Charlie Mitchell: Legislature’s poison pill works on 42
Last Tuesday was the first time the Legislature chose to offer alternative wording. As has been widely noted, 42A wasn’t drafted as a better alternative to 42. It wasn’t an alternative at all. No one campaigned for it. It was a poison pill, put on ballots to add confusion. It worked.
Totals showed 59 percent of voters favored 42, but, separately, 52 percent voted not to change the Constitution at all. So … splat. End of discussion.
But most amazing aspect — and really unexplained — is that lawmakers and several state incumbents put so much time and effort into disrespecting voters. They chose to muddy the water even more than the treacherous double ballot.
Lots of money was spent on both sides, but those opposed didn’t stretch the truth. They dragged, kicked and stomped it.
ClarionLedger
11/10/15
Magnolia Tribune
