On the Initiative Process
The sham of the Initiative Process is that the rank in the gatherers of signatures are swelled by people needing a quick job, needing to tide themselves over from one job to another, who could care less about the Initiatves they are gathering signatures for.
The tell tale signs are there. I can not abide anyone who has a half dozen or so issues they are gathering signatures for. And the worst line I hear, again and again, is…
“Just to get it on the ballot”.
I have witnessed someone go through item after item on a clipboard, bluster out the title of the ballot initiative, get a skeptical and slightly confused look on the would be signer — to say “I don’t understand what this issue is all about”, and then slyly wax out “Just to get it on the ballot.” As though, once on the ballot, the person will take a long time to carefully read the language of the law, weigh the issue, and make an educated vote — because it is… on the ballot.
And I witnessed this scene: a signature gatherer asks for a signature on… I believe it was “Affordable health care”. The would-be-signer says “I already signed that one.” The gatherer asks “When?” The signer says “Two weeks ago.” As so happens that was May, this is June, and so he says “Sign this anyway. They don’t throw it against us if you get a repeat signature every out of the calendar month.”
This is a cynical calculation indeed.
If you’ve ever looked into signature gathering, you’ll get queasy on the process. A two-week term of service. Gather at least five signatures every day, and you will get paid a relatively decent amount. Then you’ll either be kept on or let go, depending on how far above this minimum you go.
The troubling consideration I have in my mind is that Oregon’s political reputation sort of hinges off of a couple of Initiative-brought laws that stub their middle finger out at the federal government. Doctor Assisted Suicide, most notably.
So what are you going to do? It’s done some good. But most of the initiatives we’ll get in November are going to suck eggs, and some of them will pass.