Posted on 08/04/2011 4:52:20 PM PDT by SmithL
Do California Democrats want to eviscerate the initiative process, or merely smother it to death with a blanket of supposed reforms?
The party has almost complete control of state government and apparently doesn't want to contend with pesky ballot measures. So this year – the 100th anniversary of the initiative, the referendum and the recall – it has declared war.
Last weekend, the state Democratic executive board made it official, declaring that "the initiative process is being abused by the use of misleading titles and advertisements by unscrupulous signature-gathering companies, hired signature collectors, and concealed sponsors to create laws and programs that benefit a very few people at the expense of the many."
It called on the Legislature to put restrictions on the paid signature-gatherers whom business and conservative groups often use to qualify measures for the ballot.
A number of bills have surfaced in the Capitol this year – all in the name of "reform," of course – that would make it more difficult for conservative groups to qualify ballot measures while leaving the methods favored by unions and liberal groups intact.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
So, the truth is, the Democrats are all in favor of initiatives which support liberal causes, but oppose those which push a conservative idea.
If they had their way, they would make it easier to qualify initiatives pushing a liberal cause, and make it more difficult to do so with conservative oriented ideas.
Frankly, with liberals in control of the legislature and governor’s office, there’s not much worry about liberal laws not being enacted.
The legislature is controlled by Democrats. The governor and every constitutional officer of the state of California is a Democrat.
There. helped ya out a bit.
The Progressives have led California into moral and financial bankruptcy. Coming soon to America.
I have been hearing commercials on the radio that warn people not to sign petitions because of possible identity theft.
They are trying to pull that same B.S. here in Colorado.
Meh, Any initiative that passes in California the left doesn’t like gets shot down by the commie court so they have nothing to worry about.
bump.
With a few exceptions, ballot initiatives in CA are primarily pushed by liberals. Those pushed by conservatives are often overturned by liberal judges. Why would Moonbeam want to defeat a tool used by the liberals to destroy this state (which is the desire of liberals)?
These stupid commercials are everywhere. It’s insulting. The actors on the commercials are scared to death that our signatures and addresses will be sent to INDIA!!! Cruel, nasty India, who will do exactly WHAT with our addresses?? Send tiny nukes to blow each of us up?? Where is the Indian Defamation Board against this horrible slander?
What a joke.
He could really use a different photographer for his column.
If the Rats care so much about identity fraud, how about
> picture IDs, presented at the voting booth?
> IDs for legal immigration?
> IDs for access to ERs, public schools, food stamps?
War started by the Democrats? Don’t get my hopes up.
What a succinct and accurate response to the title of the thread!
I wish I could remember all the awful laws that were passed through initiatives in California, and are still with us to our continuing detriment.
First and foremost, the asinine Measure that schools will get a guaranteed and constantly increasing percentage of the yearly budget, regardless of the fiscal condition of the State, or other pressing needs that must be ignored as a result.
Second, the passage of the great cigarette robbery, which exploited an identifiable group to bear the burden of onerous taxes with the lame excuse that it "cost the State" too much, and the taxes would be used to address the cost of smoking-related health care. A huge fraud. The revenues have been used for other purposes, includingd supporting AIDS "victims," gay, lesbian, bisexual and transexual issues, and BS propaganda "persuading" people to stop smoking, making a few liberal advertising companies rich. In addition the same "Nanny State" mentality is, as feared, being applied to food, drinks, snacks, recyclables and even circumcision! None of which can be resonably defined as the task or the power of government ---in a presumed free society.
Then there is the stem cell boondoggle.
Then there's the High speed train boondoggle.
The trend should scare the stuffing out of any and all citizens who believe in the Constitution and the rule of law. Not the arbitrary, whimsical and capricious ones.
Reap what you sow, California citizens!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.