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The elections were all that was expected.
However, I was especially perturbed to find that campaign workers, like
those in the Clinton administration, seem to throw ethics out the window
around this time.
I don't want to make any reference to any particular race, but what I
have to say goes to all persons hired, or volunteers, working towards
the election or relection of a candiate for public office.
Okay, so maybe I'm a little behind the times. It was quickly pointed
out to me that this goes on during every election, but I especially took
notice this time around because of some surprising results.
Anyhow, I feel it necessary to say something at this time.
First off, I think that people are absurdly in the dark about voting
"straight ticket."
Of course, those who don't understand the concept of voting straight
Democrat, Republican or some other political party are probably the most
unlikely to read this column. Those who are reading this, I hope get the
word out.
If one votes straight ticket, one automatically votes for every
candidate of that political party on the ballot. For example, if you
punched #12 in the first selection, you automatically voted for every
Democratic candidate on the ticket.
What people may not understand, is that this process in turn cancels
out any Republican nominees you may have gone ahead and voted for.
I'm a Democrat, but I don't limit myself to voting straight Democrat
and don't punch anything in that first selection box. I vote for each
race individually.
Now, if there's a race with write-in candidates, such as ours, a vote
for the candidate on the ticket, whether by inidivual punch or straight
punch, is nullified when a write-in is submitted.
My grandmother had a mail-in ballot and after so many years of voting
she didn't understand the process. I explained it to her and how to mail
out her ballot and left her to do this in private.
This is the second thing I want to address. I think it unfortunate that
some campaign workers target the most vulnerable group of the registered
voters.
I understand its become common practice for campaigners to pick up a
mail-in ballot list and visit with these persons at their home and
pretty much coach them on how to vote.
I understand several people fall victim to this sort of practice every
election. I urge family members that have an elderly or disabled
relative that fell victim to this type of tactic report the person that
violated your relatives' right to privacy when voting.
This problem has become so severe that the Secretary of State has opted
to mail out brochures warning people of this sort of thing with the
mail-in ballots. Unfortunately, there are many illiterate voters who
depend on these so-called "friends" to help out with their ballot
submission.
Remember these people have their own agendas that don't necessarily
have the voter's best interest in mind.
Anyhow, I think this is a travesty that must be dealt with severely,
although I understand it hasn't been in the past.
But this is just my opinion.
Mari Maldonado is an Enterprise reporter whose column appears each
Monday.
I am writing this in reference to an incident that occured on Sunday
August 11, 1996. My male Rottweiler was out playing in my front yard and
somehow or another he was let out of the yard and had wondered out to
the back of my home, and was shot and killed, just because he looked
mean. This Rottweiler was a very gentle and loving dog, not just to
family but to anyone who approached him, children as young as l~ year
olds used to play with him and not once harmed them in any way. This man
did not have any injurys at all, but he claims he shot my dog in self
defense. As large as the Rottweiler breed can get, if one trys to attack
there is going to be a scratch of some kind on the person.
This man was in Barstow visiting when he shot the Rottweiler, he told 4
different stories as to how he shot him and none of them add up, we
recovered the dogs body lying on my land and there was not a trace of
blood any where, that has baffled me ever since that day. This
Rottweiler was everything to me and I am very sad and hurt that he lays
dead because of a cold blooded individual that just don't like dogs
period. It's just not fair and people like him must be stopped, the
death of this Rottweiler hurt alot of people he was a very well known
well loved dog and he is missed more than words can say.
There are laws against such acts as this and l do intend to seek
~justice and hope this man has to pay for shooting my dog in vain.
~There's not a place in this town that I can go with out getting
depressed because I think that was one of the last places me and Ace was
at. Its been hard to get used to living without him, after all he was
like a child to me. I never could have children and he was the best
thing to a child I ever had. I am hoping to reach others out there that
may have pets that they love, and warn them of people like this
individual, I would hate to see anyone go through this with their pet.
Believe it or not there are people ~~such as him around.
I found out the hard way, so~ please if you have a pet keep them inside
and watch them faithfully, when they go out, its worth it, trust me!
MJA
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