Radio Smart Talk for Monday, December 19:
Statewide public opinion polls conducted this year show usually about 65-70% of Pennsylvanians support a tax or impact fee on Marcellus Shale natural gas drillers. About two-thirds of the state's residents consistently favor selling the state-run liquor stores and 72% want a tax on smokeless tobacco like every other state has.
However, corresponding legislation that would satisfy the majority of those polled has failed to be enacted.
With that in mind, political activist Tim Potts formed The Majority Party PA political action committee. Potts will take the results of polls that meet certain criteria and ask lawmakers to sign a pledge to support what a clear-cut majority favor in those polls. Potts says that way, governing will be driven by the will of the people rather than the ideology of elected officials and the political parties they are affiliated with.
Tim Potts will appear on Monday's Radio Smart Talk and explain the program's unique role in the formation of The Majority Party PA.
LISTEN TO PROGRAM:
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One example of where a pure public opinion system has proven problematic is the referendum system in California. Interest groups have been able to enact referendums that put restrictions on California's ability to raise taxes to fund necessary things like public education.
I'm not saying that a system based on public opinion is a totally bad idea. It just needs to be tempered with other factors, such as what is in our country's or state's long term best interest. Yes, the current political situation is a mess. But I think the major cause of the problems are that we don't seem to elect any moderate legislators any more.
You also have good, solid polls showing that residents want both lower taxes as well as more services. How do you pledge to do both?
Issues become biased because the publicized commentary is sponsored and presented by biased information sources. "The public" hears whatever biased viewpoint happens to be most publicized, the most vocal, i.e. the most played by media sources.
How many "citizens" actually read either or both versions, House and Senate, of the "voucher bill"? Did today's Smart Talk presentor actually read the legislation? Does he really know what has formed his opinion and that of the "populace"? Has he considered that
he may be partially or wholly misinformed?
He should throw his energy and money behind Common Cause, an ancient organization, and not create further cacophony.
Did any other listener notice the absence of a description during the program of this man's professional and experiential background?
Our family has never been asked to participate in a poll done by phone.
....and the State would face bankruptcy.
I have argued for years that public referenda are the ONLY means by which the people can again retake the power invested in--------and seized for their own advantage------by the legislators.
If we had a parttime legislature, or a much smaller legislative body, this might not be as necessary.....but we have a fulltime, very insulated and elite legislature that does what money dictates. . . NOT what the people dictate.
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