2016 Election Guide

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THE END IS NEAR

2016 ELECTION GUIDE

WELCOME Hope you enjoy this digital guide to the upcoming 2016 presidential election. It’s not everyday you get to be editor of a publication during an election year, much less editor of a publication during THIS election year.

Speaking on behalf of myself and the staff of Logos Magazine, we understand how important it is that college students participate in the election process.

This election cycle has really shown us the great responsibility that comes with being able to vote. Not only are we choosing the next leader of the free world, but even on a local level, we are making decisions that will affect future generations for years to come.

Although every presidential election is important. There are very few that have been as important as this one will no doubt be, to influence the direction we as a country will be move toward. Eight years ago I watched as our nation called for change, and while as a journalist I try to always remain objective and unbiased, my hope is that with this guide–logic and reason will be what we as students and a country will call for now and in the years ahead.

In my own strange way,

Evan Solano Editor-in-Chief esolano@ccclarion.com

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ ART DIRECTOR Evan Solano CREATIVE DIRECTOR Vidal Espina CONTRIBUTORS Vidal Espina Janelle Paris Ian Thorn ADVISER Margaret O’Neil Logos is produced by communications students and is distributed three times a semester. Views expressed herein do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College or the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees. © 2016 Logos Magazine.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

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by Evan Solano / Logos Magazine

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For many students at Citrus College, the 2016 Presidential elections will be the first time that can participate in the voting process...

TEXT & PHOTOS BY: JANELLE PARIS

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So we decided to see who a few of them would be going for.

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“I was not going to vote at first, but then everyone was making the point that every vote counts so now I will be participating.”

“Hillary Clinton honestly because I just don’t want Trump in office. I was not going to vote at first, but then everyone was making the point that every vote counts so now I will be participating. I am not comfortable with Trump in office because things he has done in the past. Watching his debates, the way he perceives himself I don’t agree with. For Hillary, I do agree with the abortion policy.

I think as a woman, we should be able to decide what to do with our own bodies. She is thinking about taxing the wealthy, which would really benefit the poor. I did not receive financial aid because my parents make a little over what is stated. It would help with education for students and parents would be able to put money on school funds and than I can get financial aid.”

Evelyn Hernandez, 23 Montclair, CA major: Hospitality

Hillary Clinton

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“Trump says what everybody does not want to hear but needs to hear.”

“I am voting for Donald Trump because as outrageous as it might sound to some people, his honesty is exactly what our country needs. By him being honest will drive our country in the right direction. Trump says what everybody does not want to hear but needs to hear. I am also voting for him because I haven’t heard a lot about Hillary’s policies being publicized. I agree with one of Trump’s policies for the refugees coming over here it is one of the descent measures we need to take in order for our country to be safe. He is going to stop business from coming overseas and this will greatly help keep our American system here. Being a recent gun owner, it has become a hobby of mine and it is important to keep the second amendment alive as Trump wishes to do. Hillary is not a trustworthy person and I don’t believe her intentions are real. For that matter, I don’t think she even knows what she wants to do besides make everything cakes and butterflies. Again, Trump’s honestly will help lead this country.”

Octavio Alvarez, 19

Claremont, CA major: Political Science

Donald Trump

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“I just agree a hella lot more with Hillary than Trump. I also do not find the third party suitable. Obviously keeping planned parenthood open is a major interest of mine and everything else Hillary has to say I am in agreement with. Her experience in the white house already is great and how some people view Trump as a businessman is not right. Trump does not act how one should act in office. We also need a first female president. How Trump acts, should not be a man in that position of power. A major policy I agree with Hillary is planned parenthood. If I ever have to make the choice to get an abortion then I can go ahead and do so. It is already a difficult choice so it should not be shunned upon, but Trump thinks otherwise. Being a daughter of immigrant parents who came from Mexico is also why I am voting for her.”

