Comments on: Yes, you can vote on taxes and laws in a republic!

By: Len

Len — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:40:16 +0000

Didn't the 39th congress do away with that pesky republican guarantee anyway? You know after the southern states had left the union and were conquered, they were then told that they were not allowed to make their own decisions as to who to elect.

Anyway this kind of lawsuit is ridiculous, those bringing it are acting as if the people are subjects of the state, rather than those in government their agents acting on their behalf. Any legitimate government MUST act according to the will of the people…so long as that will does not do away with rights.

By: Jeff Matthews

Jeff Matthews — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:03:08 +0000

We actually have the same problem here in Texas.

It disappointed me to see voters in our school district support issuance of $900 million in school bonds – all based on the argument that tax rates would not rise since property taxes are a function of real estate values, which will….. get this….. continue to rise forever. That was, of course, before the bubble popped. Now look where we are.

By: “Voter Referendum” Coming to a School District Near You… « robpepe.com

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:35:51 +0000

[...] There is an old, and bogus, claim that to the contrary: that the U.S. Constitution requires states to lock citizens out from direct lawmaking.Â The argument is that only a system in which the politicians decide everything is permitted by Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution.Â In that clause, the United States guarantees to each state a â€œrepublican Form of Government.â€Â READ THE REST HERE! [...]

By: Restoring Patriotism » Yes, you can vote on taxes and laws in a republic! â€“ Tenth Amendment Center

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:34:07 +0000

[...] Reading on Tenth Amendment Center: Yes, you can vote on taxes and laws in a republic! â€“ Tenth Amendment Center. [...]

By: Monte

Monte — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:14:38 +0000

California has done it for years in the form of Propositions. The problem however has been that the voters are so uninformed that they tend to vote for the benefit an additional tax purports rather than the tax itself. Consequently, they are close to bankruptcy. Most Californians have never met a bond measure they didn’t like. Even if I liked the benefits the measure espoused, I would always vote against a bond measure just on the principle that I’m opposed to passing today’s excesses on to my children.

By: Jeff Matthews

Jeff Matthews — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:12:18 +0000

Very interesting. I had not heard of the anti-TABOR push. It's really quite bizarre that challenges would be launched against it. I can certainly see where laws enacted by popular vote can be challenged post-enactment as regards whether they comply with state and federal constitutional requirements. But to suggest that the Constitution prohibits initiative and referendum altogether is absurd.

Thanks for writing on this topic. It will be interesting to see what becomes of it. My guess is that this will be an opinion that the SCt gets right.