Pawlenty, Pentel Support Voter Rights; Moe Opposes; Penny Flip-Flops

While the support of the governor is not necessary to pass a constitutional amendment, it is enormously helpful. When Initiative & Referendum passes through the legislature, the amendment will not go to the governor for his signature, instead it will be sent directly to the people to be voted on in a statewide referendum.

Nonetheless, the governor can play a vital role in pushing I&R through the legislature by speaking out forcefully in favor of this critical reform, urging legislators to act and citizens to contact their legislators. The governor can also speak out for the wisdom of the public against opposition from special interests.

Two of the four candidates for governor -- Republican Tim Pawlenty and Green Ken Pentel -- support the people's right to decide the issues that affect their lives through a statewide initiative & referendum process similar to what most home-rule cities in our state currently enjoy.

Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty was a co-sponsor of the initiative & referendum legislation in the House of Representatives. As Majority Leader, Tim's support was critical in passing the bill earlier this year. Pawlenty has spoken out forcefully for I&R and reminds fellow legislators of the benefit of getting voters more involved in solving problems. Pawlenty's I&R legislation was sadly killed in the Senate by DFL gubernatorial candidate Roger Moe.

Ken Pentel

Green Party candidate Ken Pentel has endorsed the initiative & referendum legislation (HF-643) and is emphasizing his democracy agenda, which includes I&R, proportional representation, and campaign finance reform. The Green Party platform endorses I&R and the Minnesota Green Party has formally endorsed the I&R bill, HF-643.

Roger Moe

Both Roger Moe and Tim Penny refused to respond to our questionnaire. However, we know that Roger Moe led the opposition in the state Senate and blocked your right to vote on issues by blocking a vote in the Senate on the legislation for initiative & referendum. Interestingly, Moe actually supported I&R back in 1980, early in his career as a politician.

Tim Penny

While we were hopeful that Tim Penny would champion the cause of voter initiative, we've been disappointed with his apparent flip-flop on the citizen initiative process. Penny introduced his own bill to establish statewide initiative & referendum in Minnesota way back in 1979. He voted for I&R bill that passed in 1980. But he has not responded to our questionnaire and he recently suggested on the campaign trail that any initiative and referendum process be subject to legislature approval or veto. Voter initiatives are a citizen check on our legislature, but not if voters have to get the legislature's permission first.

Additional information on each candidate's stand regarding citizen initiative & referendum is below.

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Tim Pawlenty Republican Party

Co-sponsor of the initiative & referendum legislation.

Instrumental in passing I&R in House of Representatives earlier this year.

Tim Pawlenty's statement:

A government by the people is essential to a true representative government; Initiative and Referendum is the purest form of government by the people. Initiative and Referendum allows citizens to directly affect government policies.

Simply put, the power of Initiative and Referendum makes government more accountable; it places the power of government back into the hands of citizens, fosters a well informed electorate, and guards against special interest groups blocking significant legislation that benefit average people. I strongly support placing Initiative and Referendum on the ballot.

Pawlenty told Outdoor News:

ODN: The Republican platform contains an item that would make Minnesota an initiative and referendum state. Address the concerns about anti-hunters using I&R to flood the ballot with anti-hunting initiatives.

Pawlenty: "This is an issue about the form of government in Minnesota. People should have the right to vote on these matters. If the politicians aren't doing their job, it gives the people a safety valve. In democracy, we shouldn't be afraid of the people. Is the process sometimes long and difficult? Yes, but so was the Constitutional Convention. Democracy is not pretty. It's often long and difficult, but it works and that's why I support it here. As far as safeguards, in states where I&R is wide open, yeah, you get some goofy stuff on the ballot. We've tried to learn from other states, so the Minnesota legislation has minimum thresholds for the numbers of signatures, and it requires regional distribution from where those signatures come from, so you can't just walk around Minneapolis and get the signatures to put something on the ballot. Hunters and anglers should also remember in recent constitutional amendments that sporting issues have passed overwhelmingly - hunting and fishing amendment as well as the Environmental Trust Fund here in Minnesota."

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Ken Pentel Green Party

Green Party Endorsed initiative & referendum. - We support binding Initiatives and Referendums at the state, county and community levels. The constitution of the State of Minnesota should be amended to include binding Initiative and Referendum. Decisions of a local government body may not be overturned by a less local body, except in cases of fundamental infringement of human rights.

Pentel says, "I&R is another tool in the toolbox of democracy. Often the legislature is more responsive to corporate interests than the interests of citizens. Initiative and Referendum should offer people a clear path so that they can be reflected in our democracy."

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Roger Moe Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party

Although Roger Moe voted for I&R in the past he led the charge against I&R in the senate this past session. After the house passed I&R by a margin of 76 to 57 Moe held up the senate version in his Rules Committee. Despite repeated pleas from his fellow senators and Let Minnesota Vote Moe refused to let SF 3383 onto the senate floor for debate and a vote.

Roger Moe's Argument #1 Against I&R: Sorry, Voters Are Too Stupid

"The challenge to be well-informed can become daunting when you add a dozen or so initiative and referendum questions demanding intelligent decisions from the voters."

Roger Moe's Argument #2 Against I&R: Stop Us Before We Become Lazy Legislators

"Initiative and referendum give legislators an easy out. Lawmakers realize they don't have to tackle some difficult issues if they feel an effort will be made to get a law proposed via the ballot, or if a referendum is available to remove an unpopular law already on the books."

Roger Moe's Argument #3 Against I&R: We'll Pout

"Invariably, legislative responsibility and responsiveness suffer when initiative and referendum becomes a factor in the lawmaking process."

All quotes from opinion column by Roger Moe in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 18, 1999, entitled, "NO: It's a facile, dangerous 'solution' to complex endeavor of lawmaking."

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Tim Penny Independence Party

Penny introduced a bill in 1979 to establish a statewide initiative and referendum process.

Penny voted for a constitutional amendment authorizing Initiative and Referendum. (HF 2304, SJP 6809, Chapter 587, 4/11/80)

Penny told Outdoor News 9/10/02: Question: Where do you stand on making Minnesota an initiative and referendum state?

Answer from Penny: "I would not promote that. The governor wouldn't sign off on that, but if it did advance in the Legislature, I would at least urge that it would be contained that no more than a couple of initiatives could be on the ballot at any given time and that these would have to be pre-approved by the Legislature, too."