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About this Blog
Direct democracy -- the Switzerland-inspired system of initiatives, referenda and recalls that allows voters to make and repeal laws in 24 states -- is poorly understood. It isn’t even very direct. Direct democracy has become blockbuster democracy: a half-billion-dollar international industry of signature gatherers, consultants, and election lawyers who use ballot measures less as a method of making law and more as a tool of mega-communications to boost some politicians, hurt others, and supplement lobbying campaigns.
Blockbuster democracy is a decentralized business that practices wide-open politics. This blog aims to provide a center of news, analysis and conversation for and about the industry. We will report from blockbuster democracy’s capital -- California -- but we’ll monitor ballot measures from across the country and around the globe.
Your Blogger: Joe Mathews is an
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The End Of Initiatives?
That's what some are saying about Prop 105 in Arizona, and I tend to agree. The ballot initiative is being sold as an anti-tax measure, because a majority of those voting would no longer be enough to pass a tax or mandate government spending. Instead, a majority of all registered voters to pass a tax or spending. That's a high, high bar -- given that voter turnout in state elections hovers around 50 percent. But since, almost any initiative would require some government spending, this effectively end the initiative process in Arizona.
If this were to pass, and it has a great name "Majority Rules," the initiative also could have one unintended consequence: reducing the number of registered voters in Arizona. At the very least, interest groups and many leading politicians would have a major incentive to reduce the number of registered voters--precisely to make it easier for initiatives to pass.
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Thanks
Thanks for this posting. Note that any time voter turnout is one vote less than 50% ALL initiatives AUTOMATICALLY fail. That is because all of those registered voters who didn't vote get counted as No votes.
This would definitely be the end of the initiative process.
It is wrong to count people who don't vote.
No on 105!!!!!
Re: The end of Initiatives
Joe Mathews' comments reiterate the dangers of this deceptive constitutional amendment. Supporters are using the tax issue as a smokescreen. It's not about taxes - Prop 105 is an attack on the act of voting, and would affect EVERY citizen initiative.
Having volunteered on a number of grassroots citizen initiatives I am outraged that this unjust measure is on our ballot. If Prop 105 was already in place, a number of initiatives that passed overwhelmingly would not have become law, including funding teacher raises; increasing the number of police officers and fire fighters; conserving open spaces; and children’s health care. All of these initiatives would have all failed because those who didn’t vote would have become non-voters and would have been counted as automatic NO votes. Arizona's first citizen initiative was the women's suffrage measure. Had Prop 105 been in place in 1912, the right for women to vote would have failed despite having passed by a 2-1 margin.
Prop 105 has no place in our state's constitution. It's deceptive, unfair, and clearly wrong.
More information at The Voters of Arizona website: http://thevotersofaz.com/