A Revised Call to Action
Vote Yes on Colorado Initiative 127 Prohibiting the Killing of Bobcats, Lynx and Mountain Lions
In last week’s Voting Guide we recommended voting NO on Statutory Initiative 127, prohibiting the killing of Bobcats, Lynx and Mountain Lions. We believed then and we still believe that the referendum process is not the best way to handle nuance and complexity, least of all involving science and biology. We believe that the legislature is normally the best way to develop regulatory legislation on complicated issues but when a solution is blocked in the elected legislature then a citizen initiated law can be appropriate.
Soon after publishing the Voter Guide reader comment and discussion along with a number of recently published and well considered articles pushed us to reconsider our position. The intent of this statute is to prohibit trophy hunting of wild cats - bobcats, Lynx and Mountain Lions. Based on new information, we have come to believe that the likelihood of a legislative and regulatory solution is extremely unlikely and the only way to prevent the inhumane slaughter of wild cats is to ban it by a vote of the people.
The legislature will still need to get involved to provide relief for ranchers and others whose herds and pets are victimized by a larger wild cat population as well as other unforeseen consequences. We think the pressure created by the passage of this referendum will be sufficient to get that needed action.
Politics is a ongoing process of research, discussion, reconsideration and reformulation. We’ve changed our mind about State Initiative 127. We admit that our initial recommendation does not stand up on reconsideration. Vote Yes on 127!!