This November 6th, Election Day, amid all the buzz about candidates and initiatives, you’ll probably have one, over-arching question on your mind: What’s for dinner?
We get it. If you’re anything like us, who
to vote for is a question for the ages. We mull it over. We poll our families. It’s an issue that can inspire intense debate and lobbying. And when it comes right down to it, we’re not filling-up anybody’s tummy in the time we spend filling-out our ballots.
This dinner issue is one we are willing to research, too. In November alone, according to their published analytics, 178 million of us will hop on our smartphones or computers to dial-up Yelp for advice. It’s worth noting here that only 137.5 million people voted in the last US presidential election. That means 22 percent more consumers seek advice from Yelp in any given month, than people who chose the occupant of our nation’s highest office for a four-year term.
The reasons for that aren’t a secret. It is sometimes hard for voters to see the connection a candidate might have with them, or the intersection an issue might make with their lives. And when voters don’t connect with what’s on the menu, they just won’t vote. But that’s not how it works with dinner. And that’s not how it works with a plethora of other choices we must make every day. After all, people use feedback sites like Yelp for more than just restaurant reviews. You can get advice on where to take your cat if she’s sick, where to get your hair cut if you’re shaggy, or who should change your car’s brake pads if they squeak.
The truth is, those are the very same issues you’ll be deciding on November 6th.
Did you know that in this last legislative session alone, State of California electeds passed 85 different laws affecting industries overseen by the California Department of Consumer Affairs? 85.
Many of those bills eliminated or streamlined existing regulations. AB 2134 (Rubio) makes it easier for budding barbers and stylists to get internships to practice their craft. AB 2037 (Bonta) clears the way for pharmacies to use automated dispensers for customers filling prescriptions.
Other laws created new regulations. AB 2371 (Carrillo) ensures landscapers are tested on the most up-to-date techniques for creating drought resistant yards. SB 1217 (Morrell) creates additional rules that private investigators must follow if they want to carry a gun.
In a real sense, the choices you make in the voting booth this November 6th are the same choices you will make at the cash register all year long. For the good of Californians, rules governing the goods we buy and how we buy them are constantly reviewed or tweaked by the people we send to the Statehouse. In service to Californians, we are empowered to approve or deny initiatives that will impact the way we receive all kinds of services.
November 6th is almost here. You’ll be busy that day and, at some point, you’ll be hungry. Feed yourself! But please, feed our democracy too. There’s nothing nourishing about a choice you don’t make.