Cassandra Gibbs, 18 Covina, CA major: Multimedia Studies

Hillary Clinton

“I will be voting for Hillary in the upcoming election because she is the lesser of two evils. I agree with her policies on abortion, education and so on. However, I still don’t agree with some of her policies about guns and immigration. I am not voting for Trump because he is the opposite of respectful, he is racist, a misogynist and has no actual qualifications for office.”

Nathan Huang, 18 La Verne, CA major: Undeclared

Hillary Clinton

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“Hillary because no Trump! I am voting for her because I do not want Trump to win this election. Her health care policies are outstanding.

I do like that she is ambitious and I feel like she will do a great job as president. She has had experience in already which is great. What I like most about her is that she will stick to her word. Trump is racist, homophobic, sexist, a liar, and just not a good person to be running this country.”

Danielle Montes, 18, Glendora, CA major: Musical Engineer

Hillary Clinton

“Hillary Clinton because I do not agree with Donald Trump’s policies. Originally I voted for Bernie Sanders but he did not win. I am basically voting for Hillary so that Trump doesn’t get in office. Her immigration policies make sense. With my mother being born in Mexico, it would be dangerous if Trump won because my mother would be in danger as well. Trump is an elitist, he is racist, and kind of an asshole. He is a joke to me and has no intentions on supporting the middle class.”

Leilani Gody, 18

Glendora, CA major: Social Worker

Hillary Clinton

*EDITORS NOTE: We tried SO hard to find more than one student who was voting for Trump. Our writer searched and after a week came up with only one person.

We tried, dont hate.

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We should definitely care about voting for this. Yes, Prop 51 is a guaranteed tax raise, but our educational system is extremely important, one that keeps getting money stripped from it. Prop 51 would guarantee $9 billion for both a State School Facilities Fund and a California Community College Capital Outlay Bond Fund.

The resources could be used for new equipment, structural renovations, the construction of new facilities, including Citrus College.

This initiative would require the state to gain voter approval on all matters relating to projects over $2 billion. Instead of just slapping the stamp of approval on new projects that would be quite costly to us taxpayers, we would be asked to vote on all measures.

Two projects in the works that this would affect include the proposed bullet train and the water tunnels from Sacramento to the San Joaquin River Delta.

MEASURE

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PROPS

$9 billion in bonds for education and schools

TEXT BY: IAN THORN ILLUSTRATIONS BY: VIDAL ESPINA

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Voter approval of changes to the hospital fee program This proposition ensures that language will be added to the California Constitution that requires voter approval to make changes to the hospital fee program. This means that money given to hospitals and funds that have been allocated to certain areas won’t be diverted to other uses.

Voter Approval on Revenue Bonds Over $2 Billion

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This initiative states that, with rare exceptions, proposed changes to legislation must be posted three days before the legislature votes on them. This means we would be allowed to see all proposed bills and initiatives that are being voted on 72 hours before our senatorial and congressional representatives’ ballots are cast. It also requires the recording of audio visual recordings of the legislature 24 hours before the final vote and that these recordings can be used for any legitimate purpose.

This proposition would extend Prop 30 decision through 2030. This means that Californians who file a single tax return of $263,000 a year or a joint tax return of $526,000 a year would have their state income tax raised 1.5% until the year 2030.

Public Display of Legislative Bills Prior to Vote

Extension of Prop 30 Income Tax Increase

56 Tobacco Tax Increase

If you’re a smoker or use some form of vape and/or e-cigarette, listen up. This initiative would raise the state sales tax on all tobacco and classified tobacco products, including cigarettes, from $0.87 to $2.87.

Tobacco products would be even more expensive than they already are. The revenue generated would go to physician training, lung and heart disease research, Medi-Cal funding, tobacco-use prevention programs in schools and cancer research.

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Parole For Non-Violent Criminals and Juvenile Court Trial Requirements Prop 57 states that felons convicted of a non-violent crime would have a better chance at getting out on parole. It would also allow them to earn credits for “good behavior”.

