The Chicago Tribune had a fascinating article last week about the three advisory referendums we have on the ballot this November in Illinois. They involve important issues: IVF, property tax relief, and the safety of poll workers, but the referendums are meaningless. They are just advisory; they will have no effect. And it’s not even a matter of the legislature, and governor, wanting to know what the voters think. They could find that out by actually talking to people. No, that’s not the reason for the referendums.
The very last paragraph of the Tribune’s article explains the real reason for the referendums: Illinois law only allows three referendums per election, and it’s first come, first served. By putting these three meaningless questions on the ballot, the legislature is stopping people from getting together, collecting signatures, and putting something they want to see, and do, on the ballot. Our legislators in Springfield didn’t want that to happen, so as soon as a grass-roots effort to get an issue on the ballot started to gain momentum, the legislature hurried up and passed its own three meaningless referendums.
In other words, it’s just business as usual in Springfield: Our politicians doing what they want and not letting the people have a voice – or a choice.
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