w all the talk about the kansas referendum today-

[mopinko]

like so many referenda, apparently the wording is confusing. this is by design.
it's an unwritten rule of these things that you word it so the answer you want is the yes answer.

we had one here quite a few yrs ago about a plan richie daley had to improve our lakefront parks.
now, this is a long standing sticky issue, as my hood has some of the only private beaches in the city. the entire rest of the lakefront is public. the public can access those beaches, but the city cant touch them. it's a hot button.
the petition to get it on the ballot was a ploy be a guy planning to take on the long time alderman, who was giddy about the plan. as was i. by then daley had made it a mission to improve every park in the city. and he'd done a beautiful job. i didnt trust him on anything else, but this, yes, give him the keys.

now, folks had concerns. mainly, that they were adding an access road cuz they were adding a boat launch. and also they were concerned about adding for profit vendors for food, etc.
this had been done to great uproar in the downtown crown jewels. it was done well, and added to the fun. they built kiosks that fit in w the architecture. they were not obtrusive.
they misrepresented the plan, esp that road. the kiosks werent in the plan, which werent needed like it actually was downtown.
but the referendum threw those things in. claimed the road was not going where they said it was and that the plan opened up our parks to 'profit seekers' or some such pejorative.

i wish i could recall the final wording, but it was super twisted. intelligent voters were scratching their heads that day. turned out an old friend had worked on the wording.
she- you always word a referendum so that they answer you want will be the yes vote.
it was just advisory, and iirc it passed about 60-40. but there was much talk afterward about how confusing it was, and many who said they had voted the wrong way.

bottom line, how i decide- who's behind this? friend- vote yes, foe- vote no.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. It just sounds so reasonable when you read it

This will pass a slam dunk in KS, not even close

[mopinko]

2. i'm eagerly awaiting the returns.

there is no trick these assholes wont stoop to.

[MuseRider]

3. Might be but

the last polling I saw it was almost a tie.

There have been TONS of ads on TV and newspapers about the wording. I got text messages and emails all day. The explanations from their side did not explain but were mostly just emotional reasons why to vote yes for women. The messages from the vote no side were pretty explicit about how to vote and why.

I hesitate to say much because who knows in this messy state but I do not think it will be a slam dunk.

Sorry, had to correct this, had a cat laying on me as I tried to navigate typing on my phone. In case there was confusion, our side the pro abortion side is vote no.

[MuseRider]

4. Nope.

Not this time.