Not too early is it? 2008 Presidential fun

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

In our country the people are never given direct voice in the actions of our federal government. We never vote on what the government will do, we only ever vote on who will get to decide what the government will do.

Though you alluded to it elsewhere in your post, I wanted to point out the distinction with California and other states that have a referendum system. I seem to remember, Alex, you were against such a system ... but I am whole-heartedly in favor of it. I'm perfectly comfortable with constitutionality being the balwark against mob tyranny, and I find direct action by the electorate to pass laws to be the only workable solution to grid-locked government and insufficient progress for civilization.

The California referendum system is far from perfect. I'd like to see proposed laws vetted for constitutionality before they're allowed on the ballot. It seems every law passed directly by the electorate is tied up in court challenges for decades .... leaving us right back with the insufficient progress that the system aims to remedy.

[Alex]

Yes, I am geneally opposed to initiatives and referenda on principal except on very local levels (like socialism, direct democracy is a form of government I think only works well in very small units).

I would support prescreening of propositions and referenda for basic constitutionality but many of the problems they cause is that they are generally poorly thought out in their implications, inappropriately handcuff the proper working of our representative government, and conflict with existing law.