This proposition also would require judges, not prosecutors, to decide if juveniles should be tried as adults.

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Non-English Languages Allowed in Public Education Prop 58 states that an English-only curriculum would no longer be required in schools. Instead, students could be offered a dual immersion program, with subjects taught in English and others taught in other languages. This would be beneficial to all students, English speaking and non-English speaking. This initiative may not affect all school districts in California, but it would be a huge step in terms of teaching children different languages.

The November 8 general election is here and we have decisions to make.

Most of us have turned our attention to the chaos of the Presidential campaigns, but have forgotten about the issues that are actually decided directly by California.

Here is an abridged version of the 17 propositions and two measures to help begin your research. Get out there and make a difference this year.

Register to Vote: Some of us either just turned of age to vote or are still unregistered. Here’s how you go about getting registered. It takes about five minutes, is extremely easy and completely free.

Requirements 1. You must be 18 years of age.

2. You must be a United States citizen.

3. You must be a resident of the State of California.

4. You cannot be in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony.

5. You cannot be judicially determined to be incompetent to vote.

Means of Registering You can register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov, which is the easiest way to go about it. If you’re more a fan of ink on paper, you can head to your local library, DMV office, postal office and any other local government offices to get the paperwork started for your registration. The website, as well as the registration paperwork, will ask you simple question like your name, address, date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, the name of the state or foreign country you were born in, what political party you’d like to register for, which you can also choose to opt out of and the language you’d prefer to receive election materials in. You can also sign up for a mail-in ballot, which eliminates the need for you to leave your house and go to your designated polling place, so this is highly encouraged.

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Overturn of Citizens United Act Advisory Question Under Citizens United, unlimited campaign spending and contributions from major corporations were protected under the First Amendment, therefore giving all politicians the right to allocate funds from wherever they wanted and could spend said funding on what they wanted. Though only an advisory initiative, this would help California legislators in the fight against Citizens United.

60 Condoms in Porn Films

Yup. This is a real thing, ladies and gentlemen. Prop 60 would ensure that actors in pornographic films are provided with condoms and would require their use in scenes where they engage in actual vaginal or anal penetration. While not necessarily needing to be visible, there would have to be proof that condoms were indeed used in these scenes.

Prop 60 would also require the cost of testing for STDs to be covered by the film producers.

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61 Drug Price Standards

Under Prop 61, state agencies would be prohibited from buying any prescription drug from a drug manufacturer at any price over the lowest price paid for by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

This would heavily affect the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, given that the list prices of prescription drugs is often cheaper than the prices they’re actually sold at.

62

Repeal of the Death Penalty Fairly self-explanatory, this prop would replace the death penalty with the maximum sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole. Given that prisons are funded by our tax dollars and housing an inmate in a federal facility costs us $30,619.85 a year, this could actually be a cheaper alternative, given most capital punishment cases cost upwards of $2 million, given the proceedings that have to follow.

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Background Checks for Ammunition Purchases and Large-Capacity Ammunition Magazine Ban This would require those who wish to buy ammunition to obtain a permit. All munitions dealers would be required to check and validate that permit before selling ammunition to the inquiring party. This initiative would also ban the sale of certain large capacity ammuni-

tion magazines and would make stealing a gun worth less than $950 punishable by up to three years in prison.

This would reform Prop 47 passed in 2014, which made stealing any property under $950 a misdemeanor.

64

Legalization of Marijuana This prop would legalize marijuana possession or use for recreational purposes. Under federal law, medical and recreational use of marijuana is still illegal, but states have the right to legalize it if they so choose.

Taxes on legal marijuana for purchase would range from an additional $9.25 per ounce of flowers

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row inmates to transfer to any prison, instead of the two they’re currently being held in, San Quentin and Chowchilla. The initiative would also require that at least 70% of each death row inmates working wages to be given back to the families of their victims.

