JustSarah
One aspect that site is lacking is a brief summary of each initiative. Ok, great, Costco heavily backed I-1100, but what *is* I-1100? (I do know what I-1100 is, by the way, but some of the initiatives listed are more obscure, and the average person who clicks on the link isn’t going to dig deeper to learn exactly what all the initiatives are.)
That said, I certainly wouldn’t call it “buying the vote.” Interest groups, including corporations, have always inserted themselves into aspects of our democratic process. I happen to strongly support I-1100 and understand that Costco has a vested interest in it passing. A few years ago, I was strongly for the disposable bag fee, but also understood why the chemical companies were throwing so much money at ads urging a “no” vote. Political ads are required to state who funded them. The fact is, the petitions for initiatives still require a large number of supporters’ signatures to make it onto a ballot. The system is not perfect, but it would be quite difficult for initiatives to get off the ground without the large amounts of money special interest groups can provide.