Representative democracy: More trustworthy than Tim Eyman

I received my ballot and was dismayed to find yet more of Tim Eyman’s expensive clutter: an initiative and many advisory votes – all efforts to undo existing laws.

Eyman claims the public hadn’t voted on these laws. This is a misleading claim by someone who apparently doesn’t know how our democratic process works.

The public votes for politicians they trust to represent them. Those politicians then work diligently to create laws and budgets that promote the common good. If we feel they have not, we vote them out. If we have to vote on each law they pass, there would be no point in them representing us.

We, in effect, vote on the laws via our representatives. Our legislators put forward complex bills that have a variety of consequences for the public welfare.

Badly needed infrastructure repair is an example, and Eyman’s I-976 initiative would destroy the state’s plan to create jobs that would make those repairs happen. I urge everyone to vote against all of Eyman’s destructive ballot entries, especially I-976.

Trust those you voted into office and maintain the laws they have passed, which includes approving Referendum 88.

This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Representative democracy: More trustworthy than Tim Eyman."