Seattle to Remain Famous for Coffee and Rain
Thanksgiving Pairing Suggestion: Dessert Isn't Just a Meal
Eight Things A Seattle Sports Fan Can Be Thankful For
Seattlest Pix 09Nov25
Can't Miss It: Thanksgiving Eve
The clock is ticking down on statewide ballot initiatives that hope to throw themselves into the field of vision of voters in November, and an article in Sunday's Olympian has a good rundown on who's going to make it and who's a laughable crank. The article mentions the boring-but-important initiatives that are likely to appear on ballots as well as all of the hilarious hits like the initiative that would apply the death penalty in cases of election counting errors, the initiative that would nullify straight marriages if they don't lead to offspring and--the most hilarious of them all--the initiative that would roll back the equal rights measures enacted by the state government last year. Unless that last one's not a joke, in which case it's the least hilarious. The Olympian article talks about how initiatives generally have to raise a shitload of money to get on the ballot, but that there could be an exception in the case of this most/least hilarious initiative.
One potential exception is I-963, which seeks to repeal gay-rights provisions adopted by lawmakers in 2006. That law already survived Eyman's referendum signature drive last year.But this year's effort is led by Ken Hutcherson, the former professional football player who now serves as senior pastor at Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland; Hutcherson opposes same-sex marriage and civil rights protections for gays.
Donovan said other states have seen low-cost ballot measures succeed around the issue of gay marriage or gay rights.
"A lot of those were low-cost campaigns where they got a lot of signatures through churches," he said.
The TTC blog points out that Ken Hutcherson, who's campaigning for I-963, has been pounding a lot of pavement to make allies of Russian congregations in Washington. Great. Not that we don't have faith in Washington state voters, but even having that on a ballot would be embarrassing.
Here's Hutch talking to a Schrammie.
After the jump are descriptions of a few of the funnier initiatives.
957
This measure would limit marriage to those couples who are biologically capable of having children together, and would invalidate the marriages of couples who fail to procreate children within three years after marrying.
963
This measure would amend the law against discrimination by removing all references providing coverage against discrimination based on "sexual orientation" in employment, housing, public accommodations, insurance, and credit transactions.
965
Concise Description: This measure would allow the death penalty for importing, manufacturing, delivering, or possessing with intent to manufacture or deliver certain illegal drugs, or for committing certain violations relating to the conduct of elections.
978
This measure would require drivers to respond to merge signs by immediately merging into the appropriate lane without passing other vehicles. Violators would be fined $50 for every vehicle passed without merging.
983
This measure would define the crime of lying about war, and would make this a felony punishable by life imprisonment without possibility of parole if death or injury to a Washington citizen results.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Post a comment (Comment Policy)