If there is ever a case of direct democracy helping Democrats and HURTING Republicans, it could be in the Cradle of Liberty, itself, Philedelphia. Friday's
Philedelphia Inquirer reported that City Council will consider placing on the November ballot a referendum on the war in Iraq, with potential side benefits to Bob Casey, Jr. (and Ed Rendell as well).
Philadelphia voters will get a chance to weigh in on the Iraq war this November if City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell gets her way.
And though the vote has no legal power over American foreign policy, it could have an effect elsewhere on the ballot by turning out voters for Democratic senatorial candidate Bob Casey Jr.
Modeled after initiatives that passed earlier this month in 24 of 32 Wisconsin towns, Blackwell's effort would place on the ballot a question asking voters if they want "to begin an immediate withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, beginning with the National Guard and Reserve and ending with a total withdrawal of all U.S. forces by the end of year 2006."
Blackwell said a resolution would give Philadelphians a chance to send a message to Washington: "It's time to bring our kids home," she said.
Beyond a chance to give the Iraq war a symbolic thumbs-down, the ballot initiative could also serve another purpose amid a hard-fought Senate race. In overwhelmingly Democratic Philadelphia, the referendum could help bring out liberal voters who might be lukewarm about the antiabortion, pro-gun Casey, the front-runner in the Democratic primary campaign to take on U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum in the fall.
Blackwell doesn't hide the fact that she hopes for a potential boost to the Democratic ticket.
Blackwell, a Democrat, said she had not intended the referendum to influence other races. "But I'll take anything I can get," she said.
I like this lady!!!
If the Republicans want to press hot buttons to turn out their voters, we can play that game, too. They've shot their wads over the years with abortion and gay marriage, now it's our turn. How about minimum wage? How about choice?
Ed Rendell's machine will already working on churning out the vote in Philly as he works toward squashing Lynn Swan, so I don't know how much of a boost the referendum would be. But if the Casey/Santorum race is as close as I expect, just a small boost may be enough to make the difference. If so, Philadelphia could be a lesson for big-city Democratic organizations all over the country. If this gets on the ballot, I'll be watching very closely.