Joe-the-plumber may be the answer found in crossword puzzles in the near and far future, but will he be in your lexicon after a week? Who’s the Holland, Ohio symbol used in the McCain/Obama third and final presidential debate? Thirteen letters across: Joetheplumber. What blue-collar worker challenged Barack Obama about his taxing small business people making more than $250,000? Thirteen letters down: Joetheplumber. Who owed back taxes to Ohio and practiced his job as a plumber without a license? This answer could prove to be very difficult. Thirteen letters across: SoManyOhioans. Joe the plumber has become a humorous respite from the tense campaigning for president. “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes” (Andy Warhol). Don’t you just love it when the little guy/gal gets the attention nationally? You know that the media will trip over its shoelaces to get this kind of story, not to mention block the street of the “15-minute-famous-one” with equipment and vans. Joe the plumber is a lighter moment in an election that some describe as “hold your nose and vote.” Nationally, there’s a group of unsung heroines who give time, talent and energy to enlightening the electorate without taking a partisan stand. Locally, the League of Women Voters spent volunteer time helping enlighten voters about the candidates for District 1 City Council seat. The League moderated a political forum sponsored by University City Community Association and co-sponsored by La Jolla Village News Oct. 15 at University City High School. No Joe the plumber ploy was used by either City Council candidate at U.C. High. Although the presidential debates on TV conflicted with this live political forum featuring Ms. Lightner and Mr. Thalheimer, approximately 200 people filled the high school auditorium to hear questions posed by audience members to both Sherri Lightner and Phil Thalheimer. It was democracy in action. You could have been in a small Iowa or Pennsylvania town. Shirley Larson, the League of Women Voters moderator, came out swinging when she asked that first question so near and dear to the hearts of University City residents: “What is your position on the Regents Road bridge?” To their credit, Lightner and Thalheimer didn’t dance around the question. Lightner is opposed to the bridge and doesn’t see it helping alleviate traffic on Genesee, but her goal is to get a fire station in South U.C. While Thalheimer was opposed to the Regents Road bridge in his 2004 campaign for City Council against incumbent Scott Peters, he now is clearly in favor of it. He remembered being in gridlock on a highway during the October wildfires. On Saturday, Oct. 18, in the hall of Good Samaritan Church at Genesee and Eastgate Mall, the League of Women Voters spent two hours explaining the ballot propositions to a group of curious voters. The League spokeswoman helped the group members wade through the lengthy propositions with the caveat that each voter should see who was behind the proposition that probably cost between $4 million and $5 million to get on the ballot. The League lady reminded the group that bonds get paid back first before anything else in California. Proposition 1A deals with a high-speed rail system. Are you for or against it? Will the price tag suit your needs or anger you? Prop 2 wants “certain farm animals to be allowed, for the majority of every day, to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up and turn around.” Interestingly, pro and con signatures are from U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Prop 3 is about a $980 million bond for capital improvement bonds at children’s hospitals. Prop 61, from a former election, has only spent half of the money allocated. Jim Holman, owner of the San Diego Reader, is behind Prop 4, notifying a parent of a pregnant minor at least 48 hours before performing an abortion. It’s a hot-button issue that is bringing out supporters and detractors in heated arguments. In 1987 a notification law passed, but the courts threw it out since it invaded privacy, according to the League of Women Voters. With seven pages of explanation and 20 pages of text, Prop 5 reads like a Russian novel. Backed by George Soros, Prop 5 allocates $460 million annually to expand treatment programs. It “limits court authority to incarcerate offenders who commit certain drug crimes, break drug treatment rules or violate parole.” Prison overcrowding and recidivism would decrease, according to supporters of Prop 5, but those against it see the status quo working. Henry Nichols paid for Props 6 and 9 to be on the ballot. His sister was killed at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Both propositions strengthen police and law enforcement funding, criminal penalties and laws. Prop 6 has a $965 million price tag each year as well as 30 revisions to California criminal law. Prop 9 would give crime victims a lot more rights to participation in public criminal proceedings and payment of restitution. Opponents see money taken from the general fund shortchange schools, healthcare and fire protection. Peter Sperling, the Arizona billionaire son of the founder of the University of Phoenix, has funded Prop 7, requiring government-owned utilities to generate 20 percent of their renewable energy by 2010, with 40 percent by 2020 and 50 percent by 2025. With eight pages of explanations and nine pages of laws, this is another complex proposition to ponder. What is in it for Peter Sperling? Prop 8 eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry and changes the California Constitution. In 2000, Prop 22, stating that marriage should be between a man and woman, passed by 61 percent, but the court overturned it. Are all Californians equal under the law or should marriage be only between a man and woman? Props 10, 11 and 12 discuss renewable energy, redistricting and farm and home aid for veterans, respectively. T. Boone Pickens is behind Prop 10. Prop 11 sets up a new commission to change boundaries for state Assembly, state Senate and Board of Equalization rather than leave it to the partisan Legislature. Finally, Prop 12 would issue $900 million in general obligation bonds for loans for veterans’ farm and house purchases. How many readers take the time to tune out the angry talk- show political pundits and sit down to read these propositions? There are more propositions to wade through: A, B, C, D and S. How many people check to see who’s behind getting these propositions on the ballot? Besides, one might ask what the heck those gals and guys we elect do in Sacramento. Do all these propositions belong on the ballot or should the Legislature be legislating some of them? Voting is a great privilege, however, and we’ll see you at the polls Nov. 4. Maybe we can peek over Joe the plumber’s shoulder and see whom he voted for. Probably not. Too many news folks will be in the way.