Free Republic

A Swiss billionaire whose personal goal is to “(re)interpret the American Constitution in the light of progressive politics” has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to a left-wing group that is dumping millions into state ballot initiatives, a new report from Americans for Public Trust (APT) revealed. Hansjörg Wyss, through his Berger Action Fund, has donated $243 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which “uses its war chest … to support massive get-out-the-vote drives, issue advocacy campaigns bolstering President Biden’s agenda, liberal pet projects from abortion to immigration, and attack ads against Republican lawmakers,” according to APT. The group also...

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D), who has implemented some of the most stringent coronavirus rules in the country, will soon face a ballot initiative that would effectively strip him of emergency coronavirus powers. The municipal primary elections are May 18, where voters will face four statewide questions on their ballot, two of which directly relate to the governor’s emergency powers.

Republican Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday signed a law making it harder for groups to put proposals on the Michigan ballot, imposing a geographical-based requirement that may prevent them from gathering signatures for petitions mainly from the most populated areas. The move followed voters’ passage of three Democratic-backed proposals last month and Republicans’ unprecedented tactic — enacted by the term-limited governor two weeks ago — to weaken minimum wage and paid sick time laws that began as ballot initiatives. Legal challenges are expected in Michigan and neighboring Wisconsin, where the GOP recently passed more sweeping laws to curtail incoming Democrats....

The political climate in the United States has been perpetually explosive for what feels like generations. This sentiment was evident as voters went to the polls for the 2018 midterm election. As a result of this, the 2018 midterm had the highest voter turnout since 1914. Despite the passion exhibited by both parties this election, in the shadow looms a serious issue that can affect the very foundation of our democracy. That issue is the growing distrust in our election results.According to recent surveys, 31% of American voters have “not very much” or “no confidence at all” in our election...

There’s virtually no chance that the uber-progressive Oregon legislature would ever repeal the state’s oldest-in-the-nation sanctuary law, which is why locals worried about illegal immigration have turned to the voters. The Stop Oregon Sanctuaries campaign submitted roughly 110,000 signatures last week to qualify an anti-sanctuary measure for the November ballot, more than the 88,000 required, stunning liberal activists and laying the groundwork for a landmark ballot battle. “This has national ramifications and our opponents know that,” said Cynthia Kendoll, president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, which led the petition drive. “The thing that people don’t realize is that very seldom...

Last week in Arkansas, Issue 3 passed very narrowly. The win for Issue 3 means the term limits on state legislators will now be dramatically weakened from six to 16 years in the state’s House and from eight to 16 years in the Senate. Plus, a new commission appointed by legislators is now poised to give legislators a big, fat pay raise. You are probably wondering: the voters wanted all that? No. We have reason to believe they did not. They were tricked. They voted for Issue 3 while at sea, confused. That confusion had been stirred into the political...

Many politicians prove themselves nothing better than powerful arguments for term limits. But Arkansas State Senator Jon Woods rivals the very best of them. Sen. Woods (R-Springdale) and State Rep. Warwick Sabin (D-Little Rock) co-authored a 22-page, 7,000-plus-word constitutional amendment that voters will find on this November’s state ballot. If passed, the amendment, simply known to voters as Issue 3, will constitute roughly one-eighth of the entire Arkansas Constitution — even including all 85 previous amendments to that document. Issue 3 is so long, in fact, that it cost Arkansas taxpayers more than $1 million to print it in newspapers...

If you’ve ever wondered how the United States got in to its current mess of a stagnant economy and out-of-control government, I have a suggestion. Take a good look at what a handful of voters in one of America’s finer suburbs did to themselves and the rest of their community, and realize that it is a microcosm for what’s happening all across the country. The city in question is Seatac, a small suburb in the state of Washington (it’s name is derived from the larger neighboring cities of Seattle and Tacoma). Last year a group of activists there were...

