Why Not Make Indiana More Democratic?

  Phil GiaQuinta wrote an opinion piece for the Fort Wayne newspaper on letting the people of Indiana have more of a say in how they are governed, Indiana stifling people's voice.

Marijuana may not even be discussed during the 2024 legislative session. It’s clear that Indiana Republicans can’t figure this issue out, even though many other states have.

What’s so scary about the public’s opinion on reproductive freedom and marijuana? If anything, it would serve the public and their elected officials well to settle the matter at the polls. Then, Indiana’s legislature could get back to doing the important work of lowering the cost of living. Or fixing out-of-control health care and housing costs with pragmatic solutions.

Indiana House Democrats know that Hoosiers want the government to do something about these kitchen-table, family-budget problems. We believe that telling families and individuals what to do with their bodies and personal liberties is not a good use of government resources. It drains time and attention from our capacity to address the problems that keep Hoosiers up at night: making ends meet and putting food on the table.

I believe marijuana and reproductive freedom would succeed when Hoosier voters weigh in. Why? Hoosiers don’t like the government telling them what to do.

That’s beyond the point here, though. People care about having a say in the rules and laws that shape their lives. Hoosiers are energized to get to the polls when they believe they have a voice in decisions.

Even if not all legislators at the General Assembly care to listen to your individual voice, let me reassure you that the Indiana House Democratic Caucus does. In this coming legislative session, we will propose language to give you a voice at the polls on individual policy issues.

Okay, I have never been a pothead. The stuff made me sleepy and dull, not what I call a pleasant feeling. The thing is marijuana never should have been on the federal Schedule I - it is not lethal - and its criminalization has been a disaster for wide swathes of the population and state budgets. There are, then, practical political reasons for letting the public have its way over the obstruction of politicians in Indianapolis.

More importantly to me is something more idealistic - it is to make our government as democratic as possible. Yes, I vote for Democrats. That is not what I mean. It may be some day my political party will stifle the people's democratic impulses. There should be - no, must be - some means for the people of Indiana to see that its rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not curbed for partisan ends.

It has been over a century since the Marshall Constitution failed in its attempt to bring Indiana into the 20th Century Can we now make it to the 21st?

sch 11/19