Initiative: "The right or procedure by which legislation may be introduced or enacted directly by the people, as in the Swiss Confederation and in many of the States of the United States;"
-Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
PAST Successes of State Initiatives(Many were later adopted by Congress) (Mouseover) Abolition of poll taxes |
FUTURE Potential of National Initiatives(Percentages show popular support) Increase car mileage required(93%) Stronger Environmental Protection (83%) Enforce equal pay for women (79%) Free TV time for candidate debates (73%) Pay $50/yr. more to cut hunger (75%) Label genetically modified foods) (68%) End foreign military aid (65%) U.S. cut greenhouse gases now (65%) U.S. sign 37 treaties it now blocks (various) "On the most major issues we've dealt with in the past 50 years, the public was more likely to be right...based on the judgment of history...than the legislatures or Congress." -George Gallup, Sr. Initiatives are intended "to restore, not destroy, representative government" and "In order to clean house the one thing we need is a good broom. Initiatives and referendums are good brooms."-President Woodrow Wilson |