On August 8th voters in Ohio were asked to vote on a single issue. This was a special election called by the Ohio GOP-controlled legislature and it cost the Ohio taxpayers millions of dollars. The issue would have required a 60% plurality of voters to change the provisions of the Ohio Constitution. In other words, under this change 40% of the people of Ohio could control 60% of the population. Obviously this is a foundational violation of democratic majority rule. America has always followed the 50% + 1 rule for all popular elections. It is the principle and essential element of any true democracy. But the GOP–seeing the real possibility that they would lose on the abortion issue–tried to up the ante on the number of votes needed to legalize abortion in Ohio. Issue #1 FAILED AND DEMOCRACY WON. Now the GOP is fighting over the wording in the November ballot that will give voters an opportunity to voice their attitude on abortion. Already the false reports are growing about wording, the Catholic Church has been invited in to persuade their members to vote “no” in November and even court challenges are flying. The right of choice is NOT the opposite of eliminating abortion. And the extreme GOP position only energizes the voting base. Just as Kentucky, Iowa and Montana (all “red states”) rejected abortion restrictions–Ohio will do the same UNLESS THE GOP PLAYS WITH THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROLS and ignores the principle of majority rule.
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