Any bill passed by a legislature and signed by an executive must then be voted on by the citizens before becoming law. If the majority of citizens votes to veto the bill, then the bill shall be irrevocably vetoed.
May be implemented at any city, county, state, or federal jurisdiction. Federal citizen veto may use the electoral college with popular votes in the states to assign electors.
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Direct democratic participation: This system would give citizens a more direct role in the legislative process, allowing them to have the final say on whether a bill becomes law. This would increase civic engagement and make people feel more connected to the political process.
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Prevention of “runaway legislation”: One of the key benefits is preventing runaway legislation. This refers to laws that may be passed by legislators but are out of step with what the majority of citizens actually want. A citizen veto provides a check against laws that might be influenced by special interests or don’t truly represent the will of the people.
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Check on lobbying influence: This system would reduce the impact of lobbyists and special interest groups, as their influence would be counterbalanced by direct citizen input.
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Increased accountability: Knowing that citizens have veto power would make legislators and executives more careful about the bills they propose and pass. They may be more inclined to craft legislation that genuinely serves the public interest and has broad popular support.
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Education and awareness: The process of voting on bills would encourage citizens to become more informed about proposed legislation and its impacts. This would lead to a more politically aware and educated populace.
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Flexibility across jurisdictions: As noted, this system may be implemented at various levels of government, from city to federal. This flexibility allows for experimentation and adaptation to different scales of governance.
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Reduce polarization: By giving citizens direct input, it might help bridge the gap between what politicians think people want and what they actually want. This would reduce the political polarization seen today.
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Safeguard against unpopular or harmful legislation: It provides an additional layer of protection against laws that might be detrimental to citizens’ rights or interests, even if they’ve made it through the traditional legislative process.
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Encourages compromise and moderation: Knowing that extreme or partisan legislation is likely to be vetoed by citizens encourages lawmakers to craft more moderate, broadly appealing bills.
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Increased voter turnout: Regular voting on bills would increase overall civic participation and voter turnout, as people become more accustomed to having a say in the legislative process.