67

Plastic Bag Ban Veto Referendum

or an additional $2.75 per ounce of leaves, on top of the seller’s price.

Businesses would have to obtain a license to sell it.

65

Dedication of Revenue from Disposable Bag Sales to Wildlife Conservation Fund After passing the plastic bag ban in 2014, stores were required to charge $0.10 per recycled paper bag. Prop 65 aims to donate all

revenue generated from the sale of paper bags to various wildlife conservation groups. This would help greatly with keeping national parks and animal sanctuaries open for visitors and help with the upkeep.

66

Death Penalty Procedures Why have one death penalty proposition on the ballot when you can have two? Prop 66

would speed up the process in which inmates can appeal their death penalty convictions. If Prop 62 doesn’t pass, it would allow trial courts to be put in charge of death penalty petitions.

Known as a “habeas corpus petition”, this would basically turn death penalty petitions into small scale trials, having the original judge hear the petition, evaluate the case and potentially pass it to the California Court of Appeals and then, the California Supreme Court. Prop 66 also calls to allow death

You know how you can still get plastic bags from Target, liquor stores and pharmacies? If this proposition passes, you might not be able to anymore.

Prop 67 aims to ban any and all single use convenience bags from all stores.

Plastic bags would be replaced with a $0.10 charge recycled paper bag and revenue generated would go towards the creation of more recycled paper bags.

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Safe, Clean Neighborhood Parks, Open Space, Beaches, River Protection and Water Conservation Measure This measure replaces the expiring local funding measure that currently pays to keep our

state and local parks clean, along with our drinking water in said parks and open spaces. This means a hike in property taxes, according to the measure an estimated 1.5 cents per square foot of property. This is a measure that ensures we have our clean parks to enjoy with our family and friends.

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Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority This measure is designed to push construction forward to improve traffic flow on freeways, repave streets, repair potholes/sidewalks in neighborhoods, earthquake proof bridges, expand rail/ subway/bus systems, keep senior/ student/disabled fares affordable and create jobs for the ongoing projects.

This would mean a .5 cent sales tax increase and a continuation of the .5 cent traffic relief tax until voters decide to end it. This could potentially help with the amount of traffic and help get the Metro running further down California, meaning more access to different students. L

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OPINION:

TAKE A WALK

Mailing in your ballot may be convenient but it takes the pride out of the voting process

I remember voting in my first presidential election like it was yesterday.

It was 2011, the candidates were Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, who was running for his second term. I worked all day, then went with my parents to cast my first official ballot as a registered 18-year-old voter.

Something about election days, makes me feel more American than I do any other day of the year. I love this country and everything about it, but election day makes me feel prouder and stronger in an odd way.

Unlike most 18 year olds at the time, I was super-excited to vote. Forget buying cigarettes and porn, going off to college to party, forget reefer madness. Voting was such a thrill for me; going into our polling place, being caught up in the commotion of voters who just got off of work and were playing their part in our democracy.

Regardless of my cynical beliefs about how the system works, I also believe voting is important. It is our job as citizens to get out there and exercise a right that generations have fought for, as soldiers in foreign wars or as neighbors at home.

Most of my friends, assuming they wanted to vote, opted to mail in their ballots.

By contrast, ever since I can remember, I have preferred going to polling places.

Seeing the whole process unfold from the time I was six has romanticized the idea of going into a polling place and casting my ballot, watching it disappear into the machine to be counted and at the end of it all, receiving my “I Voted” sticker to wear like a medal of honor.

TEXT BY: IAN THORN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY: EVAN SOLANO

I stand with the majority when I vote. I stand in defiance of tyranny when I vote, I stand for the power of the people of these United States of America. I am one with the nation on election days, and it all starts at that polling booth. L

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Regardless of my cynical beliefs about how the system works, I also believe voting is important.”

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LOGOS LOGOS LOGOS LOGOS LOGOS All the blood is drained out of democracy - it dies - when only half the population votes.

- Hunter S. Thompson