For Immediate Release: August 7, 2023
Contact: Ryan Hite, Communications Director
Other States Should Follow Suit, Increase Hurdles For Constitutional Changes
St. Louis, MO: “Ohio now has a chance to not only strengthen their own laws, but lead the nation in protecting state constitutions,” said Ed Martin, president of Phyllis Schlafly Eagles. “For far too long, big money special interests have abused ballot initiatives to make fast and easy changes to the constitutions of many states. Passing and changes laws is one thing, but constitution-level changes are entirely different. Ohioans have a chance to strengthen their constitution at the ballot box tomorrow, August 8.”
“In many states,” Martin continued, “a simple majority vote can churn out constitutional amendments left and right. The bar for such changes should be higher than a simple majority vote. Likewise, our standards of what should be worthy of constitutional changes versus statutory law should be higher as well. We are, after all, a republic driven by the rule of law – not a simple democracy that governs by simple majority whim.”
Martin concluded, “This degradation of constitutional amendments to mob vote has allowed a host of special interests to rig up laws of their choosing. The pot industry has made huge cultural changes to states across the country. In Ohio right now, pro-abortion groups want to use this ballot initiative ‘loop hole’ to beat back state law with a mob-vote and constitutional solidity. Why? Because they know they can’t get through the people’s duly elected legislature, but they can fool the masses if given the chance.
“It’s time to end the scourge of ballot initiative abuse. Ohio must take this great opportunity say YES to Ballot Issue 1. Other states must take this victorious passage as their sign to do the same and protect their constitutions from the abuse of special interests.”
More resources on Ballot Initiative frauds:
- Phyllis Schlafly Report Column – End Ballot Initiatives: We Are Not a Direct Democracy
- The Myth of Ballot Initiatives
- Ballot Initiatives: Loophole in the Republic
