Comments on: On Shirking Responsibility http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/ & Home of Lawn Mower Repair Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:55:41 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Old Prosecutor http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22143 Old Prosecutor Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:22:27 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22143 To Poster #7 - you completely missed my point which is that the legislature refuses to give home rule to local elected officials - they want to keep the power to control local matters except when things like tax increses come up- then they bob and weave and pass the buck by wanting to let the voters decide I note that they didn't let voters decide if they got a 61% raise last year and they are not letting voters decide this year if taxpayers should pay for that health insurance To Poster #7 – you completely missed my point which is that the legislature refuses to give home rule to local elected officials – they want to keep the power to control local matters except when things like tax increses come up- then they bob and weave and pass the buck by wanting to let the voters decide

I note that they didn’t let voters decide if they got a 61% raise last year and they are not letting voters decide this year if taxpayers should pay for that health insurance

]]> By: Don http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22076 Don Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:47:50 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22076 Senator Beason has a point, but I’d rather see him address the shirking of responsibility from another angle, such as the legislature’s continual failure to pass real reform and accountability legislation that a majority of their constituents favor. In an article published by the Birmingham News on December 26, 2004 Representative Mike Ball wrote the following: In his address to the 1912 Ohio constitutional convention Theodore Roosevelt told delegates, “the initiative and referendum should be used, not as substitutes for representative government, but as methods of making such government really representative. Action by the initiative or referendum ought not to be the normal way of legislation; but the power to take it should be provided in the constitution, so that if the representatives fail truly to represent the people on some matter of sufficient importance to rouse popular interest, then the people shall have in their hands the facilities to make good the failure.” I believe the majority of Alabamians would agree that their legislature has failed to represent them on numerous important issues for far too long. The complete text of Ball’s article can be read @ http://www.doctoriq.com/mikeball.htm. Ball has introduced legislation, HB423 in the current session, which would make Alabama the 25th Initiative and Referendum state. The text of that bill is @ http://www.doctoriq.com/bama's%20I&R%20bill.htm. Senator Beason has a point, but I’d rather see him address the shirking of responsibility from another angle, such as the legislature’s continual failure to pass real reform and accountability legislation that a majority of their constituents favor.

In an article published by the Birmingham News on December 26, 2004 Representative Mike Ball wrote the following: In his address to the 1912 Ohio constitutional convention Theodore Roosevelt told delegates, “the initiative and referendum should be used, not as substitutes for representative government, but as methods of making such government really representative. Action by the initiative or referendum ought not to be the normal way of legislation; but the power to take it should be provided in the constitution, so that if the representatives fail truly to represent the people on some matter of sufficient importance to rouse popular interest, then the people shall have in their hands the facilities to make good the failure.”

I believe the majority of Alabamians would agree that their legislature has failed to represent them on numerous important issues for far too long.

The complete text of Ball’s article can be read @ http://www.doctoriq.com/mikeball.htm. Ball has introduced legislation, HB423 in the current session, which would make Alabama the 25th Initiative and Referendum state. The text of that bill is @ http://www.doctoriq.com/bama’s%20I&R%20bill.htm.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22065 Anonymous Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:33:30 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22065 Actually, Old Prosecutor, in at least two instances, it is the legislators who want the local voters to elect local officials and Governor Riley who wants to appoint them. Actually, Old Prosecutor, in at least two instances, it is the legislators who want the local voters to elect local officials and Governor Riley who wants to appoint them.

]]> By: walt moffett http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22058 walt moffett Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:57:18 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22058 Or are local voters smart enough not to trust their local officals? Or are local voters smart enough not to trust their local officals?

]]> By: Old Prosecutor http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22056 Old Prosecutor Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:51:10 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22056 Anyone else find it strange that these are the same legislators who think the local voters are too stupid to elect local officials capable of making local decisions Anyone else find it strange that these are the same legislators who think the local voters are too stupid to elect local officials capable of making local decisions

]]> By: links for 2008-04-09 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22054 links for 2008-04-09 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:36:19 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22054 [...] Doc’s Political Parlor: On Shirking Responsibility [...] [...] Doc’s Political Parlor: On Shirking Responsibility [...]

]]> By: walt moffett http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22048 walt moffett Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:52:56 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22048 Is the legistlature shrinking by using the people as a third house? Anything that impedes legislation is generally a good idea in my book. Is it a way of having gaining cover for unpopular decisions or "voting for it before voting against it", sure. Is the legistlature shrinking by using the people as a third house? Anything that impedes legislation is generally a good idea in my book.

Is it a way of having gaining cover for unpopular decisions or “voting for it before voting against it”, sure.

]]> By: Limited I & R http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22034 Limited I & R Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:25:05 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22034 I believe in the concept of initiative and referendum to a degree. I think that when the issues become hot-button and pit two differing interests - such as economic development versus gambling, as in the current situation near Dothan - a referendum may be necessary to essentially settle the issue, as it did with the lottery. If it is just a straight-on gambling bill the legislature should decide it and face the voters with their actions. I believe in the concept of initiative and referendum to a degree. I think that when the issues become hot-button and pit two differing interests – such as economic development versus gambling, as in the current situation near Dothan – a referendum may be necessary to essentially settle the issue, as it did with the lottery. If it is just a straight-on gambling bill the legislature should decide it and face the voters with their actions.

]]> By: JacobM http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-22033 JacobM Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:21:43 +0000 http://www.politicalparlor.net/wp/2008/04/09/shirking-responsibility/#comment-22033 It is true that we live in a republic...that is our form of government. It is not practical for the general public to take repeated votes on issues. Some issues should indeed go to a public vote (like Aemnedment 1). But that process should be very rare. Beason makes a valid point. It is true that we live in a republic…that is our form of government. It is not practical for the general public to take repeated votes on issues. Some issues should indeed go to a public vote (like Aemnedment 1). But that process should be very rare. Beason makes a valid point.

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