Over at the Liberty on the March blog, Tim Trickey (who describes himself as a ”small-time political consultant here in Oregon who cares very deeply about the health and safety or our country”) offers Paul Jacob a word of thanks for helping to expose the “dirty tactics, institutionalized trickery, and outright deception” of the foes of citizen initiative rights.

There is no longer any question whether the “initiative process” is a threat to the “government class,” and I suspect it will only get worse. As more and more people become disenfranchised, distracted, or duped, public officials will be able to get away with taking more and more of our civil rights away.

This fact is discouraging, and has led to greater difficulties in collecting signatures and qualifying initiatives. We have always done our best to work within the laws, play fair, and hope for the best. Our opponents have responded by filing lawsuits, changing the laws, and increasing the # of signatures needed to qualify initiatives. Worst of all, they have attempted to cast suspicion on us based on their opposition to individual petitions, and have attempted to bully us into submission.

But at this point, we have to stand up and defy them to their face. We have to stake our claim that our actions are righteous and just, and that our own personal inconvenience or persecution will only embolden us to greater action….

Thank you for continuing in this uniquely American tradition of rebellion against injustice. We are with you in spirit, and our prayers are with your family.

As Paul indicates in his special Thanksgiving Day message, Mr. Trickey’s supportive sentiments are shared by a great many Americans.