“Proposed Ohio ballot initiative would require background checks for all gun sales,” NBC4i Columbus reported Thursday. “The newly formed group calling itself ‘Ohioans for Gun Safety’ says they want ‘common sense’ background checks to stem the number of gun deaths.” They’re looking at how they can make that happen politically through a ballot intiative.
The group’s IRS filing says “NJW is a grassroots org of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideas into action,” and its 2016 “end of year” assets is just short of $16M.
They can do some damage with that, above and beyond the $31K the NBC4i report says they’ve collected to date via “house parties.” Meaning gun owners had best be aware of their presence and intentions, and prepared to counter the anticipated disinformation campaign that will surely accompany their ballot initiative effort.
"Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. . . Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them."
- Thomas Paine
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem."
Not to discount the possible future funding of this ballot initiative's supporters, it is the NATIONAL Council of Jewish Women with 16 million, not the local Cleveland chapter of NCJF and certainly not the misguided group Ohioans for Gun Safety. It looks like NCJF spends about 1 million a year on all of it's efforts nationwide, some of which, no doubt, will filter down to the ballot initiative. But I doubt it will be a significant amount.
I have no doubt that this group will catch the attention and money of Bloomberg and the Moms at some point, if not already, but to imply they already have 16 million at their disposal is not at all accurate.
Ignorant or Stupid, I'm not sure which is worse. If someone were stupid, at least they'd have an excuse for all the dumb things they say.
Pass the Peace Pipe I need another hit
IANAL and neither are most people on this board, its just shows more with some than others.
Ballot initiatives are really risky. We don't want this to turn out like Washington's Initiative 594, which likely passed due to misleading text on the ballot and I can only suspect that it was accompanied by a misinformation campaign.
So what steps can be taken? How do you counter misinformation and misleading ballot text?
If I remember the initiative process correctly does not the petitioner(s) have to gather ''xxx'' numbers of signatures based on previous governors election turnout, and then go to either the AG or legislative bodies, to attempt a law being written before pasting said initiative it to an actual ballot? At a minimum the AG checks the petition to initiate for invalid signatures, wording conflicts with existing laws etc.?
If so the trigger point for activism against this initiative in particular would be, unsatisfactory answer(s) from said officials (e.g. AG or OGA)
Acquisitions thus far:
-Slingshot
-Butter knife
-Soda straw and peas
-Sharpened pencil
-Newspaper roll
--water balloon (*diversionary*)
WhyNot wrote:If I remember the initiative process correctly does not the petitioner(s) have to gather ''xxx'' numbers of signatures based on previous governors election turnout, and then go to either the AG or legislative bodies, to attempt a law being written before pasting said initiative it to an actual ballot? At a minimum the AG checks the petition to initiate for invalid signatures, wording conflicts with existing laws etc.?
If so the trigger point for activism against this initiative in particular would be, unsatisfactory answer(s) from said officials (e.g. AG or OGA)
If a citizen feels that an issue is not addressed properly (or at all) in the Ohio Revised Code, he or she can follow the procedures outlined in the Ohio Constitution and Revised Code (below) to submit a proposed law (statute) to the people of Ohio for a statewide vote...
Ignorant or Stupid, I'm not sure which is worse. If someone were stupid, at least they'd have an excuse for all the dumb things they say.
Pass the Peace Pipe I need another hit
IANAL and neither are most people on this board, its just shows more with some than others.
They are still out there getting publicity after the latest school shooting.
There was a discussion of guns, mass shootings and Ohio law at a church in Shaker Heights on Sunday. The grassroots organization, Ohioans for Gun Safety, is holding meetings around the state in an effort to get an initiative expanding background checks for gun buyers on the ballot in 2019.