Letter to Schwarzenegger on Microstamping Bill

[Librarian]

Apologies in advance for vocabulary note.

The correct word is effect (numeric). The word "affect" regards emotional state. A couple of samples:

1) "It had a tramatic affect on me". (emotional)

2) "The plan effectively reduced crime". (numeric)

(2) is correct.

(1) is not correct.

It is true that one might say ' the patient has a flat affect' - or a lack of emotional response, the patient's affect.

However, affect and effect come in verb forms as well as noun forms (and in adjectival and adverbial forms) and the meaning of 'affect' switches when the part of speech switches!

'He bought a new car, wishing to affect his mood. The effect of the purchase was positive.' As a verb, 'affect' is 'to have an influence upon'. 'Effect' as a verb is ''to make a change happen" - think of Picard's "Make it so" as a command to effect his orders - make the orders effective.

So, to effect change in California, we must affect how legislative districts are defined. The effect of a fair districting law would be to markedly improve the affect of many gun owners.

Since most legislators are, in effect, in 'safe seats', it is difficult to affect their legislative agenda using reason and facts. Such arguments have proven remarkably ineffective, and leave me with a lack of affection for my local politicians.

Since 1471 is on the Assembly Daily File for Monday, September 10 - it's a PDF, 1471 is item 49 on page 51

49
A.B. No. 1471—Feuer et al.
An act relating to firearms.
Vote required: 41
2007
Sep. 6—Read third time, passed, and to Assembly. (Ayes 21. Noes 17.)
Sep. 7—In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
May be considered on or after September 9 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

email today may affect the vote in the Assembly, so if you live in California, please drop by the CalNRA site and at least send the Assembly a nice note (for best effect).

 

[AirForceShooter]

Arnold is going to sign this bill.
Remember he grew up in a communist country. He certainly doesn't trust people. He loves centralized power. Especially if it's him in power.
He's gone on record as being anti-2A.

Just don't ever let this guy become a U.S. Senator.

AFS

 

[bruss01]

Arnold is not going to be reading these notes.

Sure, wax eloquent if you want. If it helps you process, if it helps you blow off steam, feels more like you "did" something, by all means, feel free. But he is not going to read ONE of these notes.

I have asked staffers before when I have called. What he WILL see is a tally at the end of the week. So he sees 571 (e-mails, phone calls, whatever) for and 629 against. That probably seems like a pretty lukewarm response, so he'll likely make his decision based on the politics between the Governor's office and the legislature rather than on what "we the people" are saying. Now, if he got 571 for this bill and 10,863 against, then he might say, holy crap, this is going to be really unpopular if I sign it. What was this about anyway, maybe I better read this thing again....

Usually if you post "Please VETO AB1471" in the subject and include that sentiment somewhere in the first sentence or two of your note, a separate paragraph to include any reasons you might think are relevant, and a closing statement a sentence or two in length that says "I'm counting on you to VETO AB 1471" then there will be no mistake about the purpose of your letter and another hash mark will be added to the "against 1471" tally. Frankly I believe a blank e-mail that simply contained the subject line "Veto 1471" would get the same hash mark on the tally, the rest is just needless overhead. But like I said, feel free to wax eloquent. I do. It makes me feel better.

 

[230RN]

Deleted as redundant. Other posters dealt with the issue.

 

[fletcher]

The correct word is effect (numeric). The word "affect" regards emotional state. A couple of samples

Uh, oh, grammar nazi alert! Also:
Effect = noun
Affect = verb


That being said, I just sent off a letter Schwarzenegger; now we wait (and hope) for the veto...

 

[brando]

Excellent letter and used a couple of your points in my letter to Arnie.

 

[BlisteringSilence]

Arnold is going to sign this bill.
Remember he grew up in a communist country. He certainly doesn't trust people. He loves centralized power. Especially if it's him in power.
He's gone on record as being anti-2A.

ummmmm...... Austria was never a communist country. At no point was it under the control of the USSR, and had (prior to its entry into the EU) a policy of neutrality with regards to European geopolitics.

Uh, oh, grammar nazi alert! Also:
Effect = noun
Affect = verb

Affect is also a noun, it's just not often used as such outside of the medical community:

af·fect1 [v. uh-fekt; n. af-ekt]
–verb (used with object)
1. to act on; produce an effect or change in: Cold weather affected the crops.
2. to impress the mind or move the feelings of: The music affected him deeply.
3. (of pain, disease, etc.) to attack or lay hold of.

–noun
4. Psychology. feeling or emotion.
5. Psychiatry. an expressed or observed emotional response: Restricted, flat, or blunted affect may be a symptom of mental illness, especially schizophrenia.
6. Obsolete. affection; passion; sensation; inclination; inward disposition or feeling.

from our friends at dictionary.com

 

[kermit315]

not trying to stir up anything, but can we drop the grammar lessons. they are going to get people upset and get this whole thread to be counterproductive with fighting between ourselves. I am sure the letters arent being scrutinized for spelling and grammar when they get to Arnie.

JMO,

Jamie

 

[BlisteringSilence]

not trying to stir up anything, but can we drop the grammar lessons. they are going to get people upset and get this whole thread to be counterproductive with fighting between ourselves. I am sure the letters arent being scrutinized for spelling and grammar when they get to Arnie.

JMO,

Jamie

I disagree. A well-written letter, gramatically correct, and cogent, is more likely to make it through the throngs of screeners than a gramatically incorrect, but firey one. Just look at newspapers. Or even here. Any opinion, no matter how strange, will be better recieved if one takes the time to frame it correctly. And when you're writing a public official, you want to be taken as seriously as possible.

And bad grammar makes that less likely to happen.

 

[Art Eatman]

A mild and brief explanation of a grammatical correction is tolerable. A long dissertation is not really necessary and can be offensive. The "talking down to" thing.

Art

 

[Werewolf]

If one wishes to correct another's grammar why must it be done in public? Take it to a PM.

A very good principle to live by is Praise in public, criticize in private.

 

[Megistopoda]

"Dear Arnold,

I refuse to travel or vacation in your Commie, Micro-stamping state!

Your State politicians are Un-American and I have no desire to associate with those types.

I also think California should be kicked out of the United States on principle...

It is a shame your State takes up so much beautiful coastline and scenery.

Az and Nevada could so well with it!

Sincerely, Romma from CT"

I've never understood why some people view gun owners as knuckle-dragging neanderthals...