CVF-NEWS

A "Proposition Poem" for the May 19 election

May 08, 2009

Hi Folks,

As longtime CVF-NEWS subscribers know, from time to time my friends and I create a "Proposition Song" to help get voters acquainted with the propositions on the California ballot (see this 2006 video as an example).

For the May 19th election, I wrote new lyrics to an old tune, "San Francisco Bay Blues", composed by Jesse Fuller. Unfortunately the song is still copyrighted and the copyright owners would not give me permission to release the song we recorded, even though it is nonpartisan and noncommercial. Thus, I can only share the sung version on a strictly private basis.

So, I instead present a bit different of an offering this time, a "Proposition Poem". If you are familiar with "San Francisco Bay Blues" you can of course still sing along! (see this Youtube video of Jesse Fuller, a "one-man band" performing it in 1968). The poem is below and also featured in CVF's special election California Online Voter Guide.

Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

-- Kim Alexander

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A Proposition Poem
May 19th 2009 California Special Election

By Kim Alexander, President & Founder, California Voter Foundation

I was down at my polling place just the other day
For some crazy reason they opened it up in May
Well what’s this all about? It’s how they got the budget out
A deal was cut, the people said “what?”
Oh, the state’s in a fiscal rut

May 19th is the special election day
On six propositions, voters will have their say
Props One-A through One-F, try to fix the budget mess
Take some money from here, shift it over there
Might help get the budget somewhere

The first proposition is Prop One-A
It’s s’posed to help the state save money for a “rainy day”
Those new taxes that just passed? They won’t go away so fast
The next few ones change some propositions
Come along, let’s have some fun!

One-B tweaks Prop. 98 funding rules
That’s money voters set aside to help out schools
The next one’s Prop. One-C, it affects the state lottery
A few years back we passed a cigarette tax
One-D changes how that money gets spent

Looking over my ballot guide,
Wondering which way to vote
This state I’m so crazy ‘bout
She’s pretty much done near broke
Think I’ll go online and talk it over with my friends
There’s a whole lot more at Calvoter-dot-org
Just two more props, we’re near the end

One-E shifts around mental health monies
One-F’s the last, ‘bout lawmaker salaries
A raise they will not get, if the budget’s in deficit
Those are the props for the next Election Day
Be sure to vote on the 19th of May
If you live in the state of California!

- - - - - -

Kim Alexander, President & Founder
California Voter Foundation
kimalex@calvoter.org
916-441-2494

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This page was first published on May 8, 2009 | Last updated on May 9, 2009
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