Tax Revolt 2006 Skids into the Ditch
Little noticed, but the progressive movement had massive victories in multiple states this last week-- victories that mean that millions of children will have better schools and families will have better services and health care. The rightwing had been hoping to export Colorado's "Taxpayer Bill of Rights" (also known as TABOR), a severe tax cutting measure that crippled that state for most of the last decade.
Ballot petitions had been filed in multiple states for TABOR-like initiatives, but this last week in Michigan, Nevada and Montana, state courts and agencies tossed the measures off the ballot-- largely due to variations of fraud committed by rightwing activists. This followed Oklahoma and Missouri tossing similar measures off the ballot earlier in this year.
While TABOR-like initiatives remain on the ballots in Oregon, Maine and Nebraska, the collapse of this rightwing effort in so many states means that progressives will be able to spend their money fighting on other fronts-- rather than draining their budgets to fight the TABOR danger across the country.
What is remarkable is that those funding these initiatives -- centered around a rightwing network led by New York developer and libertarian patron Howie Rich -- could be so reckless and arrogant in their fraud. Examples include:
- In Michigan, initiatives had such high rates of duplicate and invalid signatures that a startling 40% of the signatures were deemed invalid.
- In Montana, a judge declared "the signature-gathering process was permeated by a pervasive and general pattern and practice of deceit, fraud and procedural non-compliance" in tossing the initiative and additional companion rightwing propositions.
- In Nevada, the backers filed one version of the language with the state, then circulated other language to voters asked to sign the initiative-- a clear violation of state law.
- In Oklahoma, the campaign illegally relied on out-of-state signature gatherers and struck the state's TABOR proposal from the ballot.
Hard work by progressive activists across the country exposed these frauds and deceit, so we all should celebrate these victories. And it's one more example that fraud and illegal behavior have become such constant tools of the rightwing that their arrogance may be catching up with them.
For more on the campaign, see this piece by Progressive States and this earlier one on why TABOR is so threatening to progressive goals in states.
Nathan, I have a question for you about the UAW's approval of Ford's buyout scheme. Rather than hi-jack this thread, I blogged it here. Thanks!
September 15, 2006 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
. . . state courts and agencies tossed the [TABOR ballot iniative] measures off the ballot . . . .
While I am no fan of ballot initiatives, a Progressive Era political dinosaur today too easily coopted by special interests, and certainly, no fan of TABOR, the technical defeat of these initiatives should give us liberals pause rather than cause for jubilation.
It is unfortunate that our greatest recent social successes -- civil rights and women's rights -- have been achieved by invoking the powers of courts and administrative agencies. Because these bodies are undemocratic, their processes and procedures are hidden from the average citizen. We have often become too dependent upon them to the exclusion of broader and more open democratic procedures.
Further, on a whole host of contemporary issues -- GWOT, presidential powers, torture, treatment of insurgents, etc. -- our history makes it likely that we will seek success in courts with the result that we fail to take the opportunity to educate our fellow citizens and are frequently, viewed by them as unable to make our case in the public forum.
Thus, while fighting TABOR-like initiatives may cost resources, engaging in public dialog provides an opportunity to educate voters. And if we are successful -- as we should expect to be -- our view will find post-voting acceptance and support in a majority of the citizenry, that is, in the democracy.
See, AWOT for a better drafted, more persuasive argument.
September 15, 2006 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Woo-hoo! A court upheld liberalism rather than risk putting it to the test of democracy! You should be proud.
September 15, 2006 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ellen-- I am hardline against overuse of the courts by progressives, something I've written about quite a bit in the past. But blocking wholesale fraud is pretty basic stuff-- it's no concession to elitism not to allow millionaires to abuse the initiative process.
September 15, 2006 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is unfortunate that our greatest recent social successes -- civil rights and women's rights -- have been achieved by invoking the powers of courts and administrative agencies.
It's more then unfortunate, it's been disastrous for the Democrats and liberalism. Being spared the necessity of having to make your case in the court of public opinion (and though I'm rabidly pro-war, I'm also pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, etc.) has weakened the party and given the other side a vacuum in which to operate freely.
