These ballot questions also merit your attention on Nov. 8

Oct. 20, 2016 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

Reminder Publications file photo

If you’ve been dedicating all of your political attention to just the presidential campaign then you are missing the ballot questions that will affect us in Massachusetts.

There are four statewide questions that if enacted will have a substantial impact on us – well, three questions that could actually make a difference.

The first one is the least important as it would establish another slots parlor in the Commonwealth, only this one would specifically be located next to the Suffolk Downs racetrack. No elected officials from the governor on down seems to be in favor of it and the question seems better suited to be something for just the town of Revere.

Question 2 about the expansion of the cap on chart schools is definitely the issue that is receiving the greatest attention, thanks to an impressive television ad campaign urging people to vote in favor of the measure.

That ad campaign in favor of the expansion has been met by one from the opponents of more charter schools.

Ultimately, the issue seems to boil down around the concept that public schools are bad and charter schools – which may get their funding from public sources, but only have to answer to a board of trustees and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – are good.

That’s a tad simplistic, isn’t it?

Naturally the reality isn’t as cut and dried as that, but the arguments hover around the issue to school choice. It may be fair to say the biggest proponents of charter school are right of center in political thought. So is this another ideological question in a political year fraught with such issues or is this a question about the quality of education and how to have better schools? You, the voter, will decide.

Question 3 calls for a ban of certain practices with the production of eggs, pork and veal in making conditions for those animals more humane. I’m all for the humane treatment of farms animals having been a farm boy myself, but this question is a bit odd to me.

The measure calls for cage-free egg production and would prevent pigs and calves to be housed in small confined areas. It would also prohibit the sale of eggs, pork and veal produced in that way.

The part about this question that is a little strange is that right now Massachusetts is not a recognized pork and veal producer, and there is only one caged hen egg farm in the state.

We’re not Iowa or Nebraska. We don’t produce any large quantities of pork or veal. So why this question here and now?

The other side of the question is, if approved, pork, veal and eggs produced outside of the provisions of the law could not be sold here.  It would seem the proponents of the bill understand it would be difficult to convince voters in a pork-producing states to approve it, but easier to have another state ban the sale of the products as an indirect way to affect change.

The question that I thought would ignite people has barely produced a spark. Question 4 is about the legalization of recreational marijuana.

I think legalization is inevitable. There has been decriminalization of marijuana here, followed by the legalization of medical marijuana.

Let’s face it: does anyone really care about smoking grass any more? I see it – and smell it – a great deal.

It’s not like when I was a beardless lad and people could be arrested for being in the presence of marijuana. You didn’t have to smoke it to go to jail; you just had to be around someone who was smoking it.

The real issue is whether or not the state will have the legal infrastructure to effectively deal with it. Look at the slow and sorry mess surrounding medical marijuana. I just don’t want to repeat it.

Do your homework and be sure to vote on the ballot questions.

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