Posted on 07/12/2006 3:46:04 AM PDT by beaversmom
DENVER, July 11 -- Ending a bitterly divisive special session of the legislature, Colorado Gov. Bill Owens (R) cut a deal with Democratic leaders on a package of bills to deny some state services to illegal immigrants and to punish employers who hire them.
But the compromise late Monday brought angry criticism of the governor from some of his GOP allies because it did not include a key Republican goal: a tough referendum on illegal immigration on the November ballot.
Owens had called the special session specifically to reverse a ruling last month by the state Supreme Court that removed the proposed referendum from the ballot. In the end, though, the governor agreed with Democratic leaders of the legislature to deal with the red-hot political issue through legislation rather than a ballot issue.
In passing its crackdown on illegal immigration,Colorado is following the national trend in which state legislatures are taking the initiative on an issue that used to be considered a matter for the federal government.
More than 60 bills dealing with undocumented immigrants have been approved in 27 states this year, according to a tally last week by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The states have been moved to act in large part because "we seem to have a Congress in gridlock on the issue," said Ann Morse, who tracks immigration matters for the group. "State legislators feel if they don't act, nobody will."
Congressional leaders have identified illegal immigration as a key concern in the current session, but it now appears unlikely that any bill will emerge from Congress before the November elections.
Colorado is the home of Rep. Tom Tancredo, the Republican who has become a national leader for groups that want to increase border enforcement and deport illegal immigrants...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Is Owens up for reelection?
No--this is his last year.
I just don't understand why politicos refuse to allow the people to vote on these important issues that affect our lives.
If they don't they should be fired next election.
Fine. The question remains, how many of these 60 bills (laws) have actually been "implemented?"
Call me a major cynic if you will, but from what I've seen of our activist federal judiciary, I doubt that ANY will any time soon, be actually enforced as those who oppose them will judge shop their opposition motions right into some fed court and WILL be granted TRO's, which will effectively kill these laws as appellate process will take years to resolve.
I mean I understand your sentiments. I really do. But if Congress and the State Legislatures were doing their jobs there would be no need for 'we the people' to have any referenda at all.
That being said, Owens really punted this one.
L
Our founders gave us a Republic.....keep in mind how destructive direct voting could become....the country would be literally run from NYC, San Francisco (Grin), Atlanta, Miami, etc.....
It was colorado supreme ct that took it off the ballot, not the legislature.
We are a republic, not a democracy. There is no provision for national referendum.
Because once it's a matter of a VOTE and not some freaking opinion poll that can be doctored, the jig is up, and the pols can no longer in any way, shape, or form claim the "will of the people."
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