Posts by Levi

Why do we need to gather so many signatures to have access to the ballot in South Dakota. Currently for these constitutional amendments we need to gather 50,000+ signatures, names, and addresses of verified registered voters to reach the amount to satisfy the 10% of the voting electorate for amendments called for in 2-1-1.   Initiative petitions–Number…

When we are first taught about politics and the state by the state schools we learn a few things. First is that the state helps people with problems such as poverty, homelessness, drug abuse, better jobs, getting an education. Many people will go their whole lives believing these things. The problem is that the state…

Most news stories on these amendments say they are crazy, extreme liberal, extreme conservative, so far out libertarian that no one could possibly agree! What is truly crazy is that amendments “allowing people to buy and sell anything they own” and one that “requires there to be a victim for there to be a crime”…

The free market has always been the best ladder out of poverty. There was a time in America that using only knowledge and tools you already had you could start a business. Providing services and goods other people were willing to pay for. This would get you out of poverty and on the way to…

Both of these amendments are focused on the problem of over regulation. For example here is President Trump standing by the pile of federal regulation from 1960 and the one from 2017. It is crazy how much it has grown but it isn’t really any surprise. When our politicians need to pass laws to look…

Coming up with a list of all of the things that the victimless crime bill would allow is complicated because there are so many of them. Many of the things it would allow are not obvious because they are allowed now but with a permit or regulation. Also many are included because you are allowed…

So there are a couple of wording issues that have been identified by myself and others. For example the first “utilize” is very important and would have left too big of a hole. The one that seems to have more holes is the more complicated victimless crime amendment. To start stolen was not included so…

Sometimes, and even more so in the winter, it feels like there is no hope. No hope of any real change. Everyday more laws and regulations are restricting our freedoms. Politicians have incentive to make more laws. Every year our freedoms are slightly more restricted. It has gotten to the point you can’t accept money from…

The further I get into this process the more I wonder if this can really work. Can it really be an instrument of change? There are so many hurdles in the way. The version of these amendments that appears on the ballots will be chosen by people who have a vested interest in them not…

Wow, is all I can say. About two weeks ago the South Dakota LRC finished the review of my constitutional amendments for 2020. Now there are 19 Bills and and 5 Constitutional amendments drafted by legislators to make it more difficult in some cases to impossible in others for a mere citizen to amend the…