A Supermajority vote - Let's get that 60%

Latest Poll shows Amendments unlikely to pass

Any constitutional amendment, whether initiated or referred by the Legislature, must be approved by at least 60% of those voting on the measure. Any proposed constitutional amendment imposing a new state tax or fee must be approved by 2/3 of those the voters in the State voting in the election in which such an amendment is considered.

Even Vice President Joe Biden slammed the Republican's use of the Senate's Supermajority rules on January 17, 2010, saying that he's never before seen "the Constitution stood on its head as they've done," and that "no democracy has survived needing a Supermajority."

Joe is wrong. A Supermajority is necessary. We tried to pass one here in Lake Worth a few years back and the same groups fought it like crazy, spending a lot of money and busing in foot soldiers, and won. Now the Supermajority is working to their advantage in the State of Florida regarding Amendment 4. Win or lose, it is important that politicians do not abuse our Constitution by trying to pass important changes to our Constitution by a simple majority. The problem is the big money that influences voters who are confused on amendments. When you talk about $15 million from all these self-interest groups out to defeat Amendment 4, that carries a lot of campaign propaganda.

The Supermajority vote, however, was initiated by the Florida Legislature as a direct result of Florida Hometown Democracy in order to make it very difficult for those wanting to protect our State from being over-built. Politicians in Tallahassee, in bed with the developer lobbyists, put it on the ballot on November 7, 2006 in order to make it very challenging to change the Constitution. It passed on a 57.8% in favor and 42.2% not in favor--not even a Supermajority.