Initiative: “The right or procedure by which legislation may be introduced or enacted directly by the people, as in the Swiss Confederation and in many of the States of the United States;”
– Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary
Searchable Database of ALL US Initiatives and Referenda by the National Conference of State Legislatures
PAST Successes of State Initiatives(Many were later adopted by Congress) (Mouseover) Abolition of poll taxes Aid to dependent children, blind, mentally ill Bottle deposit bills Direct election of US Senators Direct primaries Food sales tax exemptions Merit systems for civil servants Mining reclamation Mining severance & oil extraction taxes Old age pensions Open meetings Prohibiting cyanide mining Renewable Energy Requirements for Utilities Public school funding State financial audits Sunshine laws Tax limits Victim rights Workman’s compensation
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FUTURE Potential of National Initiatives(Percentages show popular support. I’ve left in older polls to show how progressive Americans really are.) Stronger Environmental Protection (83%) Enforce equal pay for women (79%) Pay $50/yr. more to cut hunger (75%) Re-instate limits on campaign donations (72%) Label genetically modified foods) (68%) Universal Health Care (67%) End foreign military aid (65%) U.S. cut greenhouse gases now (65%) U.S. sign 37 treaties it now blocks (various)
Ballotpedia has lots more! “On the most major issues we’ve dealt with in the past 50 years, the public was more likely to be right…based on the judgment of history…than the legislatures or Congress.” -George Gallup, Sr. Initiatives are intended “to restore, not destroy, representative government” and “In order to clean house the one thing we need is a good broom. Initiatives and referendums are good brooms.”-President Woodrow Wilson “The cure for the ailments of democracy is more democracy.” -John Dewey |