Take gay marriage-- obviously demography and public sentiment is on its side, and in ten years or so, it might well have started winning legislative battles. Instead courts shortcircuited the process-- and immediately energized the other side, forcing people to choose before the issue had really percolated through the public. The result may very well be that instead of having to pass a law, you'll have to repeal an amendment to make it legal.
September 15, 2006 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't know fraud was a conservative value-- a lot of these judges weren't liberals. They just believed in honesty and obeying the law.
But it seems a lot of rightwingers can't tell the difference these days between believing in following the law and liberalism.
September 15, 2006 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed.
And to bend the argument a bit --
Are Colorado voters more sophisticated today than they were ten years ago -- and all due to their having voted for and lived with TABOR?
Or to be a Leninist for the nonce, with the Repugs pushing unfunded mandates down on the states, would a series of TABORs result in state governments seizing up and taxpayers/voters receiving an effective and useful education?
September 15, 2006 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Liberalism is looking pretty good right now. Especially since the contrast is fascist tyranny with Dear Leader George as He Who Must Be Saluted.
Seig heil, Kamerad!
September 15, 2006 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
That anti Howie Rich site is really something.
Howie Rich has his office on Spring Street? In the heart of Soho? Can't be. Must be west of 7th Avenue, in those drab office buildings.
September 15, 2006 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ballot initiatives are hardly true democracy in practice. In theory, they should be, but when wealthy people can clog the airwaves with propoganda it's just not fair. This leaves states in a mess because everyone wants more programs with less taxes. Fortunately, it seems like Californians are revolting from the fraud that has become our ballot initiative "process".
September 15, 2006 4:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a Colorado resident. I had a decent career in IT, and decided to give it all up, serve my country, and become a school teacher about 4 years ago. Like most who venture into public schools after "real" jobs, I burned out. I loved the kids (I even got along great with parents!) but hated the system, and ran into a serious conflagration with a principal.
A big part of my frustration with schools is the waste. It's true that new teachers are underpaid. But experienced teachers aren't. Play the game right, hang in there, and teaching is a pretty decent career. Heck, if you don't like kids, get an administrator's license and make the big bucks. (I'm sure there are great administrators out there - you'll just have to pardon my bitterness for the moment).
The amount of croneyism, incompetence, duplicate positions, and "make work" at my school district was appalling.
Here in Colorado, we have a GIANT highway initiative (T-Rex). We bought a new stadium for the Broncos. We have school districts that are top-heavy with administrators and bureaucrats. (Denver has an awesome mayor who's doing great things for the city, but in general, I don't know if our state makes great use of tax dollars).
For me, TABOR is a mixed bag. Yeah, that out-of-state cheeseballs like Armey are pulling the strings around here is upsetting. I would love to see more money go to schools - but in the right way - towards funding research based programs. As it stands, more money to schools ends up going to bigger administrations, raises for all teachers (regardless of performance), and infrastructure.
I guess the point is that Coloradans are, generally, a pretty pragmatic bunch. I don't believe that this breaks down so neatly along progressive/conservative lines - as someone liberal enough to give up a six figure salary for $30K to pursue a lofty ideal, I've got pretty mixed feelings about government spending.
What if the progressive strategy was about making maximally effective use of revenues? What if our message was "we can do it better with what we have" instead of the old "give us more". Especially now with the neo-con spending festival in progress - it might be worth it to harken to the days of Clinton and the surplus. And it would sure short-circuit the TABOR argument.
September 15, 2006 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
September 16, 2006 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
It isn't a "technical defeat" - that would be if the TABORites had substantially complied with the law and had the support. The TABORites didn't, they made stuff up.
Stirling Newberry http://www.bopnews.com
September 16, 2006 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Reinventing government" seems to have actually happened to some degree, but didn't produce enough visible results to ensure the 2000 election. Then again, Al was a bit limp.
Now, of course, we have "making government fail", by placing politically aligned administrators above professionals and subverting their work.
Running big organizations takes both vision and good management. From recent evidence, Dems are better suited to the management. Now, about that vision thing.
September 16, 2006 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bookmark.
I'm looking into some of Howard Rich's property deals.
Rich bought odd pieces of property in Baltimore MD, Harris County TX and Wake County NC.
I also found two property sales in Southampton NY that list a "Howard Rich" as the seller. The lot sizes do not seem to match the millions paid for each lot.
September 20, 2006 8:19 AM | Reply | Permalink