It would appear that the person who wrote this headline for the Associated Press had already begun their post-election drinking, and was losing the shot-contest.
(For those of you looking for actual news: 99 passed, 98 did not. Can we have a ballot initiative that would eliminate ballot initiatives now? Please?)
HAH!
Love the headline. Even the big guys goof. I like the initiative idea.
Don’t throw out the ballot initiative baby with the bad initiative bathwater!
Ballot initiatives are the origin of most reforms, such as women’s suffrage (passed in 13 states before Congress went along), direct election of Senators (4 states), publicly financed elections (by initiative in 6 of 7 states with them), medical marijuana (8 of 13 states) and increasing minimum wages (in all 6 states that tried in 2006). The media have seized on the problem initiatives. They generally kiss up to politicians and downgrade citizens.
Voters on initiatives need what legislators get: public hearings, expert testimony, amendments, reports, etc. The best project for such deliberative process is the National Initiative for Democracy, led by former Sen. Mike Gravel: http://Vote.org. Also http://cirwa.org
Aren’t ballot initiatives kind of pointless when the Supreme Court just turns over what they don’t like?
Why can’t the people just vote and be done with it. If you don’t like what passed, move or try to get another ballot initiative.
Bullshit, I say:
http://www.proctorformayor.com/2008/06/04/no-donny-these-men-are-nihilists-theres-nothing-to-be-afraid-of/
P.S. I don’t support throwing out ballot initiatives.
@aaronproctor: One of the chief duties of the judicial branch in our government is to interpret the laws. Even if a law is passed, it can be declared unconsitutional. It’s how a system of checks and balances works.