it is not so good.

The sad part is, not only am I not surprised, I'm frankly amazed it took this long for a plot to emerge.

Signed,

Has Lived in the South Far Too Freakin' Long

[subtext of: Get Me the Hell Out!]

I can list a number of women who's lives were changed by a teenage pregnancy and I can't think of one man. Doesn't mean there aren't any,but I don't think my experience is unusual

You can list me. I'm the product of an unwed teen pregnancy. If abortion had been legal in 1969, it's entirely possible, even likely, that I never would have existed.

I don't see abortion as just a women's issue, frankly. As Matt points out, we're all the child of some woman who got pregnant.

The issue is certainly fraught and hyperbole in the arguments usually end up going nowhere. You can't really convince hard liners, no matter what so I don't try.

As a parent, I would like to wish that my kids would come to me in that situation. But if it happens and they try to deal with it as adults by themselves, I think I want them able to do it as safely as medically possible without more emotional trauma than they're already coping with.

I wonder about consent issues. I know last year there was a HUGE deal in Florida where a 12 year old was pregnant and Child Protective Services sought an abortion for her. I mean, the argument is that she's not old enough to make the decision for the abortion but were they going to let her try to raise a baby? That was fucked up and beyond the usual, I know but it still points out to how complicated the issue is.

I wish that the parental notification stuff had some kind of age limit on it -- like, if you're 13 and pregnant, you get to decide what to do, even if it's to seek an abortion on your own. But if you're ten and pregnant, it's time for not only the parents but the authorities to get involved.

(Note that pregnant 10yos are pretty damn rare, but they do happen.)

I was talking more about the parenting side. But, glad you are here , Matt!