Wednesday, November 08, 2006
(11:49 AM) | Rob Breymaier:
Ballot Initiatives Rundown
While everyone else is talking about the Democratic victories in the House of Representatives and for Governorships, I think its also important to gauge the prevailing mood of the country through their choices in ballot initiatives. (CNN has a good summary of statewide ballot initiatives.)Based on these initiatives, people overwhelmingly want an increase in the minimum wage and a ban on same-sex marriage.
Six states -- AZ, CO, MO, MT, NV, & OH -- voted to raise the minimum wage (although they might have different minimums). All of them voted for the raise. By the way, Cook County, IL (which is bigger than most states) also voted to raise the minimum wage. These states are mostly west of the Mississippi where unions have smaller power bases. Most are also service economy states, meaning they have a lot of minimum wage earners. Ohio and Missouri have more manufacturing. That might explain Ohio's majority as the slimmest (56 to 44) but not Missouri's (76 to 24).
Eight states voted to ban gay marriages. Colorado went so far as to ban them and deny domestic partnerships. Only Arizona is likely to go down. The others (CO, ID, SC, SD, TN, VA, WI) will pass. Most of these states are conservative strongholds. The silver lining I suppose is that these initiatives won't be there in 2008 to bring crazy conservatives to the polls. Still, it's a defeat for civil rights.
People out west think pregnant teenagers should have the right to make choices about their bodies without needing their parents approval. In South Dakota, abortion will remain legal.
Arizonans might be okay with the GLBT community but they don't like to hear Spanish. They voted big to make English the state's official language.
And, most disappointingly, Michigan voters voted to remove affirmative action in state programs. This has proved a disaster for African Americans and Latinos in California. Now, we'll see racial achievement gaps increase in Michigan as well.
Anyone who thinks we live or should live according to color-blind rules is, in my opinion, an idiot. Race and ethnicity are determining factors in the opportunities available and barriers present for any individual. Yes, people with higher incomes have a few more opportunities and a few less barriers. But, they still have them. And, in some cases, income doesn't change anything. (For one, it does not reduce the likelihood of living in a segregated neighborhood.) I'd say the fact that Californians and Michiganders have voted to remove the affirmative measures that account for this inequality is an indication of ignorance or ill will on their part.
In short the summary is that people are more motivated by economic issues than civil rights issues. Something we might expect in a transitional economy. Still, the lack of interest in civil rights is an alarming trend for a country that couldn't be founded until they were included as part of the foundational document.
