Look what the cat dragged in!

[David Catchpole]

On Tue, 20 Oct 1998, Daniel Davis wrote:

>     I am new here.  What is the consensus on having a nationwide referenda process?
> 
>     (i.e. Enough signatures in 50 states to place a binding federal statute.  Ross
> Perot's supporters managed to put his name on all 50 states) [i think]

I'm from a country where we have Swiss-style constitutional referenda
(i.e. A majority of our 6 states must have a majority of "yes" votes in a
referendum to change the constitution). It stinks. Out of around 50 (don't
quote me) referenda in the past hundred years only 8 have been approved
sometimes because the smaller, more conservative states have had "no"
majorities while the net vote was "yes." Oh well. I guess that's one of
the downsides of being a federation.