USA National Referendum – What Issues Go National?

During the trial period, any and all issues would be set before the people. Post the trial period, there would be two categories of issues: Binding and Non-Binding Votes. Either Houses of Congress would have the ability to send issues to the National Referendum by a simple majority vote for either binding or non-binding. Non-binding votes would provide guidance for Congresspersons and binding votes would establish the will of the people. In non-binding, the Congresspersons would not be bound to vote with his or her constituents; but, of course, the system would reveal this and his or her comments as to why he our she voted against the will of the the constituents published for all to see. It could simply be there was national security information used that could not be made publich which is a perfectly acceptable reason. In binding votes, the Congresspersons would be bound to vote with the will of the district. There are still many pre-existing checks and balances. If an issue (bill or law) were passed in the Senate and House and sent to the President, he or she would still have to sign it into law. The Supreme Court could still rule the law unconstitutional. Nowhere in this system is there any attempt to divert any power out of the checks and balances of the system in place. The only difference is to afford citizens an actual role in self-determination and Congresspersons with more and better information as to the positions of people in their districts. Automatic voter thresholds could be established such that no vote of the people would be binding if fewer than 50% of the registered voters in a district vote leaving the decision up to the Congressperson.

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