Maine’s citizen initiative process is unfair, claims State Rep. Paula Sutton.
“[R]ural Mainers are left out of the equation,” Sutton tells readers of Knox County’s Village Soup, “and Portland dictates public policy for the rest of the state.”
Hmmm? Every Mainer eligible to vote currently has the equal right to decide ballot measures.
Her grievance appears to be that there are more urban voters than rural.
Last November, voters passed four of five issues, all opposed by Rep. Sutton. Still, losing at the ballot box is hardly prima facie evidence of “unfairness.”
“Unless we do something to fix the citizens’ referendum process here in Maine,” she nonetheless contends, “the state will continue to be an easy target.”
For what, exactly? Voting on issues people favor?
Mainers are “ripe to be taken advantage of by wealthy out-of-state special interests,” she complains, explaining that billionaire Michael Bloomberg “spent millions of dollars in his failed attempt to squash Mainers’ Second Amendment rights with Question 3.”
Yes, you read that right. Question 3 failed. Voters weren’t exploited.
Sutton has introduced legislation “to ensure rural Mainers are no longer being run over by wealthy liberal special interest groups.” Her bill requires petitions to qualify in each of the state’s two congressional districts instead of qualifying statewide. That makes it more difficult, but hardly changes the need to circulate petitions in urban areas.
Not forests and empty fields.
Rep. Sutton seems to understand her proposal won’t effectively thwart citizen initiatives, pledging to support further restrictions. That’s easier for politicians than permitting democracy and persuading people.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
2 replies on “The Unfairness of Losing”
You just saw that in the reverse in our last national election last November. The Dems and other Hillary supporters are STILL crying. The Electoral Vote process has been with us since almost the start of our country. It was created so the large heavily populated states wouldn’t run over the less populated small states, in a way parallel to the way the two house legislature was set up. Both the systems in Maine and nationally have worked out well all there years. Leave things alone. It ain’t broke. We just have be responsible to take the time, inform ourselves better, and be more discerning, then take the time to VOTE. If it doesn’t go your way, shut up and vote NEXT Time. I had to endure four years of Mr. Obama, twice. I felt sorry for those who couldn’t find work all those years. It’s their turn now. Maybe we’ll also get some relief in the form of term limits too. As Mr. Obama said eight years ago, we need CHANGE. I seem to remember that was his platform.
Sounds like Ms. Sutton wants the state of Maine to be governed as a republic.