Measure 43 would require that a medical provider give 48-hour written notice to the parents of a 15- to 17-year-old before performing an abortion. Violations would be punishable by discipline or lawsuit.

This is one of the most controversial measures on our ballot. I am against this proposal. Proponents make heart-string-tugging arguments about how no minor should be alone when making the decision to have an abortion, and how parents have a right to know.

However, they make those arguments as if 15-to-17-year-olds were somehow PREVENTED from contacting their parents in this situation right now. That's just not true. I would be surprised if abortion providers did not ask "have you talked with your parents about this?" If the girl is consciously going through such an important procedure without the advice of her parent, then it's quite likely that she has very good reasons to exclude them. I don't see that it is the state's responsibility to second guess this, and possibly make an already bad situation even worse.

Let us make no mistake about it. This is not about protecting kids. This is just the pro-lifers pushing the envelope one more step towards a total ban on abortions. Eat it away a little bit at a time until we don't realize that the right has been completely eliminated.

No on measure 43.

Measure 42 would prohibit insurance companies from using your credit score as a criterion in determining your premiums.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about this. On one hand, the consumer in me sees it an invasion of privacy.

On the other hand, I can see why the insurance companies do this; there is a certain intuitive sense in asserting that people with good credit ratings tend to be better insurance risks. The whole point of insurance is that people who are higher risk pay a higher premium.

There are already certain protections in place in Oregon. The insurance company must tell you that they are going to get a credit score, and there are strong restrictions on what they can do with that information.

Based on that, this measure does not pass my "really good idea" criterion. No on measure 42.

Measure 41 would change the way personal tax exemptions are handled on Oregon's income tax form. Today, you get a fixed tax credit per dependent. With Measure 41, we would take a deduction equal to the Federal tax deduction.

This is nothing but pure greed. It's just a way to give the state less money to do the things we expect it to do. Our individual state tax bills would be less, but our Federal tax would go up because of it.

There is just no good reason for this. No on measure 41.