SB1108: Bias in action has been witnessed

SB1108 does create additional difficulty for groups to make their voices heard, but is this good or bad? The answer is yes. Seems bad for elected officials to make it more burdensome for citizens to make their will known — but is it bad when citizens make uninformed decisions? How many signers of petitions read even the summaries of both sides of an issue before signing it? Petitioners are not volunteers, they are paid to collect signatures so they are biased in favor of the side that pays them, and I have witnessed this bias in action.

Last almanac I read stated 97 percent of all homes in America had at least one working television. Technology exists to hook up a box (similar to a cable box) to each television with three buttons on it reading: “Yes” “No” or “Undecided”. A 24-hour “Political Channel” could be dedicated for the purpose of educating the electorate and allowing them to vote on issues, candidates or laws while the information is still fresh in their minds simply by walking up to their televisions, entering a number or code issued to registered voters, and pressing a button. Sponsors of bills and/or other experts could take a half-hour to discuss all the best reasons why a bill/issue/candidate should be voted on/for, and the second half-hour could be used by expert opponents of same to explain why a vote should be cast against.

Buttons could not be pressed until both sides were expressed, and the program could be repeated morning, noon and evening so all could have opportunity to vote regardless of schedules. Computer would reject voting codes attempting to be used more than once per issue, and issues could include local, state and national concerns. It’s just one suggestion that could possibly help alleviate the encumbrance imposed by SB1108. Elected officials, at the very least, would have 20-20 vision with regard to the collective will, and would have to justify decisions in defiance of that will.

Direct democracy in action — what a scary thought ... or is it?

BILL JOHNSON

Rathdrum