tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16801508.post1906700277040731305..comments2024-02-26T01:23:43.923-06:00Comments on Loretta Nall: Why we need I&R and RecallLoretta Nallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10598106614871958352noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16801508.post-36231521781309272802009-02-11T08:16:00.000-06:002009-02-11T08:16:00.000-06:00A majority of the "References" links on ...A majority of the "References" links on Wikipedia's "Initiative and referendum" page are no longer valid. Fortunately, the first two that link to pages on the I&R Institute website are. The I&R Institute is one of the best sources of information about I&R, and I might suggest that you provide a link to its home page on your blog, possibly in a sidebar where it would be available for readers now and in the future who are interested in learning about I&R. The link is <A HREF="http://www.iandrinstitute.org" REL="nofollow"> I&R Institute</A>. You could refer to the link every time you post anything about I&R.<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Now, about the two bills you blogged about on Summary of Action in the AL Legislature, HB279 the Initiative and Referendum Bill and HB393 the Recall Bill.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I believe a person would have to be an unrealistic dreamer to think our legislature will pass either one unless voters play hardball politics with the two members of the legislature that are supposed to represent them. More about that later.<BR/><BR/>The I&R bill would be opposed by a majority of legislators and the special interest groups they represent (rather than their constituents) because it would take some of the total power they hold in their hands and give it to the voters of Alabama. People can go <A HREF="http://www.doctoriq.com/reviewHB325.htm" REL="nofollow"> on my website</A> and review what happened with Representative Ball's I&R constitutional amendment bill back in 2006 (when for the first time in history an I&R bill reached the floor of either house of our legislature) if they scroll about a third of the way down the page to "A REVIEW OF HB 325, AN INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT". In that portion of the page they can read where the Birmingham News quoted Representative Mike Ball as saying, "Ball said the bill died mainly because powerful lobby groups comfortable with killing or passing bills at the State House disliked the idea of letting voters pass laws that lobbyists couldn't kill in the Legislature. ‘I'm going to keep trying,’ he said. ‘It will not pass until the public demands it.’ Ball said.”<BR/><BR/>The Recall bill would probably be opposed by even more legislators because it threatens the positions and power of all office holders in the state who don't serve the people they represent in a competent manner, and too many of them don't, as you well know.<BR/><BR/>PLAYING HARDBALL POLITICS: On my website page <A HREF="http://www.doctoriq.com/youcan.htm" REL="nofollow"> "HOW YOU CAN HELP ALABAMA" </A> I outline a plan for playing hardball politics concerning I&R that I believe would work if enough voters followed it. I believe that plan would also work for any piece of legislation, such as the Recall, or Medical Marijuana bills, BUT ONLY IF ENOUGH VOTERS FOLLOWED IT. If you or anyone else can come up with a better plan it should be broadcast far and wide.<BR/><BR/>DonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com