Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are not published because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest.
Each day I am bombarded with messages “vote yes for Issue 1!” Are we to vote stupidly in August because we might vote stupidly in November? Must we diminish the strength of our votes to protect ourselves from ourselves? An August bogeyman will defend us from a November one?
Issue 1 is not what they say it is. It does not protect us from the bogeyman, it is the August bogeyman. It would make it more difficult for the citizens to repeal something the General Assembly got passed. It does not raise the vote requirement for amendments proposed by the General Assembly, only for amendments proposed by the citizens. I would expect Ohio’s citizens to be diametrically opposed to that.
What happens if Issue 1 passes? Much of that money that would have been used to influence the vote of the public would be directed towards corrupting the General Assembly. That would be the smart thing for those who seek to amend the Ohio Constitution to do since 10% of the vote would be for sale there. Is that a good thing? Is that something we want?
Why 60%? Why not 84%, which would reduce us to the three-fifths counting historically accorded to enslaved people?
What if Issue 1 passes but the November bogeyman gets less than 50% of the vote? I can imagine that everybody who voted for Issue 1 will suddenly realize that they have been hoodwinked. But that realization would come far too late.
What of the two-thirds rule that protects the minority from deprivation of their rights by a majority? Shouldn’t Issue 1 require 67% of the votes cast to be “yes” in order to pass? Are we being asked to trample the voting power of the minority at a time when we should in good faith defend those rights? Would that not be the first step to ending the divisiveness that paralyzes our society?
Don’t vote stupidly in August. Vote against issue 1. Defend the strength of your vote. Send the August bogeyman packing, and we shall face confidently whatever November brings.
Brian M. Ames, Randolph
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