Friday, December 20, 2013

California ACLU doesn't support Smart Initiatives, says they’d be used to “limit fundamental rights”



The ACLU of California has come up with a new reason for opposing the right of Californians to sign official initiative petitions online.  According to their spokesperson:

            We are concerned that e-signature gathering could be used to more easily qualify initiatives that seek to limit fundamental rights, so we do not support the use of e-signature gathering to qualify initiatives at this time. 

            “Of course, we’re disappointed,” said Marc Strassman, Executive Director of the Coaliton for an E-Initiative (https://www.facebook.com/CoalitionForAnEInitiative).  “I have the utmost respect for the ACLU of California as the premier guardian of our civil and political rights, and as a progressive and forward-looking organization, but I don’t quite see how enabling Californians to sign initiative petitions in the comfort and convenience of their homes and offices or on their tablets or smartphones from wherever they are is likely to lead to initiatives ’that seek to limit fundamental rights.”

            (full disclosure:  Marc Strassman is also the reporter who wrote this article.  In addition to his work for the Coalition for an E-Initiative, he also serves as Host/Publisher of Etopia News.)






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