REPUBLICANS LOST BIG ON ABORTION BALLOT MEASURES. NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE RULES

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

REPUBLICANS LOST BIG ON ABORTION BALLOT MEASURES. NOW THEY’RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE RULES
Ohio’s Republican secretary of state says a proposal to make it harder to pass ballot initiatives isn’t about abortion. But as Ohio advocates debate a possible abortion ballot measure, liberal advocates are calling it “a power grab.”

Republicans, perhaps coming to terms with the unpopularity of their antiabortion agenda, seem to be grasping for a new playbook. Republicans in Ohio want to make it harder to amend the state constitution via ballot initiative, which abortion advocates say is a blatant attempt to block voter-driven efforts to enshrine reproductive protections in state rights.

“Ohio’s constitution has been far too susceptible to efforts by outside groups and special interests seeking to alter the people’s constitution to achieve their own ends,” Republican state representative Brian Stewart said, according to The Columbus Dispatch. With the backing of Frank LaRose, the Republican Ohio secretary of state, Stewart has introduced a resolution that would require a supermajority of Ohioans, 60%—as opposed to the current threshold of 50% plus one vote—to change the state constitution.

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The Fairness Project, an organization that backs progressive ballot measures, was quick to condemn the effort. “Let’s be clear about what this announcement means: Ohio Republicans are planning a power grab next year in order to diminish voters’ power at the ballot box,” executive director Kelly Hall said in a statement. “They know voters don’t agree with them on the issues, so they are changing the rules of the game.”

Even LaRose’s own statement regarding the supermajority proposal arguably belies the claim that the current threshold has left Ohio susceptible to the grip of special interests. As he noted, of the 16 petition-based amendments that have been proposed in the state since 2000, only five have passed. And abortion is a particularly controversial issue in the Buckeye state. Ohio’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, signed one of the strictest abortion bans in 2019, which went into effect when Roe v. Wade fell. A so-called heartbeat bill, it makes abortion illegal after about six-weeks of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape or incest, but has since been blocked by the courts. According to the Dispatch, abortion rights advocates in the state are currently debating whether to put the issue on the ballot in 2023 or 2024.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/11/republicans-abortion-ballot-measures-ohio

[BlueIdaho]

1. So much for "Listening to the people."

These ChristoFascists are hell bent on destroying the constitution and the democracy good people have fought for since the beginning of our nation.

[MayReasonRule]

6. Yep

Nat-C Fascists, each and every one.

[catbyte]

2. ...

“Ohio’s constitution has been far too susceptible to efforts by outside groups and special interests seeking to alter the people’s constitution to achieve their own ends,” Republican state representative Brian Stewart said, according to The Columbus Dispatch. With the backing of Frank LaRose, the Republican Ohio secretary of state, Stewart has introduced a resolution that would require a supermajority of Ohioans, 60%—as opposed to the current threshold of 50% plus one vote—to change the state constitution.

Oh, you mean no "outside influences" but the Koch brothers' ALEC and other corporate bullshit legislation? Can't have the people decide what they want their government to be, just the GQP's corporate and special interest overlords.

[AllaN01Bear]

3. nothing new here . move on.

[Liberal In Texas]

4. How long before they'll abolish petition-based ballot measures?

And be like my state:
Texas is one of eighteen states which do not permit any other form of initiative, referendum, or recall.
- https://texaspolitics.utexas.edu/archive/html/leg/features/0902_01/initiative.html

I wish we could get some petition generated things on the ballot. It might get more people out to vote for one thing.

[Deminpenn]

11. We don't have that in Pennsylvania either except

for being able to propose constitutional amendments. Any proposed amendment has to pass in two consecutive sessions of the state legislature. The Rs figured out the timing so their amendments would be on the ballot during primaries when their voters tend to turnout more regularly therefore having a much better chance to pass. They were set to cause more mischief but didn't foresee losing control of the state house.

[Timeflyer]

5. They can't win if they don't cheat.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

7. They tried to change those rules in South Dakota this summer...

...for the primary elections.

It lost big time.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

8. i am glad

[Hermit-The-Prog]

9. The radicalized Republican party wants permanent rule. Democracy is in their way.

[vercetti2021]

10. And it always will be

Fascism never lasts. It will die and it would here too.

[keep_left]

13. Yep. That began in the early '90s with the Clinton victory. The right made it clear...

...that Clinton would be treated as illegitimate from the first day. They cranked up the entire outrage machine, from the "think" tanks to the newly-minted Fox News, and went on the attack for Clinton's entire term. The attitude clearly was that only they could rule, period.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

14. Hillary's big "crime" was to try to get health insurance and education for children.

[Genki Hikari]

15. Hillary's big "crime"

Was in wanting to do more than be an arm decoration.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

16. They never forgave her for that ...

She started out by exposing racism in education, then threatened some big (insurance) revenue streams.

[roamer65]

12. They hate that blue state to the north.

Recreational MJ, independent redistricting, legal abortion, etc.

All of it was done via ballot proposals.

They don’t want true democracy to spread there from here.

Go Blue!

[mn9driver]

17. When right wingers are defeated at the ballot box, they don't abandon their proposals,

They abandon democracy.