SALLY COMBS

Jersey Shore

The doors of the Pennsylvania Members-Only Primary Club will be open to all on May 18 this year. This is because of some critical referendums on the ballot that every voter can voice an opinion on — Libertarians, Greens, Independents all get to vote in this primary.

While primary elections benefit only the major parties, everyone’s taxes pay for them. Unlike General Elections, thousands of us usually cannot vote in a Primary. Even major party members often ignore primary elections, assuming that their local political machines have already stacked the deck for their choices in the general election. This means even fewer voters participating in decisions that may change our state laws.

Such is the case in the May 18 Primary. Critical proposed changes to the Pennsylvania constitution are on the ballot, and the Lycoming County Libertarian Committee would like to call your attention to these major proposals. Placing these proposals on a Primary ballot may receive less voter attention, while the changes involved will affect the rights of every voter in the state.

There are three important proposed amendments to the state constitution on the ballot, and the LCLC supports each of them. One is a joint resolution to prohibit discrimination due to race or ethnicity. This resolution is designed to ensure that our rights are not denied or abridged because of who we are.

Another amendment places the responsibility to terminate or extend an emergency act back to where it always belonged, with the General Assembly. This decision should never have been placed in the hands of only one individual — a chief executive who wants to control the actions of constituents in a dictatorial manner, with no ability of constituents and their elected officials to affect this important decision.

The final proposed amendment returns the idea of a temporary emergency act to what it was always meant to be. An Emergency Act is a limited circumvention of state laws in the event of extreme emergency on a temporary basis. The Emergency Act is specifically designed to last for up to 21 days, without the ability to endlessly extend this suspension of the constitution, thereby restricting the rights of the electorate.

The LCLC urges everyone, major and minor parties, as well as independents to vote YES on these ballot initiatives. This will send a message to the Assembly that we want them to pass these amendments that promote the ideals of freedom in Pennsylvania.

The pandemic is thankfully reaching its final stages, thanks to brilliant technology and the hard work of so many in the medical profession. But the damage caused to business, students, workers and families will unfortunately be with us for a long time, largely due to the poor decisions made by a single chief executive who felt he could ignore the will of his constituents and their elected representatives.

It is time to end the dictatorship. Support equal rights. Support our state constitution. Vote YES on the ballot initiatives on May 18.