Posted by
Michael on Thursday, November 29, 2007 1:21:24 AM
This column was published in the most recent
Madison Park Times:It's hard to get a lot of excitement up for off-year elections. There's
little hype, with the races not being highlighted by well-funded
candidates and a year-long campaign cycle. These elections, however,
can play a role in seeing what direction the electorate is leaning,
politically speaking.
The
victory of Tim Eyman's latest initiative, I-960, was interesting in
this regard. The initiative pressed for greater accountability among
legislators toward the people who put them in power by making it
necessary that every statewide tax measure is first approved by voters.
For those who believe that voters should control their own funds, this
is a move that will increase the power of the electorate.
The initiative also would require that fee hikes be passed by
legislators and signed by the governor, as well as mandating press
releases regarding bills on taxes and fees in order to provide
information to the electorate.
Eyman was quoted as describing
the victory of the bill as "another victory for the taxpayer." It
certainly was a victory for those who believe in the libertarian ideals
of small government. The question is whether this could also translate
into a victory for Republican candidates down the road, most notably
Dino Rossi for governor in 2008, or if this is merely hollow populism
on the part of Washington voters.
An interesting insight into
Washington voters' psychology came while reading the blog of Seattle
Times reporter David Postman. Postman quoted Chris Vance, the former
chairman of the Washington state Republican Party, on why conservative
and libertarian initiatives are passed by the same voters who vote
Democrats into office: "They like our ideas, they just don't like us."
Can
the connection be made in voters' minds that there are politicians on
the other side of the aisle that support the policies they pass through
initiatives? If it can, it may have to involve demolishing the popular
myths regarding conservatives. In liberal circles, people who lean
conservative or vote Republican are painted as either hopelessly
ignorant or somehow morally vacant.
To combat this, it would be
wise to be proactive. Instead of getting into personal battles during
election cycles, demonstrate the power of conservative ideas and how
they compete with the failed policies of liberalism. If articulated
well enough, voters would see that the ideas and values they hold are
not being shared by the people they vote into office.