Gov. Jim Pillen has said he does not believe ballot initiatives “represent the people speaking.” When George Norris promoted his vision of a unicameral legislature, he firmly believed the ballot initiative process would replace the second legislative chamber.
Apparently, Gov. Pillen does not share that belief. If so, I expect him to propose returning Nebraska to a two‑house Legislature any day now. After all, he seems to think that if the other 49 states do it one way, we should too — as with eliminating the “blue dot.”
Of course, when a ballot initiative aligns with his views, he will likely hail it as “the people speaking.”
Many Nebraskans opposed the death penalty, yet it was reinstated by a ballot initiative. Opponents did not cry foul. They accepted it because it came from George Norris’ version of a second house of government — the people of Nebraska.
This OpEd, authored by Alton Mumm, originally appeared in the Omaha World-Herald.
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