Direct Democracy

There was an article in yesterdays paper. The Oregonian to be exact that I linked to above. It is written about Direct Democracy in Oregon and asks if it is a good thing for the state. I think the author asks some good questions but his overall position is one that after 1912 all the good that the initiative system brought to Oregon politics was done and now the system has just brought us a bloated constitution and a budget that is out of control because state legislature is handcuffed by the whims of the public at large. In the interest of full disclosure I must add that I have been employed in the past by a signature gathering firm and will do so again if the opportunity presents itself.

I have to disagree. I realize there are problems with the system in Oregon. But, there are problems with every states system and nothing is going to make every voter happy. But DIRECT DEMOCRACY is what makes Oregon special. It is what allows the average voter to have a voice. I may disagree and often I do with where the money is coming from or what the particular issue is that we are going to be voting on. But, I get to vote. In other states I am not afforded even that. There are laws passed without any discussion or input from the voters who put the politicians in office in the first place.


To get rid of this would take the state backwards to a time when the elite where the ones voting and they liked it that way. Yes, Democracy is messy and ugly and that is how it should be. In truth if you want things to be run smoothly then we should install a benevolent dictator. Because, believe me, then things would run smoothly. The budget would be balanced, trains would run on time, and most likely Oregon would be a much quieter place to live. But, this idea goes completely against the so called origins of the United States. I believe that Direct Democracy serves the people best as messy as it is. It allows the people a voice and that voice is loud and sometimes unorganized and ugly but it is a voice.

As far as I am concerned, I would not have it any other way.

1-26-10 (Tuesday)

Well I took a side trip last night on my way home from Beaverton and stopped into the Comcast office to pick up my new HD/DVR box for the new television. That was an eye opener. I had decided to pick up my box under the mistaken assumption that it would be faster...it was not. It was much like going to the DMV. I walked in the office at about 4:45 or so and there was a line of people along every open wall space as well as every chair except one being full. After that initial shock I noticed that I needed to take a number from the number machine. But it wasn't that simple. I had to choose what I was there for since it seems each of the six windows were for a different function. I choose equipment pickup/drop off and it was time to take a seat.

It was at that point that I noticed my number was T405 and the numbers on the board were T495. I begin to get nervous. Had I taken the wrong number? All of these people couldn't be here for equipment could they? How embarrassing was this going to be for me? But at the T499 mark the numbers flipped over to T400 and I breathed a sigh of relief. It had been all I could do to not go get another number. That kind of momentary panic is pretty common for me as is the follow up worry about am I going to look foolish or be embarrassed in front of people who do not know who I am.

It is funny to me that I worry about that. Because anyone who knows me can tell you that if I am around a group of people who do know me I am not afraid to look foolish if I can make people laugh. It isn't like I am some sort of smooth James Bondian fellow anyway. I can be clumsy. I have fallen over in public several time and usually because I stepped on uneven sidewalk. But I survived the experience and now have HD at home and let me tell you. I realize I am a little late coming to the HD party but wow! I am even more looking forward to the Olympics and the Super Bowl then I was before.

That is all for today. I hope you voted if you live in Oregon. You still have time to get out there and drop it off. Tomorrow should be interesting as the results begin to come in.