The purpose of a citizens’ initiative is to allow the populace a way to pass legislation they want, but they’re represented officials don’t.

The wise framers of our Constitution recognized the common will for the common good may sometimes be politically difficult to achieve and allowed the people a way to get the job done themselves.

The existence of initiatives shows an honest acknowledgement that sometimes our form of representational democracy fails.

Use of the initiative signifies that a failure on the part of the elected officials has occurred.

This year Initiative 1 is on the ballot because the people wanted it and it will probably pass for the same reason.

But Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, candidly told students during a debate at the Hinckley Institute of Politics that our Legislature doesn’t care what the will of the people is.

They don’t care that they failed in giving the people what they wanted for the common good (hence the initiative’s existence) and don’t care whether or not the people pass it.

Our legislators are going to do whatever they want regardless of the will of the people that grants them their authority.

“Should this initiative pass…it will be incumbent upon the Legislature to look at what we’re already appropriating in these areas and address it in a different direction,” Bramble said. “Should this pass, it’s not a given that this will simply increase what you’re trying to accomplish.”

What?

Should the people express their desire for more open spaces, our elected representatives will consider it “incumbent” upon themselves to undo what we, the people, have accomplished through the initiative?

What the hell makes them think they can undo the work of their employers?

This man and every legislator like him has no place in our government.