but I don’t mean Dustin Hoffman…
Let’s be honest: Most folks aren’t crazy about ballot initiatives, not even a lot of the folks who are getting signatures. I don’t like having to decide on complicated matters in the voting booth — that’s why we elect representatives, right?
But as former Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson and former Washington Governor Booth Gardner argue in their op-ed in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the impetus for reform must come from the ground up. We have a few tools for accomplishing that, and this is no doubt the sledgehammer. It’s not delicate, it’s not nice, but if we get 100,000 signatures the legislature will sit up and notice. We’d rather they do it, but if they don’t … We Got Ballot.
As I’ve posted before, this weekend is the start of the signature campaign to put the Massachusetts Quality Affordable Health Care Act on the ballot in 2006. The act will reduce premiums, make it easier for more people to get coverage, and help small businesses afford coverage.
About 66,500 signatures are necessary to get it on the ballot; but supporters of major health care reform are hoping for 100,000 or more, to show the legislature the depth of support for reform.
We can affect this debate in a real, concrete way. If you’ve ever cursed the health care system, on your own behalf or for someone else, now is your chance to do something signficant for those 532,000 people that lack coverage.
- Download and sign the petition, and get some friends and family to sign it as well. (It’s not brain surgery, but be careful — it’s an official legal document, signatures need to be legible, and it otherwise needs to be dealt with in a very specific way. They’ve got instructions on the site.)
- You can call MassACT’s Lisa Vinikoor at (617) 275-2807 to volunteer to get signatures this weekend and next (especially crucial), or throughout the fall.
I know it’s healthcare week, but could we PLEASE comment on Romney’s interview with Wolf Blitzer? I love when he completely ignores facts regarding the state of homeland security in the Commonwealth. Makes me feel safe.
“We’d rather they do it, but if they don’t … We Got Ballot.”Interesting statement. Apply it to causes you care about and criticize it for causes you don’t support. I support all having access to our world class health care institutions; I sympathize with elected officials who have to figure out revenue issues, deal with restructuring issues, creating a sustainable long-term plan and not band-aid solutions, allowing for competition & more consumer choice, etc.
So, it’s a good idea to let your opponents use tools and forgo them yourself because of your principles?Personally, I think ballot initiatives are fine except they shouldn’t be totally binding, they should not allow a lower bar for passage of a constitutional amendment, and they should be more about taking the pulse of the electorate than making law. But that’s not the case right now. Should we then lie down and let anti-gay bigots use the initiative process and not touch it ourselves?Until the tool is fixed so it doesn’t get abused, people will use it. Including progressives looking to influence our politicians.
Lynne:Anti-Gay Bigots? Anyone, it seems, in your opinion that is opposed to Gay Marriage is a bigot. That’s bigoted so you’re a bigot. Is the Black Ministerial Alliance bigots, those that oppose Gay Marriage. Are the 3 dissenting Justices in Goodridge bigots? Is it bigoted to say that an ideal family is a mother, father & children and repeat what the psychologists and sociologists say is the healthiest way to raise children? Is Senator John Kerry a bigot because he supports civil unions but believes marriage is the union of one man and one woman? LYNNE THE BIGOT is all I can say in addition.
Ugh.To all: Please tone it down. If you want personal attacks and flames, take it to Atrios. John, I’d love to hear what you have to say about health care.Thanks.