w all the talk about the kansas referendum today-

[CC27]

mopinko (64,004 posts)


w all the talk about the kansas referendum today-

like so many referenda, apparently the wording is confusing. this is by design.
it's an unwritten rule of these things that you word it so the answer you want is the yes answer.

we had one here quite a few yrs ago about a plan richie daley had to improve our lakefront parks.
now, this is a long standing sticky issue, as my hood has some of the only private beaches in the city. the entire rest of the lakefront is public. the public can access those beaches, but the city cant touch them. it's a hot button.
the petition to get it on the ballot was a ploy be a guy planning to take on the long time alderman, who was giddy about the plan. as was i. by then daley had made it a mission to improve every park in the city. and he'd done a beautiful job. i didnt trust him on anything else, but this, yes, give him the keys.

now, folks had concerns. mainly, that they were adding an access road cuz they were adding a boat launch. and also they were concerned about adding for profit vendors for food, etc.
this had been done to great uproar in the downtown crown jewels. it was done well, and added to the fun. they built kiosks that fit in w the architecture. they were not obtrusive.
they misrepresented the plan, esp that road. the kiosks werent in the plan, which werent needed like it actually was downtown.
but the referendum threw those things in. claimed the road was not going where they said it was and that the plan opened up our parks to 'profit seekers' or some such pejorative.

i wish i could recall the final wording, but it was super twisted. intelligent voters were scratching their heads that day. turned out an old friend had worked on the wording.
she- you always word a referendum so that they answer you want will be the yes vote.
it was just advisory, and iirc it passed about 60-40. but there was much talk afterward about how confusing it was, and many who said they had voted the wrong way.

bottom line, how i decide- who's behind this? friend- vote yes, foe- vote no.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216991811

Your post is confusing. 

[SVPete]

IIRC, mopsy (who unlike Flopsy has chickens, not bunnies) lives in Illinois. IOW, she is speaking as an outsider. But how confusing is this, https://sos.ks.gov/elections/22elec/2022-Primary-Election-Constitutional-Amendment-HCR-5003.pdf ?

§ 22. Regulation of abortion.
Because Kansans value both women
and children, the constitution of the
state of Kansas does not require
government funding of abortion
and does not create or secure a
right to abortion. To the extent
permitted by the constitution of the
United States, the people, through
their elected state representatives
and state senators, may pass laws
regarding abortion, including, but
not limited to, laws that account
for circumstances of pregnancy
resulting from rape or incest, or
circumstances of necessity to save
the life of the mother

That is the entire text of the amendment. It states two simple things: the Kansas Constitution has/created no constitutional right to an abortion; the legislature and governor have the authority to regulate abortion.