Automated poll called my home this morning pushing people to vote for Issue 3, which is meant to kill popular petition drives for amendments and initiated acts. (Think medical marijuana and a higher mininum wage, among many good benefits from petition drives.)
Did you know Issue 3 is meant to stop “mob rule,” the survey asked. Yes, really. In the land where the state motto is Regnat Populus (the people rue), the cabal behind this amendment sees the people as a filthy mob.
Do you know who supports this measure, poll respondents were asked? Republicans in the Arkansas House and Senate. Enough said. You’re expected to autocheck anything with an R stamp.
Issue 3 is bad for the people, because it limits their petition power. It’s good for corporate lobbyists, who can get what they want from a pliant legislature without having to worry about “the people.” It’s good for Republicans. They managed to use linguistic trickery to beat some good government ballot petitions this year, including a proposed non-partisan legislative districting commission to end gerrymandering. They don’t want to have to mess with that again or anything that would loosen their vise grip on the legislative process.
Fight back.
Vote No on Issue 3 (link has explanation from Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families).
And while you’re at it, strike out the legislature.
Vote NO on Issues 1, 2 and 3. The Republican legislature also wants to abolish term limits and raise the state sales tax permanently for spending by an unaccountable and poorly run state agency (the freeway department.)
Regnat, people.
