Comments on: CGS recommends initiative reforms http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2008/11/14/cgs-recommends-initiative-reforms/ Politics in the Bay Area and beyond Thu, 23 May 2013 23:10:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Evan Ravitz http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2008/11/14/cgs-recommends-initiative-reforms/comment-page-1/#comment-2659 Evan Ravitz Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:58:12 +0000 http://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/?p=1941#comment-2659 Solutions to initiative problems have been generally agreed on and available for many decades. But legislators NEVER improve the process, only make it harder (not affecting the wealthy much) and hobbling it in various ways (this year, with AZ Prop. 105 and CO Ref. O, both wisely defeated by voters).

Voters on ballot initiatives need what legislators get: public hearings, expert testimony, amendments, reports, etc. The best project for such deliberative process is the National Initiative for Democracy, led by former Sen. Mike Gravel: http://Vote.org. Also http://healthydemocracyoregon.org/ and http://cirwa.org

In Switzerland, petitions are left at government offices and stores for people to read and sign at leisure, so there are less aggressive petitioners, more informed signers, and less $ required. The Swiss vote on initiatives 3-7 times a year so there’s never too many on one ballot. Because they have real power, the Swiss read more newspapers/capita than anyone else.

In Switzerland, representatives are humbler and more representative after centuries of local and cantonal (state) ballot initiatives, and national initiatives since 1891. They call their system “co-determination.” This works for all relationships!

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