Eyman has filed a slew of initiatives this year but will probably concentrate on two. One is to reduce car license tabs to $30 and the other will be to overturn the just signed anti-discrimination legislation on sexual orientation.
The best way to respond to Eyman type initiatives is to practice free speech whenever you see someone trying to collect signatures. The signature gatherer will probably be on Tim’s payroll of $1 or $2 a signature since after his first initiative he has had to pay to get his initiatives on the ballot. He doesn’t have any real horde of volunteers although he wants people to believe he does.
Stand 5 or 10 feet away and start telling people not to sign the initiative as it is controversial and people don’t support it. Ask people to read the initiative first before they sign, which they are allowed to do by law and should. Paid signature gatherers usually hide the actual text (which is printed on the back of the initiative) from the public because people reading the initiative while they are asking people to sign, stops people from signing.
Do not get into an argument with the signature gatherer and do not stop people from signing if they still want to. But you are allowed to speak all you want and encourage people not to sign. That is free speech. Try it and you’ll be amazed at how effective you can be in persuading people not to sign.
The petition gatherer will probably try to get away from you but as long as you are in a public area you can continue to exercise your right of free speech near him or her as long as you do not physically stop people from signing if they want to. Probably most won’t since most people like to avoid controversy and will walk away.
