Assisted Suicide

A solid story of the kind we don't see from newspapers anymore. Here is a soup to nuts examination of Washington's Initiative 1000, the so-called "Death With Dignity" or assisted suicide measure.

Human Life of Washington, which opposes the "Death with Dignity" initiative in Washington state, is running radio ads against "assisted suicide" without mentioning the initiative. The group had maintained that it didn't need to make campaign disclosures, but a federal judge now says otherwise. 

Here's a lawsuit that should  be struck down as quickly as possible. Foes of a Washington state ballot initiative that would permit assisted suicide have filed suit claiming they should be exempt from laws requiring that donations to ballot measure campaigns be reported. In essence, the opponents say they shouldn't have to register as a political action committee because they only want to run ads against assisted suicide, and not against Initiative 1000, the assisted suicide measure.

This doesn't pass the smell test. I'm a skeptic of many campaign finance laws, including ones that limit donations, but disclosure is absolutely essential to prevent corruption in the process. And there's no more telling piece of information about a measure than the identity of those funding it. If anything, ballot initiative campaigns need more -- and more timely -- financial reporting. In many states, there is no disclosure of donors until after the signature gathering process--voters should be able to find out who is funding a petition before they sign it.

NYT MISSES THE POINT IN COLORADO: The New York Times weighs in on the Colorado ballot initiative that would make corporate executives criminally responsible if their companies break the law. The Times focuses on the angry Qwest employees who are backing the measure, and misses the larger context. The initiative is part of a union-business battle that encompasses other measures in the state. The center of the fight is a right-to-work initiative, which has been countered by five recent initiatives filed by the United Food and Commercial Workers, best known for representing the people working in grocery stores.

RIGHT TO DIE ON THE STREET: Well, not yet. But the attacks have begun on the latest assisted suicide initiative from ex-Governor Booth Gardner. Petition gatherers, many from California, are already on the street gathering signatures. Anyone out there know the price?

DOG DEBATE: A debate breaks out over how many workers might be affected if a dog-track measure doesn't pass in Massachusetts.