It's a Thrilling Day

I live in California, where citizens like being governed by movie actors. Today is Election Day, and we’re stretching our wings a little. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes the Terminator of his own term in office today, and voters will replace him with one of two thrilling choices:

1) an aging former governor famous for being the boyfriend of an aging pop star, OR
2) the lady head honcho of eBay who has bid $120 bazillion dollars from her piggy bank to buy the governorship and who has never been inspired to cast a vote in her whole life.

It’s going to be an interesting day, and not just because of the duel between the old boyfriend of singer Linda Ronstadt and the voting virgin who wants to put California on eBay.

California voters also decide today whether or not to create a boatload of new tax revenue—money our impoverished state could really use—by legalizing marijuana “for personal use.” Pot would be legal just like alcohol. People older than 21 could grow it, possess it, and sell it in individual quantities (however much that might be), and the state would tax the transactions.

That would be a remarkable move by the state of California, because growing, smoking, and selling dope still would be illegal in United States of America. The local cops wouldn’t bust Uncle Bobby or Grandma G, but the FBI could raid the house, haul everyone off to jail, and give poor Grandma an icky room in Sing-Sing prison.

So today is one of those wonderful days when something surprising might happen. I must toddle off now to the voting booths. Tune in later for the much-anticipated results.