Michigan governor signs bill making citizen ballot initiatives nearly impossible

[Borealis]

https://m.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/12/28/snyder-signs-bill-that-makes-citizen-ballot-initiatives-nearly-impossible

Gov. Rick Snyder has signed a bill that makes citizen ballot initiatives nearly impossible.

The law was among the more controversial floated by the GOP-controlled legislature during the lame duck session, and Democrats and Republicans outside the state capitol urged
Snyder to veto it. Though Democrats used citizen-led ballot initiatives to pass progressive legislation in November, Republican groups have used them in the past to pass more
conservative citizen-initiated laws.

Among other changes, HB 6595 mandates that no more than 15 percent of the signatures gathered during a ballot drive could come from any of the state’s 14 congressional districts.
It will especially limit petition circulators in urban areas because the congressional districts are gerrymandered and far more progressive voters in cities are packed into fewer districts.

Legal experts have argued that the legislation is likely unconstitutional because it takes away a resident's constitutional right to participate in a ballot drive once the 15 percent
threshold is met in a congressional district.

"There is probably grounds to challenge as it's severely limiting the constitutional right of citizens to petition their government," state Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, previously told
Metro Times. The legislation came after the success in 2018 of five citizen-led ballot initiative ballots.

He also signed an LGBT protecting executive order, vetoed another power grab bill, and pardoned five Iraqis the feds wanted to deport.

[TornadoAP]

Nearly 100 years ago out great-grandfathers and great-great-grandfathers were protesting on the streets in order to ensure the right to citizens referendums when the system had become too corrupt and people no longer had a say in their country, only companies did.

We haven't been as vigilant.

[Borealis]

Now the national narrative is run by ten corporations, people won't be allowed to be angry at this. Just like the lack of national outrage over the North Carolina election fraud.

[Splash Attack]

Lame duck sessions are completely undemocratic.

Legilatues should be barred from passing legislation regarding rules process or other similar matters during these periods.

[ASparkle]

I am very proud to say I was one of the over 2 million people responsible for voting Dick Schneider and his party out of office, here's hoping the new administration can reverse this come January, though I doubt it will be possible since Dems didn't get a majority in the state Congress.