Quote:
Originally Posted by alansmithee
Umm, isn't any election a "popularity contest"? Maybe we should also eliminate the pesky voting for legislature as well. We could go back to a monarchy, and maybe set up some nobility so we can get a house of lords. Or would a dictatorship be more to your taste? Also, how is this a complex issue, people either want it or they don't.
And I'm really suprised that Schwarzenegger is vetoing this. I thought he made a big deal about being a socially liberal republican, but I guess not.
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I knew I didn't explain that properly...
A referendum takes a complex issue like same-sex marriage, funding for schools, etc. and turns it into a yes or no question. Then it is left up to the people to decide. Generally speaking, these people are not experts on these topics and only vote based on an emotional or uninformed response.
I realize this isn't all that different from electing our politicians. But when our politicians vote on something in a legislative assembly the thing they are voting on has been through committes that have poke and prodded it throughly. Have sought expert advice.
I realize that even this system is not perfect, lobbyist can gum up the works. But frankly, I trust this system more than I do, the average voter to decide what is the right course of action for creating laws that effect us all.