Massachusetts is the cradle of liberty. But lately the politicians and judges of the state have been acting more like old King George than Samuel Adams.
Years ago, the people pushed through a petition that required their legislature to vote on term limits. But the state legislature simply refused to follow its clear constitutional duty. No vote was ever taken.
So much for “We the People.”
Now the highest court in the state has handed down a decision that could destroy the right of the people to ever petition their government again. The law says that petition forms cannot be altered i.e., language cannot be changed or hidden from those who sign.
But the court suddenly interprets this to mean that if a signer happens to spills a drop of coffee on the petition, everyone’s signature is invalidated. This kind of ruling against common sense makes it impossible to successfully petition. Most residents of Massachusetts believe in common sense. So did the Founding Fathers.
Heck, a guy named Thomas Paine wrote a whole book on the subject. Thankfully, the Washington-based Initiative & Referendum Institute has stepped in to fund an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The group’s president, Dane Waters says, “This decision is judicial dictatorship. It’s the kind of thing that once led to throwing tea into Boston’s harbor.”
Let’s hope the justices were just being crazy here and not deliberately wicked. Let’s also hope that the U.S. Supreme Court will restore sanity to the courts and freedom to the people of Massachusetts. Don’t let the political class rob the cradle … of liberty.
This is Common Sense. Yep. Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.