The simple fact is, most fail. Only rarely are some controversial ones passed, like casino gambling and raising the minimum wage (the latter is almost certainly why the Chamber of Commerce endorses it because they fear future changes could bring the minimum wage higher).
Increasing the threshold to 60% is just part of the dastardly plot of this vote. That is specifically designed for the abortion issue that is going to be on the November ballot, which is likely to pass with 52%-58% of the vote, based on polling.
But that isn’t enough. Ohio passed gerrymandering reform several years ago by more than 60%. However, Republicans just ignored the law and passed partisan maps anyway. So the former Ohio Chief Justice is planning an amendment to create an independent panel to draw Ohio maps. Naturally, Republicans love gerrymandering, and they know it would easily garner 60%. So they also have moved to make it impossible to get something on the ballot by requiring 5% of the governor’s vote from ALL 88 COUNTIES. With how rural some counties are (and with some of them 80% red), this will be virtually impossible. One county is given a veto. Also, they are removing the 10-day period to gather more signatures if they fall short. A recent marijuana initiative shows the need for this: they fell less than 700 signatures short but turned in 10 times the amount needed in just 9 days. (Although worth noting that is a statute, not an amendment, so it isn’t subject to the same rules, but still illustrates the point that 1 signature short out of nearly half a million needed and you have to start over from scratch).
The arguments for it are pure BS. First, they claim that the Ohio constitution is open to special interest. Yet their entire campaign is bankrolled by Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein. It also makes no sense. As the rules are so much harder to meet, grassroots efforts will be dead, whereas only wealthy people could finance a campaign.
Second, they fail basic civics by comparing the amendment process for the US Constitution to the Ohio Constitution. Set aside that no single state gets a veto in the way single counties get a veto under their rule, but they ignore that the different constitutions are supposed to do different things. James Madison, the architect of the constitution himself noted that state constitutions needed to be far more detailed.
Third, they fall back on the idea that the initiated statute is still available. They ignore people choose constitutional amendments because the legislature likes to immediately amend them, usually for the worse in the eyes of backers.
And lastly, they rely on dog whistles and lies. Numerous ads have appeared claiming that “radical groups” are “coming for your children” and a yes vote is the only way to save “parental rights.” You would think the proposal would be about some transgender thing from most of the ads, but it has nothing to do with it.
The only argument they have that I do agree with is the outside special interests influence. The casino and medical marijuana amendments are prime examples of that. For the record, I still voted no. Fuck Frank LaRose. He’s a hypocrite.
Still, I don’t like the outside money and influence on our constitution nor our legislature, the latter being the bigger problem.
The canvassers whose petitions I signed for the upcoming election were both from out of state being paid to collect signatures. I’m not sure we can ever really have a grassroots movement in this country ever again until dark money is no longer allowed in our politics.
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