Argument for
By Approval Committee: Raphael Graybill, Jason Small, Tara Veazey
Loaded LanguageBlack-and-White FallacyGlittering Generalities
Vote yes on CI-133 to protect your right to propose and vote on laws that affect your life without government interference. CI-133 guarantees a fair, transparent, and timely ballot measure process. What it means to vote YES on CI-133:
• YES on CI-133 protects the ballot measure process and safeguards your fundamental right to propose, vote on, and veto laws without government interference.
• YES on CI-133 bans the government from taking sides on ballot measures and using taxpayer money to sway your vote.
• YES on CI-133 requires impartial, predictable, open, and timely processes for approving petitions and ballot statements, resolving legal challenges, gathering signatures, and verifying signatures. Lobbyists and outside interests have too much influence in Helena. That’s why we need CI-133.
It protects citizens’ right to pass laws without interference from a government that caters to special interests and their money. Ballot measures give voters the power to keep the government accountable to us, not lobbyists. Ballot measures are how citizens come together to protect and preserve what makes Montana great.
Loaded Language · “a government that caters to special interests and their money” — Charged framing of government as catering to special interests and their money rather than neutral description.
Black-and-White Fallacy · “accountable to us, not lobbyists” — Frames government accountability as either to 'us' or to lobbyists, implying no other option.
Glittering Generalities · “protect and preserve what makes Montana great” — Vague, positive appeal to what 'makes Montana great' without specific meaning.
Montana citizens across the political spectrum have passed ballot measures to protect our right to hunt and fish, cap taxes, protect public lands, restrict lobbying, expand access to healthcare for kids, raise the minimum wage, and keep the government out of our private, family medical decisions.
By voting YES on CI-133, we protect the mechanism Montana citizens use to pass laws that protect and preserve Montana values. Ballot measures give Montanans the voice we need to act as a check on government overreach. Ballot measures aren’t just for passing laws, they allow citizens to veto bad laws when the government goes too far.
Glittering Generalities · “protect and preserve Montana values” — Invokes vague, positive 'Montana values' without saying what they are.
Loaded Language · “government overreach”, “bad laws”, “when the government goes too far” — 'Government overreach' is an emotionally charged phrase that frames government action as illegitimate without specifics.
We all deserve the chance to veto government overreach into our lives. CI-133 protects the right of "Citizens Veto" from government interference so we can have the final say without government putting its fingers on the scales. Vote YES on CI-133 to protect our citizen initiative process and preserve Montana for ourselves and future generations.
Loaded Language · “government overreach into our lives”, “government putting its fingers on the scales” — 'Government overreach into our lives' uses emotionally charged framing to provoke distrust of government.
Glittering Generalities · “preserve Montana for ourselves and future generations” — Vague noble appeals to protecting the process and preserving Montana for future generations carry little specific meaning.
From sosmt.gov, the official voter guide.