This is an interesting article about Washington DC ad a poll on some of the hot topic items like gay marriage, and I’d encourage you to read it.

A Washington Post poll conducted last month finds majorities favor same-sex marriage, want medical marijuana to be legalized and support the creation of an elected attorney general.

Nearly six in 10 residents say they would prefer to vote on the issue. City leaders have said a public vote would be discriminatory. “I don’t think it should be a decree made by the government,” said Pablo Barreyro, 72, of Chevy Chase. “I don’t think it should be left to a small party of politicians. . . . I really wonder what the outcome would be if it becomes available for public input.”

The point of the article may be to talk about the progressive atitudes of DC, but there is a different point I want to focus on today.

It is easy to say that individual’s rights should not be put up for a vote, but past saying it (it is a catchy phrase) what does that really mean? No matter if it is a direct vote, like a ballot initiative, or not, the people do vote. They vote to elect council members, representatives, senators, governors, and even some judges. So, why do we work hard to keep gay marriage, or other gay rights off of a ballot for a direct vote? Because not only is there the issue of getting it passed, there is also a second but connected issue of combating and fighting the lies, and misinformation. And everyone knows this happens!

The 60% who want to see this put to a public vote demonstrates that in general, the public has no faith in their elected officials to do what is in the best interest of the people. Even if, the people agree with the positions of their elected officials, they still don’t trust them. This is enormously important!

From a theoretical perspective, we can wonder if a representative democracy is dying. That is an interesting question, but there is an urgency that pure theory does not accommodate. And any move towards a democracy where everything, including other’s rights are voted upon by the public at large, will mean the death of any real progress for America. As we already slip behind other countries across the globe in other ways, we will sink further and further behind.

So, the solution is for individuals to get more involved during the 363 days a year that the voting booth is closed. By engaging their elected officials through phone calls, personally written letters (not form letters) and meetings with their elected officials or their staff. These people work for us! We have to be able to trust them to make and pass legislation that benefits  us all as a whole, so the way to accomplish that is by getting more engaged with them.

Majorities polled in D.C. back gay marriage, medical marijuana – washingtonpost.com.