2012 ballot measures

[The Ex-Factor]

Well I was going to make a unique thread for California's propositions alone because we're special, but since I got beaten to the punch I guess I'll go along with this one At first I thought these props were not as interesting as the high speed rail/same-sex marriage shenanigans of '08, but on closer look a lot of these would have more tangible effects on the California populace:

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_2012_ballot_propositions

Proposition 30: Raises a bunch of taxes to pay for stuff (mostly education). Most notable is raising the income tax for people making over $250,000 for 7 years.

Proposition 31: Establishes a 2-year state budget cycle, makes it harder for the state legislature to spend without offsets, makes it easier for the governor to unilaterally cut the budget.

Proposition 32: Bans corporate/union contributions to politicians. Basically would screw over government unions.

Proposition 33: Looks like it allows car insurance companies to price discriminate against new customers based on their histories of prior insurance coverage, as opposed to right now (they can only offer differing rates for existing customers).

Proposition 34: Repeals the death penalty.

Proposition 35: Stricter laws (i.e. longer prison terms, registration, disclosure, fines, etc..) against human traffickers and sex offenders.

Proposition 36: Revises the infamous "3 strikes law" so that if your 3rd convinction was not violent then it's not an automatic life sentence.

Proposition 37: Title says it all - Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food.

Proposition 38: Increases state income taxes (progressively from 0.4% for $7,316 to 2.2% for $2.5 million) for 12 years and earmarks them for public school districts and early childhood development programs.

Proposition 39: Basically closes loopholes that allow multistate businesses to dodge paying taxes in California. Earmarks this projected $550 million in revenue to fund clean energy jobs.

Proposition 40: Referendum on the California State Senate redistricting plan. A "yes" vote keeps the map intact, a "no" vote overturns it.

[The Ex-Factor]

Reading through Ballotpedia, there appears to be a ton of chicanery surrounding this year's propositions, even more than usual. For example:

Propositions 30, 38, and 39 are all tax increases. Why is the Jerry Brown-backed Proposition 30 first? Polls have shown that when 3 tax increases are on the ballot, they all stand a greater chance of failing. But failing that, the first one stands the best chance of passing. Typically the order of the propositions on the ballot is done in the order in which the signatures were submitted. What is now Prop 38 was submitted before Prop 30. However Jerry Brown signed a bill in June that changes this rule to one in which constitutional amendments (aka Prop 30) appear first on the ballot before any proposed state statues (aka Props 38 & 39).

Speaking of Proposition 39, the California State Senate is on the verge of passing a bill very similar to it. If that happens then Prop 39 becomes pointless.

And speaking of pointless ballot measures, Prop 40 was vigorously sponsored by the California Republican Party, until they decided that the map wasn't so unfavorable for them anymore. Hence they dropped their opposition to the map, but it's too late to get the proposition removed from the ballot so....yeah. Yet another example of California Republican fail.