An initiative is a method of allowing the voters to directly vote on a proposed law. A petition is circulated, and if enough signatures are gathered, the proposal is placed on the ballot for the voters to decide.
There is no national initiative. If there were, 91% of Americans would likely vote for universal background checks for firearm sales. A majority would vote to raise the minimum wage. The Koch brothers be damned, a majority of Americans support progressive values and policies.
But we don't have that. Instead, big money sets the agenda by buying politicians at all levels of government. We can change that. OWS proved that we can. Before OWS, no politicians and damned few cable talking heads were talking about the 99%.
There is another way we, the people with the clipboards, can change the national discussion. There may be no national initiative, but there are 24 states that allow initiative, plus the District of Columbia.
That is the legacy of the Progressive Era, beginning in South Dakota in the waning years of the 19th century. It is the tool we need to use for the dawning of the next Progressive Era. Coordinated use of the initiative will allow us to stand up and be counted.
Imagine in the 2014 general election if Rachel Maddow and her colleagues continually report, "In addition to these important house and senate seats, 24 states and the District of Columbia have ballot measures that would raise the minimum wage, ban medically unnecessary restrictions on abortions and require background checks for all firearms sales."
We could do all that and more, or we could focus the discussion by selecting one or two and really, really push the agenda. The Koch brothers and their filthy ilk would have to spend millions holding back the progressive agenda, taking money away from their wholesale purchase of lawmakers.
The important thing would be to coordinate and organize. The goal should be the same or similar measure in each and every of the states that allow initiative. From Maine to Alaska and California to Florida (even if Florida only allows initiated constitutional measures.) Blue states like Oregon and Washington AND red states like North Dakota and Wyoming. Safe states like Idaho and Utah and swing states like Michigan and Ohio. Win where we can, gain a few surprises and fight like hell where winning has as much chance as a snowball in the same place. But change the narrative.
I suggest for consideration the following, and welcome other suggestions:
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:
I suggest state constitutional amendments where available, which would go something like this:
No law, rule or regulation infringing on or reducing access to a constitutionally-protected medical procedure shall be in effect until a court of competent jurisdiction has found, by clear and convincing evidence, that such law, rule or regulation is medically necessary.
LABOR LAWS:
An initiated law raising the minimum wage to $10 or $12 an hour, and deleting any credit for tipped employees.
An intiated law prohibiting discrimination in employment (or housing for that matter) based on sexual orientation.
WELL-REGULATING THE "MILITIA":
An initiated measure banning sales without background checks.
An initiated measure banning the sale of clips that hold in excess of 10 rounds.
We can do this in our state. Some of you can do this in your state. But it will get the most impact if we do this in every state where it is possible.
I firmly believe that the voters in red states are better than their legislators. Here in North Dakota in the last election we beat back a wingnut measure to eliminate property taxes. We banned smoking in public places, which our legislators consistently refused to do. I forget whether it were Mississippi or Alabama which defeated a personhood amendment. (With those two it doesn't much matter, does it?)
We can do this. We can change the narrative. Even where we lose at the ballot box, I think we will wake up the beltway by how much support progressive policies have at the ballot box. In the very near future, I predict we will be able to reverse the anti-gay-marriage provisions passed in the last two decades. Let's get organized.