Republican legislators in Sacramento are crying foul over an eleventh-hour push to limit future initiatives to November general elections. But the idea behind the union-backed legislation doesn't seem so bad to a majority of GOP voters, according to a new Field Poll. Registered Republicans supported the proposed change by a 15-point margin, 52 percent to 37 percent. Overall, 56 percent of voters back the proposal, which was approved by the Legislature and is now awaiting action by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown.

Next month on election day, Californians will have the chance to legalize marijuana for the specific purpose of raising revenues via taxes. Think about that for a moment: legalizing a dangerous product for the specific purpose of collecting more taxes. I guarantee you that the politicians will begin demonizing marijuana the moment the Secretary of State reports the initiative passed. By Christmas they will be telling the public how much revenue they will collect from taxing marijuana, and by next June they will be raising taxes on it to pay for the treatment of those who want to quit...

(h/t Ballot Access News) One republican and two democrats have introduced three separate bills all designed to make it more difficult to get ballot initiatives in front of the voters. Let's put this succinctly: What is wrong with you clowns?

There are a number of ballot initiatives in important states that will bring conservatives to the polls. In Florida voters will decide a Gay “marriage” initiative. As is always the case at this point in a cycle, the measure is ahead 55/34. We know the “Bradley” factor shows itself in elections involving Black candidates. Evidence shows there is also a “lavender” factor in voting on Gay “marriage” questions. In 2004 all such measures failed by percentages ranging from 58% up to 85%. Pre- election polls showed all these measures would pass. In Pennsylvania voters will be asked to approve a...

A total of 24 states allow voters to change laws on their own by collecting signatures and putting initiatives on the ballot. It's healthy that the entrenched political class should face some real legislative competition from initiative-toting citizens. Unfortunately, some special interests have declared war on the initiative process, using tactics ranging from restrictive laws to outright thuggery. - Snip - The initiative is a reform born out of the Progressive Era, when there was general agreement that powerful interests had too much influence over legislators. It was adopted by most states in the Midwest and West, including Ohio and...

"On Church and State", by Lores Rizkalla, Freeper 'JustaWoman' Billy Graham said that "bad politicians are elected by good people who don't vote." I think the same is true of "bad propositions" passing because good people decide to stay home on election day. This Tuesday, California (among many other states) has a special election. Statistics say that an average of 5% of registered voters get out to vote in an off-year election. What's worse is the truth so beautifully, yet sadly, written by William Butler Yeats': "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." Where...

Last week, as one of the great rituals of democracy in America -- the filling of a Supreme Court vacancy -- was getting underway, democracy in Massachusetts was nearly getting mugged. Massachusetts is one of 24 states in which voters can approve or reject laws at the polls, a power they have had since the initiative and referendum were added to the state constitution in 1918. It is a power they have tended to exercise sparingly. From 1990 to 2004, for example, only 14 ballot initiatives became law -- an average of less than one a year. Why so few?...

<p>For as long as Gray Davis was governor, his top political adviser, Garry South, preached to fellow Democrats not to take the state's electorate for granted. While the voters year after year gave Democrats big majorities in the Legislature, South warned that Californians were not nearly as leftist as those results might lead some to believe.</p>

National Suicide I Diane Alden Monday, Dec. 15, 2003 We are committing national suicide. Forget the politicians and even conservatives who are caught up the power politics in the New York-Washington nexus. They are no help. It is OUR failure as citizens of the states to address certain basic issues that have us on the ropes. Those issues include: *Reforming the judicial oligarchy even if it requires a constitutional amendment. We will lose this nation and what is left of the Bill of Rights and Constitution if we don't. In 1996, some of our very best, including men like Judge...

Amendment-cost law goes to court Lawsuit says certain proposals treated unfairly By David Twiddy DEMOCRAT CAPITOL BUREAU Supporters of two proposed constitutional amendments have filed suit challenging a new state law that requires state economists to affix an estimated cost to their amendments. The Coalition to Reduce Class Size and Parents for Readiness Education for Our Kids say the law is discriminatory because it doesn't apply to amendments that either have already gone on the November ballot or were created by the Legislature. They also complain that there's no guarantee the cost estimates will be fair and, unlike the amendments...