The National Referendum on Reproductive Choice in Ireland

[MineralMan]

reminds me that we have no process for national referendum voting in the United States. In many states, citizens can put things on the ballot if they gather enough signatures. But, there's no way to have a national ballot referendum.

Perhaps such a thing would be worth working on. It might take a Constitutional Amendment to enable it, but it would be excellent if such referendums were possible here.

[dsc]

1. I am pretty glad we didn't have this back in 1953

I think segregated schools would have won a referendum. I am glad we didn't have this back in 1967 I think interracial marriage would have lost. I am glad we didn't have this back in 2015, I think marriage equality would have lost.

[MineralMan]

3. You could be right, but I'm not sure, really.

One thing I noticed was that the Irish referendum resulted in an excellent turnout of voters. We have a problem with turnout here. Perhaps knowing that one's vote will actually affect something, rather than just elect people, would help encourage voters to actually go and vote.

[dsc]

4. only whites could vote back in 53

and prop 8 passed in California on the wings of massive turnout.

[Demsrule86]

2. I wish we did. We could have stopped much of the shit if we did.

[sweetroxie]

5. Only if people get out to vote.

nt

[Demsrule86]

6. so true.