Florida Republicans aim to take away the best weapon progressive groups have left. Here’s how.
Tampa Bay Times,
by
Samantha J. Gross
&
Lawrence Mower
Original Article
Posted By: Hazymac,
3/29/2019 10:41:14 AM
TALLAHASSEE — Republicans in Tallahassee control both chambers of the Legislature and the governor’s mansion, and they’ve appointed every member of the Florida Supreme Court. Now, they’re taking aim at the last realm outside their grasp: Voters’ access to amending the Florida Constitution through ballot initiatives. Two bills Republicans introduced this week would make it far more difficult to gather the signatures needed to get constitutional amendments before voters. And they would thwart two major amendments that could appear on the 2020 ballot, one raising the minimum wage and the other allowing “energy choice,” advocates for those ideas say.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
JackBurton 3/29/2019 10:54:15 AM (No. 16918)
Ballot initiatives in Michigan stripped the voters of the protection provided by making people register to vote before election day when their bona fides could be checked. They also gave us ´recreational´ marijuana. And an expensive boondoggle to thwart the non-existent problem of gerrymandering.
Wish we had had that kind of protection here.
27 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
jlw509 3/29/2019 10:56:00 AM (No. 16912)
I don´t reflexively go for every ballot initiative (I tend to read everything I can and I do sweat the details) --- but I do think the process should be as available as possible, subject to "checks and balances" from the other branches of government.
You´ll have to persuade me on this one, and you haven´t done it yet.
21 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
mc squared 3/29/2019 11:01:37 AM (No. 16909)
Here are the proposals that convinced me (aside from the fact that John Morgan Esq. is against it):
• Include the name of the initiative’s sponsor on the ballot.
• Disclose the percent of money raised by sources in-state.
• Print in bold, capital letters: “MAY REQUIRE INCREASED TAXES OR A REDUCTION IN GOVERNMENT SERVICES” if the amendment will cost money.
(bold in original)
38 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
bassman 3/29/2019 11:07:43 AM (No. 16915)
The Florida Pig Amendment of the 2002 election alone shows that it should be more difficult to add amendments to the state constitution. The way they are misleadingly worded on the ballots give even the most astute voter little chance on really knowing what these amendments are really about.
27 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
HotRod 3/29/2019 11:13:03 AM (No. 16917)
Ballots are never the place for Constitutional amendments! The ballot has very limited space to describe the proposed amendment and the title of it can be very deceptive.
People wanting to push an amendment can rally enough support to force their elected officials to debate it and express all the facts and truth about it.
33 people like this.
First, with all the newly registered voters in so many states, that means there will be a whole lot more to serve on jury duty.
And, I´d say, if they can´t serve on jury duty then they should be removed from voter rolls.
Make sure that any ballot measure is fully funded by all voters, which includes renters, since most are only paid by property owners only. Maybe a surcharge on their rent bill?
17 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
former lurker 3/29/2019 12:12:50 PM (No. 16914)
Florida’s policy on amendment is ridiculous, if I remember correctly there were 13 on the last election. Most of them had no business being in a state constitution as they were basically short term solutions to minor problems that should have been dealt with legislatively. Good example is banning dog racing. Why on earth would that be in the constition? State legislators just too lazy or just afraid to take a stand?
30 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Daisymay 3/29/2019 12:15:42 PM (No. 16911)
#6, Florida has thousands of Voters who are unable to serve on Jury Duty. They are SENIORS! Some no longer drive, some are physically unable to sit that long due to various health problems. But, they are able to go to their nearest polling place and Vote. Seniors are very reliable voters. I don´t think we should take that RIGHT away from them just because they´re OLD! That said, I live in Florida, so I´m happy to see those Republicans in Tallahassee trying to outsmart the John Morgans of the world. I hope they succeed!
26 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
TrueBlueWfan 3/29/2019 12:59:16 PM (No. 16913)
In Ohio, we have medical marijuana now, and I´m sure recreational is not far behind - thanks to the ballot initiatives.
The Tea Party used this method to get the Ohio death tax killed, but it is now being exploited by lefties and should be stopped, IMO.
18 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
ladydawgfan 3/29/2019 2:10:05 PM (No. 16910)
I´ve been convinced that this is a good idea since last November, when an idiot ballot measure gave felons their voting rights back. Great!! Now we have ignorant felons voting dem for vengeance and not for any real knowledge or care of the issues!!
24 people like this.
To put the restore felon´s voting rights on the ballot, they flew young people in from Las Vagas to get petitions signed. One told me she made $800 a week. Now my FL Senator is holding venues to get criminal records expunged.
If JohnPotMorgan is against it, I am for it.
15 people like this.
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Comments:
Voters tend to vote for ballot initiatives reflexively. That´s a good reason to make it much more difficult to advance these end runs around the legislative process. Democrat bundler and billboard attorney John Morgan, who desires a $15 minimum wage in Florida, is a menace.