Another twist on Initiative 1366

By a vote of 50 percent plus one, a political party could control every elected Federal, State, and local office in America. Were anything close to that to happen, the 50 percent less one vote minority would have no influence in how they were governed unless protections written into how legislation was passed.

Consider Obamacare. Democrats controlled the Senate, House and Presidency. Republicans weren’t allowed into meeting/conference where the Obamacare was written, had no seat at the table, never had an opportunity to express their concern. Voters represented by Republicans were denied input and Obamacare passed, as was so famously said, “So we can find out what’s in it.”

Our forefathers had concerns about “the tyranny of the majority” and enacted provisions to protect the minority from an overreaching government by requiring a supermajority in many cases. Senate rules allowing the filibuster restrict passage of legislation that could disenfranchise and take unfair advantage of the 50 percent less one vote.

There should be a high bar for government to demand from individuals the fruits of their labor through taxation. Being in the 50 percent less one vote allows others to legislate how much you will be required to forfeit to government and they, not you, will determine how that money is spent. Raising taxes should be the last resort. To make certain that happens citizens want a supermajority to raise taxes.

Initiative 1366 protects the 50 percent less one vote from government excess and “tyranny of the majority” in keeping with the wisdom of our founding fathers.

This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 1:37 PM with the headline "Another twist on Initiative 1366."