Why is Mayor Karl Dean deceiving you about Nashville’s other proposed amendment, Hear the People?

One of the most valuable rights available to us as Americans is the right to petition Governement for the redress of grievances. So valuable, in fact, it is recognized as one of our unalienable 1st Amendment rights along with free speech, freedom of the press and peaceful assembly. It puts Government in its place. Government governs with the consent of the governed. It’s Government of, by and for the People. It should surprise no one, then, if the most active opposition to Government being responsive to the People comes from Government.

Perhaps the most powerful tool the People have to force Government to be responsive is the Initiative and Referendum (I&R) process. Unfortunately not all Americans enjoy what ought to be a universally available tool. Ballotpedia.org’s US I&R map shows 22 states have no provision for citizens to force Government to deal with specific issues. Tennessee is such a state. The larger Tennessee cities, however, do have an I&R provision. But local Government is no more eager to give the People I&R power than other state Governments.

On January 22nd Nashville voters will decide whether or not to amend the city charter on 2 points. Nashville English First (NEF) would make English Nashville’s official language for city business purposes. Agree or disagree, putting this question to the people is precisely what the I&R process is for. But in my mind the 2nd charter amendment, Hear the People, is more important because it addresses the process by which I&R issues make it onto a ballot in the first place.

Nashville Government, its business allies, the media and the coterie of liberal non-profits feeding at the public trough will only discuss NEF. They’ve adopted a joint, coordinated strategy of addressing and demonizing only NEF. Despite literally NO discussion or explanation of Hear the People, the coalition opposing NEF urges voters to “Vote No” on both amendments, as if they were part and parcel of the same issue. Nashville For All of Us, a coalition formed specifically to defeat English First, is a perfect example. Go to the website. Watch the video. Read the material. They only discuss NEF. Yet featured prominently in all material is the encouragement to “Vote Against” both 1 and 2. Karl Dean and Nashville Government are deceiving Nashvillians about their rights and about how their Government works.

The obvious question is, “Why?” The answer lies in what Hear the People does. Stripped of the emotion, “Hear the People” accomplishes three things:

1) It eliminates the need for costly special elections by amending the current charter to replace the language “…“nor shall any such amendment or amendments be submitted by petition more often than once in each two years” with “The people may submit amendments to the voters at any regularly scheduled general election, and by special election once per calendar year ending December 31st .”

January 22’s special election will cost Nashvillians over $350,000 in large measure because NEF was kept off the free Nov. 4th ballot when opponents challenged the meaning of the phrase “each two years”. Hear the People eliminates the need for special elections since properly filed ammendments automatically appear on the next regularly scheduled free general election.

2) It standardizes the number of signatures needed to get a petition on a ballot by amending the current charter to replace the language “… ten (10) percent of the registered voters of Nashville-Davidson County voting in the preceding general election” with “1% of the total registered voters in Nashville-Davidson County.”

The upcoming special election serves as an excellent illustration of the change Hear the People would bring. On 1/21/09, the “preceding general election” would be November’s presidential election. Under current law, petitions turned in on that day would need about 25,000 signatures to be valid since about 250,000 people voted in November. On January 23rd, however, the “preceding general election” would have taken place just the day before. if we assume 25,000 people vote in the 1/22/09 election, that same petition would then need only 2,500 signatures to be on the ballot. 48 hours means 22,500 fewer signatures. If Hear the People had been in place, regardless of voter turnout, the number of signatures needed to put a petition on the ballot would have been the same on each day, about 3,500. 1% of the 350,000 people registered to vote in Nashville.

3) It prevents Government from immediately overturning amendments the people vote into law by amending the current charter adding the language “An amendment approved by the people may not be amended by a Metropolitan Council-proposed resolution within four (4) years of its approval by the voters.”

Without this language, the People could put an amendment into law on election day and the Council could vote it away the next day. Indeed, candidates for Council could campaign on that very tactic. “Vote for me on Tuesday and I’ll vote Amendment #1 away on Wednesday!” Hear the People requires the Council to live with the wishes of the People for 4 years before they can tinker or do away with it.

That’s it. Clearly, Hear the People is totally unconnected to English First and it accomplishes a very, very different purpose. Karl Dean wants you to think of the two as if they were one. Hear the People simplifies the process of telling Government what it must do. I cannot find a single place where Karl Dean or any of the opponents of Hear the People explain what Hear the People does and why they oppose the changes it would bring about.

I understand the Mayor and other politicians don’t like Hear the People. But it’s despicable that they would hide the truth from you, twist it or abandon it altogether. The less power you understand you have over them, the more power they have over you. Keeping you from understanding the reality of your power and authority over them is what politicians do best. Now that you see them at their worst, it’s time to use some of that authority. On January 22nd and in early voting, VOTE YES ON #2. Vote for your right to be heard! Vote FOR Hear the People!