Columns

This idea is about 60 percent arrogant

By HOWARD TROXLER
Published November 5, 2006

When we vote Tuesday, we'll be asked to give up some of our future power.

If we approve Amendment 3 to the Florida Constitution, it will be harder for us to pass future amendments.

Future amendments would need at least 60 percent of the vote, instead of a simple majority.

Kind of ironic, isn't it? A simple majority on Tuesday can take away the power of up to 60 percent of Floridians in future elections.

Who wants Amendment 3?

First of all, the Florida Legislature wants it. The Legislature put Amendment 3 on the ballot. The Legislature does not like voter petition drives. The voters have gotten too bossy about wanting smaller class sizes and such.

Second, a big part of the business community backs Amendment 3. They are worried about petition drives that hurt business. Past examples include a smoking ban and a higher minimum wage.

There's a group supporting Amendment 3 called "Protect Our Constitution Inc." It has raised $2.3-million as of its last report. The report of contributors is a business who's who. Here are a few:

U.S. Sugar, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Publix, the St. Joe Co., TECO Energy, the Florida Association of Realtors, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the National Restaurant Association, the Florida Apartment Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Their main arguments for Amendment 3 are that (1) it is too easy to change Florida's Constitution, (2) "special interests" can buy their way onto the ballot and (3) the topics of some petitions just don't belong in our Constitution.

First of all, it's not easy. Any yahoo can start a petition, but it's hard to finish. It takes a statewide effort and must overcome legal hurdles.

As of Tuesday, there will have been 25 amendments on the ballot from 2000 onward. Of these, 13 were placed by voter petition, and 12 by the Legislature.

So, 13 is too many, but 12 is all right? When you hear a statistic about how many amendments there have been, be sure and ask how many were the Legislature's.

In the past three elections we passed 18 of 19 amendments. Five would have failed under the 60 percent rule. The five are high-speed rail, statewide prekindergarten, smaller class sizes, hog-farming rules and gambling in South Florida.

Maybe you think some amendments are bad ideas. Maybe you thought, just as I thought when I voted against some of them, that they weren't proper subjects for the Constitution.

And yet a majority of Floridians said they were. The difference between me and the Amendment 3 backers is that when my side lost, I didn't boo-hoo and say, "The voters are dumb! We need to change the rules!"

Finally, about this "special interest" thing.

Yes, sometimes a "special interest" has persuaded enough Floridians to sign a petition or to pass its idea.

Yet I am not sure that a smoking ban, smaller classes, a higher minimum wage and keeping hog farming from spreading were such wicked "special interests."

Besides, if I have to choose between the "special interests" that want me to keep on voting, and those that want my vote to have less power, the choice does not seem hard.

[Last modified November 5, 2006, 00:43:28]