Jeopardizing rights

Here is a theoretical question: If a ballot measure was voted on in Arkansas, and 59.99 percent of all voters were for it, and 40.01 percent against, would that measure pass? Not if Issue 2 passes this November. And rare for this day, it is something that would be bad for both major parties if it passes.

Republicans, imagine if additional voting-right protections or right-tolife protections failed to pass because a small minority said no. Democrats, imagine if marijuana legalization is shot down by that small minority. That hardly seems fair, does it? You discover a majority of the state backs a position, but it fails because it isn’t a big enough majority, the 60 percent that would be required by Issue 2.

Consensus-building is important, as is reaching across the aisle and building bipartisan support. But in today’s highly politicized world, getting 60 percent of the state to agree to anything is a tough task. How tough? Theoretically, if Issue 2 had existed since 2010, only nine of the 17 ballot measures passed until now would be law today. Put another way, just 52.94 percent would have succeeded.

Halving our ballot-measure success rate hardly seems to follow our state motto “the people rule.” Under this policy, all but perhaps the least controversial issues would be shot down. Some might argue that’s a good thing. Perhaps, but remember that ballot measures were how we raised minimum wage and legalized voter ID as well as medical marijuana, all controversial to at least some degree. We the people deserve the right to make controversial decisions at the ballot box. Let’s not jeopardize that right this November.

ALEX CRAWFORD

Little Rock