Ohio 2008 State-wide Issues.

Issue #1 - To provide for earlier filing deadlines for statewide ballot issues To amend Sections 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1g of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. The proposed amendment would: require that a citizen-initiated statewide ballot issue be considered at the next general election if petitions are filed 125 days before the election; establish deadlines for boards of elections to determine the validity of citizen-initiated petitions; standardize the process for legal challenges to citizen-initiated petitions by giving the Ohio Supreme Court jurisdiction to consider these cases and establishing expedited deadlines for the Court to make decisions. Issue #2 - To authorize the State to issue bonds to continue the Clean Ohio program for environmental revitalization and conservation To adopt Section 2q of Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. This proposed amendment would authorize the state to issue up to two hundred million dollars (,000,000) of bonds for conservation and preservation of natural areas, open spaces and farmlands and other lands devoted to agriculture; provision of state and local park and recreation facilities; and land, forest, water and other natural resource management projects. It would also authorize the state to issue bonds up to two hundred million dollars (,000,000) for environmental revitalization and re-development of publicly and privately owned lands, including environmental remediation, assessment or clean up of contamination or pollution. Additionally, it would limit the amount that could be borrowed in any one fiscal year for either conservation or revitalization purposes to no more than fifty million dollars (,000,000) plus the principal amount of those obligations that in any prior fiscal year could have been but were not issued. Issue #3 - To amend the constitution to protect private property rights in ground water, lakes and other watercourses To adopt Section 19b of Article I of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. This proposed Amendment would: make explicit that a private property owner has a right to make reasonable use of the ground water that lies beneath the owner's land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare; make explicit that a private property owner who owns land on the border of a lake or other watercourse has a right to make reasonable use of the water in such lake or watercourse located on or flowing through the owner?s land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare; not affect the public?s use of Lake Erie and other navigable waters of the state; and prevent the rights confirmed under this proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution from being impaired or limited by the operation of other sections of the Ohio Constitution. Issue #4 - Pending Statewide Ballot Issue: Initiated legislation requiring paid sick leave for employees in Ohio To require certain employers to provide a minimum amount of paid sick leave to employees in Ohio by enacting Chapter 4114 of the Ohio Revised Code Issue #5 - Pending Statewide Ballot Issue: Referendum on Legislation Making Changes to Check Cashing Lending, Sometimes Known as "Payday Lending," Fees, Interest Rates and Practices To lower the maximum loan amount to , provide borrowers with a minimum of 30 days to repay the loan, and set a maximum interest rate of 28% annual percentage rate (APR) on loans. Issue #6 - Pending Statewide Ballot Issue: To Amend the Constitution by Initiative Petition for a Casino Near Wilmington in Southwest Ohio and Distribute to All Ohio Counties a Tax on the Casino To adopt Section 6a to Article XV of the Ohio Constitution

Popularity: 1% [?]

Why Nothing Gets Done in the Senate....

Yesterday, a bill had a majority of 56-44 votes in favor of it.  So it won the vote right?   Wrong.  Due to Senate rules, and the absense of anyone objecting, the bill had to pass with 60 votes or more or it failed.  So much for majority.
"The reason the Webb amendment failed even though it got 56 votes was that Senators agreed by unanimous consent that the amendment should have to get 60 votes to pass, even without a filibuster. But why would anyone agree to allow Republicans, who are already on pace to shatter all previous filibuster records, to stop an amendment this important and this sensible without even lifting a finger? And the question here is not just why anyone would allow it, but why everyone did. A single Senator could have put a stop to this simply by saying, "I object" when the unanimous consent request was made. Just one Senator. Yet none did. Not Harry Reid. Not Russ Feingold. Not Bernie Sanders. Nobody. And so the Webb amendment died quietly yesterday, allowing Republicans to enjoy all the obstructionist benefits of a filibuster, without having to stand up and tell Americans and their fighting men and women in the military exactly what they were doing. And not a moment was "wasted" on the "extended debate" that's supposed to make up a filibuster. Everyone just politely agreed that 56-44 would be a losing vote for America's sons and daughters wearing the uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan. And they did it on national television. And America yawned, hit the snooze button, and slept in."
Read the full article.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Restore Habeas Corpus

The Senate made a terrible mistake last October, and allowed President Bush to damage one of the oldest founding principles of our democracy. They gave the President the authority to seize people and hold them without ever explaining why -- despite the fact that the Constitution itself says he should not have that power. Now some members of the Senate have recognized how big a deal this is, and they're trying to set it right. This week, the Senate will hold its first up-or-down vote on restoring habeas corpus. Tell your Senators to support the Specter-Leahy amendment to the Defense Authorization bill. http://act.truemajority.org/o/1/t/3/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1183 The amendment offered by Senators Leahy and Specter to the Defense Authorization bill would restore habeas corpus. Without habeas corpus, it's a very slippery slope towards dictatorship. So urge your Senators to vote yes on the Leahy-Specter habeas amendment. Join with me and TrueMajority.org to pressure the Senate to do the right thing and restore this fundamental right. http://act.truemajority.org/o/1/t/3/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1183

Popularity: unranked [?]