Testimony before the Senate Interim Committee on Initiative and Referendum San Antonio, Texas, September 10, 1996

My name is Mike Ford.  I live in Austin.  I am a businessman, and I serve as the volunteer chairman of Texans for Initiative and Referendum.  Our purpose is to try to see that the Legislature passes a constitutional amendment proposal in the next session, proposing to Texans that they implement for themselves a binding initiative and referendum process.

The protests going on here today about racism, poverty and illiteracy are all valid.  But none of these ills are caused by I and R.  I and R is a tool that can be used for good or bad.  Like cars, medicine and freedom, I and R is a tool which can do prodigious good.  Such a tool can be misused, but our history shows that I and R has been almost invariably used for good.

Over the last 100 years government has been growing and concentrating power in our national capitol and in our state capitols -- relentlessly concentrating power.  More and more of our life is being dictated, controlled and taxed by government.  Over 40 percent of everything we make is taken from us each year.  We are losing our freedom.  I and R is not about politics; it's about freedom.  It's the only tool we have for peacefully de-concentrating power.

I want to make a comment on the statement made here today that with a million dollars you can pass anything.  TOTALLY WRONG!!!.  With a million dollars, you can put something on a ballot.  That's very different from passing something.  After it is on the ballot, citizens still have to vote on it.  And most of the things that get put on ballots, after great effort and even large expense, get voted down.

Sure, money is an advantage.  Those who have money --- have an advantage.  They have that advantage now.  And under the present system, all pertinent action takes place in Austin, behind closed doors.  Without us there.  This is where special interest money really counts --- because it only needs to influence 181 Texans -- not 10,000,000.  And THIS is why the special interest are so uniformly opposed to I and R. 

I and R is not about politics --- it's not about racism.  It's about freedom.  And Texans need it.  It's the only tool we have to check this relentless concentration of power in government.  Thank you