The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Editorials

Related Photos

  • cartoon 11-15

    cartoon 11-15

November 14, 2012

Our View: Amendments were a divisive overreach

The Free Press

— The essential lesson to take away from Minnesota's two failed constitutional amendments on Nov. 6 is that they failed, at least in part, because they were divisive.

They were cobbled together by one party, opposed by virtually everyone from the other side, and while going down in defeat they left voters with the impression that Minnesota Republicans are more interested in dividing the electorate than in dealing with other more pressing issues of the day.

No doubt, Republicans who placed the voter ID amendment and the same-sex marriage amendment on the ballot inspired more like-minded voters to head to the polls. But they inspired more Democratic voters to oppose the measures. So Minnesotans voted in large numbers -- which is a good thing -- but a newly-chastised GOP clearly isn't celebrating.

When constitutional amendments are considered in the future, we suggest that there be a genuine bipartisanship from the start -- not a runaround of the legislative process that these two amendments signified. Minnesota makes it too easy to put constitutional amendments on the ballot in the first place, so let us hope that our legislators think long and hard before resorting to them when bipartisanship is in short supply.

These last two amendments, approved by Republicans as a gift to their core constituency, were opposed not only by most Democratic legislators but also by the Democratic governor. We surmise that they were defeated in part because Minnesota voters do not easily embrace any constitutional change put before them.

Voters certainly should be more reluctant to change the constitution when changes appear on the ballot so easily -- simply due to the wishes of one party in control of just one part of government. Minnesota might do well to amend the amendment rules, stipulating that before amendments appear they should be approved by both the Legislature and the sitting governor.

Republicans say that the voter ID amendment was justified to protect election integrity -- and that the definition of marriage is best decided by all voters instead of a judge or even a legislature working absent of a voter mandate -- but Minnesota voters clearly weren't ready for it this time, and it most surely contributed to a bad day all around for Republican lawmakers.

Today, post-election, there is a lesson for all elected officials to heed, both Republican and Democrat. Overreach is dangerous politically. The Democrats are in charge of things now, and they have said they're well aware of the lessons of Nov. 6, 2012. We hope so.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Editorials
  • mfp thumbgraphic Shelter for homeless right start To Mankato civic leaders for, once again, stepping up to address a growing demand for shelter by homeless women. The needs appears to be dramatic and continuing even though the Theresa House, Welcome Inn shelters and the CADA House program for domest

    May 18, 2013 1 Photo

  • Our View: SEC should act on ratings conflicts Money talks. In the continuing dispute over the all-too-cozy relationship between the people who create and sell financial products and the people who rate their risk, the money says: Shut up and let us do what we want. Minnesota Sen. Al Franken and

    May 17, 2013

  • Time runs short for Legislature Focus, Minnesota legislators, as you have many details left So much for the theory that one party controlling Minnesota's House, Senate and governor's chair would mean fast work in St. Paul. Exactly one week from the end of the 2013 regular session a

    May 16, 2013

  • records' seizure harms free press This has not been a good week for President Obama. First it was learned that the Internal Revenue Service was targeting conservative organizations with special scrutiny, the practice of which the White House said it was unaware. Then news surfaced th

    May 16, 2013

  • Investigate IRS action on groups The revelation that the Internal Revenue Service was targeting conservative groups has drawn criticism from both parties. But the Wall Street Journal this week revealed that the scrutiny went beyond groups that had "tea party" or "patriot" in their n

    May 15, 2013

  • Military needs new approach in assault cases Just when you thought the sexual assault problems in the military couldn't get worse, two events emerged last week to prove you wrong. The chief of the Air Force sexual assault prevention branch was arrested on suspicion of drunkenly groping a woman

    May 14, 2013

  • A watchdog carries on the fight In journalism circles, the Timberjay is the little newspaper with lots of moxie. This weekly newspaper Up North, in Ely, has established a tradition of fighting hard for the public's right to know. That's not a task to be taken lightly. It's a big, e

    May 13, 2013

  • What columnists and editorialists are saying about the issues of the day

    Hold IRS accountable for targeting conservative groups A bedrock principle of U.S. democracy is that the coercive powers of government are never used for partisan purpose. The law is blind to political viewpoint, and so are its enforcers, most espec

    May 12, 2013

  • mfp thumbuppic Rotary donation tops for kids To the Greater Mankato Rotary Club for its generous donation of money and time to the Southern Minnesota Children's Museum. The newly merged club was looking for a big project to support, and this one fits the bill. The $4 million museum project has

    May 11, 2013 2 Photos

  • From Cruz to Obama, race defines on issues WASHINGTON --- Enough with this "enough" business. Latest to the question of whether a person is sufficiently identifiable as belonging to a particular demographic is Ted Cruz -- the conservative Texas senator who happens to be of Hispanic descent. B

    May 11, 2013