Amendment 4 Would Change Way in Which Landuse Planning would be done

Friends:

Here is some information on Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution. The arguments come from the Collins Center for Public Policy:

What it would do: Amendment 4 would give local voters a veto over any changes in comprehensive plans.

Arguments for: Local governments have proven themselves incapable of placing the public interest before the interests of real estate developers. The people should have the final say.


Arguments against: The amendment would require votes on every change, no matter how minor. Ballots would be long and involved. Voters would be overwhelmed. Growth would grind to a halt, and the state's economy would remain mired in recession.

I will vote NO on this initiative. This is more of the progressive agenda. The progressive agenda pushes democracy. However, this country was not established as a democracy. It was set up as a republic. Pure democracy is nothing more than mob rule. Our republic is a representative government using democratic principles. We elect officials to represent the interests of the constituents. Mobs can be easily swayed by emotions, intimidation, and coercion from loud minorities. Our Founding Fathers sought to diminish the effect of the mob mentality by setting up the government's structure as a republic.

Making the voters cast ballots on any and all changes would overwhelm them and would slow growth. I find the arguments against, listed above, to be most persuasive. If you do not like the decisions that your representatives are making, then you have the opportunity to change those representatives during the next election. We must trust the decisions our representatives make. If you do not, then you need to elect honorable, trustworthy people to office.

Patriot Mark

If you want to save our country and our freedoms, vote, and vote for the most conservative candidate on the ballot. Vote for those initiatives which reduce or eliminate government control and interference in our lives. Vote against those initiatives which increase government's power and control over the individual and private entities.