Representative Democratic Model-Electable Offices Part Forty-Four Dividing the Role Of Legislator- (Referendums) Session Five

Representative Democratic Model-Electable Offices   Part Forty-Four

Dividing the Role Of Legislator-(Referendums) Session Five

At the federal level, there never has been a national referendum. Since the U.S Constitution does not specify ballot initiatives, this practice has to be considered banned. Considering the scope and magnitude of the federal government, it is obvious why this is banned.

Article One, Section One of the U.S. Constitution clearly states that only Congress (House and Senate) can make laws. This would have to be changed for referendums to be instituted at the federal level. A national initiative could only be used to change the form of government. It should never be used to enact policy.

State Constitutions should only allow referendums only after the federal government does the same. All states are supposed to have the same type of government as the federal government. This means they are not supposed to do things differently than the federal government. Since legislating is purely the domain of the legislature at the federal level, it should be the same at the state level.