Jun
30
Drew Edmondson is at it again
Filed Under Uncategorized
Drew Edmondson, a man who wants to be the leader of Oklahoma, is once again using his powers as Attorney General to confuse voters by changing language of ballot initiatives set to be up for a vote in 2010. You may remember that Edmondson changed the language of the term limits ballot measure making it sound like it did not allow any re-elections. Well, he’s done it again with two other measures.
Senate Joint Resolution 13 passed overwhelmingly in the Senate (42-2) and the House (78-17) and is now known as State Question 750. It changes the calculation for the number of signatures needed to put a measure on the ballot, basing it on the last race for Governor in stead of alternating between the last presidential election and the last gubernatorial election. Here’s what lawmakers wanted you to see on the ballot.
This measure would amend Section 2 of Article 5 of the State Constitution. Under current law, eight percent of the voters must sign an initiative petition for a legislative measure. Fifteen percent must sign for a constitutional amendment. These percentages are based on the state office receiving the highest number of votes at the last General Election. This measure would make the percentage based on the number of votes cast at the last General Election for the Office of Governor.
Seems easy enough to understand, but not to Drew Edmondson who felt it was “not written on the 8th Grade reading comprehension level” and did “not adequately explain the effect of the proposition. So instead, he offered this language which will appear on ballots in 2010:
This measure amends a section of the State Constitution. The section deals with initiative petitions. It also deals with referendum petitions. It deals with how many signatures are required on such petitions. It changes that requirement.
“Initiative” is the right to propose laws and constitutional amendments. “Referendum” is the right to reject a law passed by the Legislature.
The following voter signature requirements apply.
8% must sign to propose law
15% must sign to propose to change the State Constitution.
5% must sign to order a referendum.These percentages are based upon the State office receiving the most total votes at the last General Election. The measure changes this basis. The measure’s basis uses every other General Election. General Elections are held every two years. The Governor is on the ballot every four years. The measure’s basis only uses General Elections with the Governor on the ballot.
The President is on the ballot in intervening General Elections. The measure’s basis does not use General Elections with the President on the ballot.
More votes are usually cast at Presidential General Elections. Thus, the measure would generally have a lowering effect on the number of required signatures.
That’s right, Drew Edmondson took five sentences and turned it into 21 sentences. What effect do you think that will have? Do you think that might cause some people to just vote no after getting halfway through it? Drew Edmondson may be counting on that.
Now let’s look at what the legislature proposed in House Joint Resolution 1014 which passed the Senate 26-22 and the House 65-29. It’s designed to oppose any effort to take the power of allocating funds away from the State Legislature. As you can see, it basically states that you can’t base how much Oklahoma spends in an area like education on what other states spend on education:
This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution. It would add a new Section 55A to Article 5. It relates to the state budget. It relates to the ability of the Legislature to spend money each year. It would allow the Legislature to make decisions about the state budget. The Legislature would be able to decide how much money to spend each year. The Legislature would not be required to spend a certain amount of money for any one government service or function. If this amendment is adopted, the Oklahoma Constitution could not require the Legislature to do this. If this amendment is adopted, the Oklahoma Constitution could not require the Legislature to make spending decisions based on how much money any other state spent.
Again, this seems pretty easy to understand, but not for Drew Edmondson who wants to change it to the following:
This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution. It would add a new Section 55A to Article 5. The Legislature designates amounts of money to be used for certain functions. These designations are called appropriations. The measure deals with the appropriations process.
The measure limits how the Constitution could control that process. Under the measure, the Constitution could not require the Legislature to fund state functions based on:
1. Predetermined constitutional formulas,
2. How much other states spend on a function,
3. How much any entity spends on a function.
Under the measure these limits on the Constitution’s power to control appropriations would apply even if:
1. A later constitutional amendment changed the Constitution, or
2. A constitutional amendment to the contrary was passed at the same time as this measure.
Thus, under the measure, once adopted, the measure could not be effectively amended. Nor could it be repealed.
Wow! That’s a mouthful! What the legislature said in nine sentences, it takes Drew Edmondson 15 including the five numbered phrases.
You tell me which is easier for an 8th grader to comprehend. Does the Attorney General have a panel of 8th Graders ready at a moment’s notice to read the language? And if less than half of them can’t understand it, he changes it?
Is it just an arbitrary way for a politician to try to confuse the matter or is it Drew Edmondson trying to defeat ballot measuers he opposes before they even get to a vote of the people?
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[...] Drew Edmondson is at it again : Oklahomans For Responsible Government [...]
All the more reason to avoid the man on the ballot for governor.