Uniquely Californian

California pioneered the proposition system, and I've realized that you can tell lots about CA by looking at how it voted. Here's a rundown of this year's propositions.

Proposition - 1A Transportation Funding Protection
Yes 76.58
No 23.42

Proposition - 1B Highway Safety ($20B bond issue)
Yes 61.22
No 38.78

Proposition - 1C Housing and Emergency Shelter ($3B bond issue)
Yes 57.47
No 42.53

Proposition - 1D Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities ($10B bond issue)
Yes 56.51
No 43.49

Proposition - 1E Levee Repairs
Yes 63.95
No 36.05

Proposition - 83 Sex Offenders
Yes 70.49
No 29.51

Proposition - 84 Parks and Water
Yes 53.75
No 46.25

Proposition - 85 Notify Parent Before Abortion
No 54.10
Yes 45.90

Proposition - 86 $2.60/pack Cigarette Tax
No 52.09
Yes 47.91

Proposition - 87 Alternative Energy ($4B program)
No 54.63
Yes 45.37

Proposition - 88 Education Funding ($50/house tax)
No 76.87
Yes 23.13

Proposition - 89 Campaign Financing
No 74.44
Yes 25.56

Proposition - 90 Bar Eminent Domain
No 52.47
Yes 47.53

Lots of people compare California to New York, but looking at these results, one can see that CA is a lot more libertarian and less liberal (in the traditional sense). There's quite a big proportion of anti-big government types (look at the 30% who voted against increased punishments for sex offenders and 52% who voted against a cigarette sales tax). Exception to its aversion to taxes: to improve the roads (since CA drives so much) and to protect the environment.

And in other news, the Governator handily won reelection.