It's truly amazing how the Leftists get away with portraying themselves as "Progressives" when they're really just working to consolidate their own power -- that is, the Leftist elite's power. A century ago, Progressives worked to secure a greater voice for the regular citizen in the political process. Now our "Progressives" are on the verge of passing a law in Massachusetts which will essentially kill the initiative process. ("Ballot initiative limits sought; Gay marriage foes seen as target", Boston Globe, July 16.)
Massachusetts is already the hardest state in the country for getting a question on the ballot through a citizens' initiative, requiring a large number of voter signatures gathered in a very short period. Now, the Leftists are proposing even tougher requirements on the process, and would "make it possible for groups opposing ballot questions to gain almost immediate access to the names and addresses of the people who signed the petitions, providing them an opportunity to persuade signatories to retract their support." This would really just be another intimidation tool, and possibly a means of tying up their opponent with lawsuits. The Lefitsts also want to toughen requirements on paid signature gatherers.
MassResistance does not even support Mass. Family Institute's new ballot question initiative, which seems to have prompted this rush to pass this hideous legislation. But we do support representative government, and hate to see it end this way. It's bad enough we live in a state where the Legislature and Governor didn't follow the Constitution last time a citizens' petition on marriage was brought in 2001... They just threw it in the trash, without even voting! Now, the Leftists are intent on keeping citizens from even knocking on the State House door.
Barbara Anderson of Citizens for Limited Taxation said, ''This Election Laws bill is a weak and phony front for hatred of the petition process that brings issues into the public arena for debate. The gay marriage issue, and all issues, would be better served by both sides expressing confidence in their position and trusting themselves to sell it to the voters, instead of expending resources preventing the campaign debate and driving a stake through the heart of the last best vox populi."
