Nebraska

That state's attorney general has issued a legal opinion saying private property owners have a legal right to bar signature gatherers. This is a dangerous ruling, but fits a pattern. Even some public entities -- including post offices -- have tried to keep petition circulators away. But in Nebraska, and in the courts, there is less and less public space for the people to petition their government. Private property rights seem to be more important than the First Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of assembly.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that property owners are already using this authority to attempt to shut down signature gathering in several Nebraska towns. (Hat tip to ballotpedia)

Well, not quite a national initiative. (Establishing such an initiative remains the cause of former Democratic presidential candidate, former Alaska Senator and former neighbor of your Blockbuster blogger Mike Gravel, but that’s a story for another day).

But five states -- Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma -- are expected to vote this fall on the same ballot initiative: a measure banning affirmative action in public schools and other government projects. (They’ve got the signatures in Oklahoma, but not yet in the other four states)

Such multi-state initiatives have become a common political tactic -- and a big moneymaker for those in the blockbuster democracy biz. Opponents of same sex marriage and eminent domain rights have fielded quasi-national initiatives by qualifying the same measure in multiple states. Proponents of legislative term limits have done the same.