Some folks are quick to blame the voters for the mess this country is in. Not me.
In 2008, Americans overwhelmingly opposed the TARP bailouts. Which candidate — Democrat Obama or Republican McCain — represented the majority of us on that central issue?
Neither.
This year, President Obama promises a significant tax increase and more government investment in crony capitalism. Republican nominee Mitt Romney pledges he won’t raise taxes and he’ll reduce at least the growth in spending via Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan.![Initiative sign](https://thisiscommonsense.org////images/initiative.jpg)
But who would be surprised were Romney, even given a GOP Congress — especially given a GOP Congress — to fail miserably on his promises?
Voters choose candidates for the right reasons only to see those candidates, from both major parties, jettison their campaign promises, ad nauseam.
We aren’t mind readers. We’re simply not to blame for good-faith decisions in a bad-faith system.
We are to blame, however, for not taking the initiative to change the rottenness in the system.
Yet, how best to get outside this box, to effect real change, to take the initiative?
Why, the initiative, of course!
Twenty-three states have viable processes for citizens to put initiative measures on state ballots. Even in states where no statewide initiative or referendum exists, like Texas and New York, most local jurisdictions have the initiative.
National changes can come from local action.
Increasingly, we must use the initiative not only to change the law, protect freedom, hold government accountable, reform the system, but also to set the political agenda directly from the grass roots.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.