Making The Case For Citizen Initiative And Referendum

Some years ago, I wrote to my State Senator to voice my support for a proposed amendment to the State Constitution to allow for citizen initiative and referendum in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. My Senator opposed this concept, suggesting that it undermined the Legislative Committee System. But aren't our Legislators, or at least some of them, doing the same thing when they make deals on controversial issues, behind closed doors, and then ram the bill through the General Assembly, without holding public hearings?While I wrote in a previous posting that we need to reign in an out of control judiciary, the same may be true of the State Legislature, particularly when they are passing ill-conceived legislation, with little or no input from the constitutients they are supposed to represent.Which brings me to Senate Bill 57, Printer's Number 50, which if approved would authorize initiative and referendum in our Commonwealth. A concept which I believe is long overdue.The legislation reads as follows: "The legislative power of this Commonwealth shall be vested in the Senate and the House of Representatives, but the people reserve to themselves the power to propose laws and amendments to the Constitution, and to adopt or reject the same at the polls, independent of the General Assembly."In my never to be humble opinion, citizen initiative and referendum is a concept whose time has definitly come. And let's be clear on one important point, had this "concept" been a reality, the so-called "Slots for Education Act," would never have seen the light of day. JUST A THOUGHT FOLKS!!! Remember--the Government answers to the People--The People DO NOT answer to the Government.