Initiative Process Is Running Amok

You need look no farther than Idaho for another example of the citizens’ initiative process run amok.

There, in only eight weeks, advocates collected 47,608 valid signatures to qualify a flawed term-limits measure for the November ballot. They did so without any apparent groundswell of support - just cash.

Rather than organize and direct legions of volunteers, Donna Weaver and her Citizens for Federal Term Limits Idaho Campaign simply paid professionals a record $81,000 to do the grunt work. Weaver ponied up $25,000 herself; the rest came from out-of-state interests.

Elsewhere, the Idaho Property Owners Association paid $37,000 for about half the signatures needed to qualify another One Percent tax initiative for the ballot. Actor Bruce Willis dumped $25,000 into a successful push by nuclear-waste foes to buy ballot space. And Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Walt Minnick contributed $50,000 to an aborted minimum-wage initiative try.

At a time when initiative opponents increasingly harass signature gatherers, some reliance on paid signatures is understandable. But total reliance? Come on. The framers had something else in mind when they approved “mom ‘n’ pop” legislating by citizens.

The initiative process intentionally was made difficult - to block goofy measures such as Weaver’s. Supporters were supposed to run a gantlet which includes an attorney general’s review, formidable signature gathering, a campaign, an election and possibly court challenges. The signature gathering was intended to indicate grassroots support for a measure.

Now, however, any group with deep pockets can take its issue directly to the voters.

The pay-for-signature movement has made it easier for bad proposals to become law. The term-limits proposal, which will be on ballots in Idaho and Washington and 13 other states this fall, is a case in point.

Backers want to force states to indicate on ballots whether candidates support or don’t support term limits. Idaho Attorney General Al Lance believes such a notation would prejudice voters and, therefore, is unconstitutional.

Yet, voters might be fooled into passing the initiative, thinking they’re supporting the popular principle of term limits. At least, that’s what Citizens for Federal Term Limits Idaho Campaign is banking on.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria/For the editorial board