Following The Call

This weekend, we Swiss are called to the ballot box. A few weeks ago, I received the paperwork for the occasion. It weighted 230 g (0.5 lb). This is a lot, I've to make up my mind on: 5 federal, 5 state and 4 local bills and 2 sets of judges for courts. One of which is the rent court. I was not aware that there is a dedicated court to settle quarrels between landlords and tenants. Whatever, here is the stuff, I'm dealing with:

The Federal Ballots

1. Exempt from the statute of limitations for pornographic acts against children
   Well, if you read this, you have to say yes. Nevertheless, their is even a statue of limitation for murder (30 year), and its reason is to force police and prosecution to get the job done. Government and parliament made a deal to prevent this (shoddily worded) initiative from passing by setting the statue of limitation to the end of the victims' 33rd year of age.
2. For a flexible age of retirement
   Basically this means that the age of retirement is reduced across-the-board to 62. This is bloody expensive and has to be paid by the ones remaining at the coal face. There are jobs which you should not do until your on your last legs. However, those are the jobs, this initiative is aiming at. I'm oscillation between wallet and social equity.
   
3. Abolition of the right for syndicates to raise objections
   The supporters claim that this right restricts progress and prosperity. Well, you can't eat concrete, can you?
4. For a reasonable hemp politic
   I wasted my youth picking tobacco. Hemp is much easier to harvest. To make the life of Swiss farm boys a bit easier, we should allow our farmers to grow ganja.
5. Narcotic Law
   This would allow the authorities to keep giving clean drugs to heavy addicts. This heavily reduced petty crimes (I had got 3 bikes stolen when this was not yet possible). For me this works perfectly well. Addiction is part of men. The challenge is to deal with it that as little damage as possible is caused by it.

The State Ballots

1. Harmos Contract
   If you say yes, you make toddlers cry - at least if you believe the opponents' propaganda. Although a tiny plot, Switzerland is an extremely federalist country. We have about two dozen different school systems. Something like a lowest common denominator (Harmos is nothing more) could ease things a bit.
   
2. Dog Law
   This has even two further options:
   
   • attack dogs have to be registered
   • attack dogs are illegal
   I'm a cat person. I don't care for dogs.
3. Distribution of Drugs
   Should it be allowed for doctors in the cities to hand out drugs to their patients of should they drag themselves limping and coughing to a pharmacy to get mother's little helper? It seems to me, we have decided on this already a dozen times. But it comes back and back again. If you look at the propaganda, this is the most important subject on the ballot - or the one with the most money to make of it.
4. Tram (street car) Extention to the Zoo
   Is it really too much to walk 570 m with your children to see some exotic animals? I thought it's about quality time. A walk might help and is healthy too.
   
5. Gold Initiative
   Should the money received from the profits of the federal bank be used to pay current expensive or has it to be used to reduce debt. Neocon bollocks! Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
   

The Municipal Ballots

1. Withdrawal from Nuclear Power
   Should the town of Zürich put the fight against global warming into its constitution? Surprisingly, only the neocons are against it. We now what they did to us.
   
2. Duty-Free Warehouse
   This is no longer needed. So this plot if land can be used for a new purpose. They project presented seems perfect to me. However, there is some opposition for opposition's sake.
   
3. Crown Meadow
   Another plot of central land that could give home to 60 families. Some meadow huggers think it is already a home to butterflies.
   
4. New Franks Lane
   Should in 20 years 20 already old buildings be torn down to improve traffic conditions? Who am I to tell?