I’m not real happy with “law” being made by majority rule. Our system of government wasn’t set up that way for a very good reason. As you said, this worked in conservatives favor this time, but I don’t like the idea that it could be used in a very bad way next time.
Exactly the point.
Can’t endorse a process because it produced a favorable outcome in one case or a few cases.
If the referendum is a duly validated part of the state of Maine’s constitution, then yours or anyone else’s happiness is immaterial. When you say “our system of government wasn’t set up that way”, are you referring to the Maine government (which was set up that way) or the federal (which was not)?
I don’t understand the reticence to use a legitimate tool of redress under the Maine constitution. In this case in particular, the people did not MAKE law, but only PREVENTED it by opposing an act of their legislature they disagreed with.
If you registered your phone number with the “do not call” list, you have done the exact same thing - prevented what you consider a negative act by someone else (calling you unsolicited) by a legal preemptive move (registering your phone number).
If you oppose the legitimate tool called referendum, you must also oppose the legitimate tool called do-not-call.
Bill of Rights...10th Amendment.
Laws are made all the time by “majority rule” except we use representatives and it is their majority. But we are supposed to have the Constitution to make sure that the majority does not become a tyrannical mob like Reid, Pelosi, and Obama.