I understand, even though I’m not a politico per se, that this is one heck of a contentious political season. For the most part, candidates are hurling nasty insults at each other rather than saying what good they will do for the country. This causes me to question whether or not they actually have any plans on how to better America. On the Presidential level at least voters can reference the previous four years of Trump’s performance to determine if that is the direction they want the country to continue going in.

While I understand the passion that many people have regarding the candidates, it has been discouraging (to say the least) to learn of the vandalism directed at homes displaying political lawn signs. I was corresponding with one local reader this week who said her lawn signs have been defaced but, due to possible violence and retaliation, she didn’t want to send in a letter to the editor with her signature to bring the matter to the attention of the public.
Are we at a point where civilized people have to hide in fear to avoid brutality commonly associated with Nazi Germany? I’m not talking just about the defacing of the signs; if you remember, in 2008 there was similar fighting regarding Proposition 8, the elimination of rights of same-sex couples to marry. I was working at the Crescenta Valley Sun at the time and remember how heated things got surrounding this particular proposition though I don’t remember readers being fearful, but mainly annoyed.

But, with the advent and popularity of social media, the darker side of people often bubbles to the surface with little to no consequence for their words … and what those words can incite. Though I pray for a calmness to blanket our nation, the truth is that I’m doing a bit of hunkering down myself.

As far as the propositions, I have to sit down and study my ballot though at this point my mind is pretty well made up that I’m voting yes on Prop 22. This is the one that exempts app-based transportation and delivery companies from having to hire drivers as employees and allows these workers to continue as independent contractors. To me, these people determine when they want to work, for how long they want to work and even if they want to work … they pretty much dictate everything surrounding these jobs.

The proposition came about in response to AB5 and it is my hope that, if passed, Prop 22 will be the beginning of the chipping away of the limitations applied to other types of industries. Aside from a couple of our longtime writers, CV Weekly has, over the years, been able to provide writing opportunities for budding journalists – something we wouldn’t be able to do under AB5 since all would have to be brought on as employees and, for us, it’s just not cost-effective. Thankfully, AB2257 was signed on Sept. 4 by Gov. Newsom and freelance journalists are now exempt from the restrictions of AB 5.

Prop 22 is just one of many decisions that will be made by voters on Nov. 3 – if they get out and vote. This year there are so many ways to submit ballots but, in the end, it’s up to the voter. So make sure to fill out the ballot and get it submitted.

Robin Goldsworthy is the publisher of the Crescenta
Valley Weekly. She can be
reached at robin@cvweekly.com
or (818) 248-2740.