So when did government become run by referendum?

[chelsea0011]

There are so many referendums these days, that I wonder why we elect officials. So what is the story with referendums? Can they be used for any and all issues? And is so, why do they seem to always be ways to limit funds for teachers, schools, and anti-gay legislation. Many citizens would like to cut funding to Iraq at the knees. Can it be done by referendum?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I like voting on referenda. But i agree, let's put the war on one

[donco6]

2. Only states can run referendii.

But you're right, they have become prolific in the last decade or so. This is due, in part, to the work of the Christian Coalition. They were the ones to start this end-run around elected officials. It was part of their stealth campaign to infiltrate school boards and other low-level elected offices. If they couldn't get what they wanted through the elected officials, they would use their church networks to get initiatives passed.

[Realityhack]

3. True but they were on the books long before.

Referenda are an important check on gov. power IMO. When they can be done is on a state by state basis.

[donco6]

4. The process escalated exponentially in the 80s.

Here in Colorado, virtually everything is done via referenda these days. Sometimes I wonder why we have elected officials.

[BJW]

5. Good Point

and my impression is that many of these referendums are backed by repugs in an attempt to manipulate and inculcate an overall negative public perception of government.

[donco6]

6. They certainly are around here.

Mostly anti-tax, anti-immigrant, anti-gay - that sort of thing. You can look across the whole country and the themes repeat themselves over and over again.

[pinto]

7. Personally, I hate "government by proposition" (CA). I vote on 'em,

but am adamant that propositions basically bypass the legislature - whom we elect to, duh, enact legislation - and are usually tools of well funded special interests who can't get what they want from the legislative process.

As day follows night, they generate opposition propositions (see Props 78 & 79 here in CA) and the requisite million dollar ad campaigns. Many voters are thoroughly confounded by the time election day gets around.

I voted today, though....