PROTECT WHAT IS PRECIOUS
Blog Post #66
On Wednesday, July 12th, the people of Northwest Ohio had the opportunity to become better informed about the up-coming ballot initiatives when the President of Ohio Right to Life, Michael Gonidakis, came to Bryan to share why it is crucial that all Ohioans vote YES on Issue 1 on August 8th.
He said, “The Constitution of the State of Ohio is the foundation for the principles and laws that govern our great state. This sacred document embodies the values of our people – life, faith, family, responsibility, and liberty, to name a few. However, that could all change if Issue 1 fails. Currently, Ohio’s Constitution can be amended through a simple majority vote, making the process relatively easy. It has led our state to become a target for out-of-state special interest groups, undermining the voice of Ohioans in the process.”
And that is why Issue 1 should have bipartisan support.
We should all want to protect our Constitution from being changed by special interest groups or whatever political party is currently in power.
We should all want our Constitution to change ONLY if it has the broad support of the people of Ohio. If 50% + 1 want to amend the Constitution, but 49.9%+ don’t want to amend the Constitution, that does not have the broad support of the people. That is almost dead even. A 60% threshold shows broad support. And a 60% threshold is not radical. Our own U.S. Constitution requires a 2/3rds majority for an amendment. Our own forefathers saw the wisdom in this threshold.
Interestingly enough, those who oppose the 60% threshold, such as the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, both mandate a similar or even larger vote requirement to amend their own bylaws. As Mike said, “They believe their own founding documents should be held to a higher standard than our own Constitution.” So, if you are a part of an organization or group that is advocating a “no” vote, we urge you to investigate your own amendment threshold, you may be surprised by what you learn.
In addition, this higher threshold is vital because the current threshold has resulted in the frequent introduction of contentious amendments...amendments such as the one recently added to November’s ballot by the ACLU which would enshrine abortion into our Constitution and provide potential loopholes that strip parents of their parental rights. Our children are precious and they deserve our protection.
So, to succinctly summarize, Mike stated, “All Issue 1 is saying is that if we’re going to amend our Constitution, we need to make sure that the change has very broad public support. That’s called consent of the governed, and that is the core principle that makes our democracy work.” It is also, “the only way to end our current political bitterness and bring us together.”
Preserve the voice of Ohioans. Protect what is precious...life, faith, family, and our Constitution. Vote YES on Issue 1 on August 8th!