Saturday, June 04, 2011
Brits a bit behind on this
Several of the Nationalist bloggers in Britain are advocating more use of initiative and referenda. Apparently it was tried once or twice in one or two cities there, but is not at all standard.
I've often mentioned the Brit innocence about American things, but it goes both ways. I had no idea that local elections on matters like taxation were an unfamiliar and fresh notion in Britain! They're tiresomely common here. Admittedly Wash state is among the heaviest users of 'referism', with dozens of state, county and city referenda on the ballot every year. Eastern states generally don't have initiatives, but they do have frequent votes on capital projects or school bonds.
Does 'referism' help? Yes. Direct decisions give legislators a set of firm boundaries. The reps sometimes step across the line in the sand, but the people see the trespass and don't like it. So the legislature's natural impulses are controlled to some extent. The Federal legislature has no such boundaries, so it rolls faster and faster into Hell. ¶ 4:25 PM
I've often mentioned the Brit innocence about American things, but it goes both ways. I had no idea that local elections on matters like taxation were an unfamiliar and fresh notion in Britain! They're tiresomely common here. Admittedly Wash state is among the heaviest users of 'referism', with dozens of state, county and city referenda on the ballot every year. Eastern states generally don't have initiatives, but they do have frequent votes on capital projects or school bonds.
Does 'referism' help? Yes. Direct decisions give legislators a set of firm boundaries. The reps sometimes step across the line in the sand, but the people see the trespass and don't like it. So the legislature's natural impulses are controlled to some extent. The Federal legislature has no such boundaries, so it rolls faster and faster into Hell. ¶ 4:25 PM
