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Government at every level (national, state,
local) grows larger, more concentrated, and more intrusive every
year. The Initiative process is the only tool available for
de-concentrating government peacefully.
Consider - Every two years a select group of
181 persons are legally permitted to take $140 billion from 20
million Texans. We are told that we have control over these 181
people. If we don't like what they do, we can simply vote them
out of office.
But we get to vote for only 2 of these 181
persons who are taxing, spending, and making laws that interfere with
our lives. The other 179 legislators are protected from our
views. We can't vote for them.
Consider - In 2005, the Texas Ethics
Commission files show that $200 million was spent lobbying 181 Texas
Legislators ($1,100,000 per vote). See report, Austin's Oldest Profession.
If that $200 million were spent to influence
15 million Texas voters, that would be $13 per voter. Clearly
you have more clout when your millions can be spent to influence 181
voters, rather than millions of voters.
Consider - Last session the Legislature
added over 1,500 new laws to the books. How many of them did
you ask for? No one, including any legislator, knows what all
these laws are.
Consider - Recently only 24 of 150 districts
in the Texas House of Representatives had competitive races (where
the margin of victory was 10% or less). There was no opposition
at all in 61 districts. And in 33 other districts the opposition was
token - with margins of victory 30% or more.**
"All political power is
inherent in the people,
and all free governments are
founded on their authority,
and instituted for their benefit."
Texas Constitution, Article 1
**See research Mortgaged House by Lynn Tran and Andrew Wheat for
Public Citizen's Office, Texans for Public Justice, and U.S. PIRG
Education Fund. |
