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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. As promised, we're having an 'Is it the truth or is it a lie' quiz during the pledge week on every Brian Lehrer show during these particular days. We're hooking them for some of the questions to the democracy segment that you will have just heard if you heard it. If you were paying attention in the last half hour, you have a better chance of winning here. We've also got a potpourri of other kinds of questions that we hope will be fun. If you want to take a chance, 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Three in a row right, and we'll send you the new Brian Lehrer Show Pro-Democracy sweatshirt. All right, so Betty in Manhattan. Hi, Betty, you're on WNYC. Are you ready to play?
Betty: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: Good. All right. Is this the truth or is it a lie? All states have either ballot initiatives or veto referendums statewide as a process for citizen-initiated measures. All states have that. Is that the truth or is it a lie?
Betty: A lie.
Brian Lehrer: You're right. That is a lie. According to Ballotpedia, 24 states do not feature a process for citizen-initiated measures. All right. Is this the truth or is it a lie? The plural of referendum is referenda.
Betty: True
Brian Lehrer: That actually, sorry, Betty, is a lie. According to grammarist.com and some other websites that I looked it up, because getting ready for the segment we did today, I was like, "I don't know. Do I say referenda?" Doesn't sound right, but yes grammarist.com says, "Some believe that the plural form is referenda following the Latin rules of pluralization. This is incorrect. Referendum, singular, is now considered an English word and follows the English rules of pluralization, simply adding an S to form the plural, so it is 'referendums'. John in Bradley Beach, ready to play?
John: Yes, I am, Brian, but I didn't listen to that previous segment, so I'm handicapped but I'm ready.
Brian Lehrer: All right. Handicapped, but ready. While red states take aim at voting by mail, voters in blue New York State passed the ballot question last year to make absentee voting permanently available to everyone with no reasons need to be given. Is that the truth or is it a lie?
John: It is unfortunate, but it is not the truth.
Brian Lehrer: You are correct. That is a lie. New York voters defeated that 'No-Excuse Absentee Balloting' question last year. All right, next question. Is this the truth or is it a lie? Legal recreational cannabis use is on the ballot in five states this November. This is a fact that I'm setting up the question with. Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota, they will all be voting on legal cannabis. That is true, but if they pass, that would be a first. Legal cannabis has only been passed so far by state legislatures.
John: I think that is also false. There must be one state that's done this by referendum.
Brian Lehrer: In fact, you are correct. That is a lie. According to the Washington Post, these five states would join 19 other states plus two territories in DC which all have recently legalized recreational cannabis use, and statistically, those legalizations have been mostly through citizen-initiated ballot measures.
John: I think New Jersey is unique that New Jersey did it through the legislature, I think. Maybe not unique, but minority, yes.
Brian Lehrer: Yes, that's right. It was more commonly until New York and New Jersey and a few others by ballot question. Okay, you've got two right. One more, you'll win a Brian Lehrer Show Pro-Democracy sweatshirt. Is this the truth or is it a lie? The United States has only ever held one federal referendum, and that was the referendum to disallow all further national referendums.
John: I don't think that is true.
Brian Lehrer: That is a lie, [trumpet victory sound] because the US has never held a federal referendum of any kind, so congratulations John in Bradley Beach. We're going to take your address off the air and send you a Brian Lehrer Show Pro-Democracy sweatshirt. All right, from Bradley Beach, we go to Long Beach. Eileen in Long Beach, you are on WNYC. Ready to play?
Eileen: Good morning. Yes, I am.
Brian Lehrer: Okay. We just talked about cannabis legalization referendums on various state ballots this year. Also on the ballot in at least five states this year, repealing slavery. Is that the truth or is it a lie?
Eileen: That's a lie.
Brian Lehrer: That, unfortunately and thanks for trying Eileen, is the truth. According to Ballotpedia, as of October 2022, 20 state constitutions included language permitting enslavement or servitude as criminal punishments or debt payments. In November, voters in five states will decide on repealing such language. Good luck, Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont. We'll go next to Joanne in Boonton, New Jersey. Joanne, you're on WNYC. Ready to play?
Joanne: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: Is this the truth or is it a lie? Voter turnout in states without an initiative on the ballot tend to be much higher than in states with an initiative on the ballot because ballot measures are seen as onerous to voters, more things to scratch their heads about and confusing, and therefore makes them stay home. Is that the truth or is it a lie that voter turnout in states without a ballot measure, that voter turnout tends to be higher?
Joanne: Without a ballot measure? I would say no. That's not true.
Brian Lehrer: That is a lie. You are correct. According to Ballotpedia, voter turnout in states with an initiative on the ballot is approximately 3% to 8% higher than in states without an initiative on the ballot. All right, next question. Nevada is the first state in the US to have codified Roe versus Wade into state law, and they did so by ballot measure. Let me correct the tense on that. Nevada was the first state in the US to have codified Roe versus Wade into state law, and they did so with a ballot measure. Is that the truth or is it a lie?
Joanne: I think it's a lie.
Brian Lehrer: I'm sorry. Thanks for trying, Joanne. That is the truth. According to the Nevada Independent, it was back in 1990 when nearly two-thirds of Nevada voters approved the ballot measure codifying state law allowing for abortions within 24 weeks of pregnancy, so roughly Roe. That means "only a direct majority vote from the people could overturn that protection" according to that ballot question back from 1990 in Nevada. We will see if they try to revisit it now that Roe has been overturned. All right, we're going to go next to Beverly in Park Slope. Hi, Beverly. Ready to play?
Beverly: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: All right. We have two questions here that we're calling 'Referendum so zany we couldn't make them up, or did we?' All right, you ready? Is this the truth or a lie? Some years back, a proposal went on the ballot, also in Nevada, to award $1 million in every general election to one lucky voter. That person would be chosen by lottery simply for voting, no matter for whom. True or false, that voting in Nevada was on the ballot, that turning your vote into a lottery entry in Nevada was a ballot question. Is that the truth or is it a lie that they tried to do that?
Beverly: I think that's false.
Brian Lehrer: Sorry, Beverly. Crazy as it may seem, which is why we call it 'Referendum so zany we couldn't make them up, or did we?' It is true. According to a 2006 New York Times article, it's our source on this, a proposal to award $1 million in every general election to one lucky resident chosen by lottery simply for voting, no matter for whom, has qualified for the November ballot. However, the end of the story is that ballot initiative failed. Let's go next to TJ in Manhattan. TJ, ready to play?
TJ: Yes. I'm ready.
Brian Lehrer: Okay. One more from this category 'Referendum so zany we couldn't make them up, or did we?' Is this the truth or is it a lie? In Denver, one ballot initiative put forth to voters proposed a commission to keep track of UFO sightings in the area. Is that the truth or is it a lie?
TJ: Well, I'm going to say it's a lie.
Brian Lehrer: That, sorry for you TJ, is the truth. Again, from Ballotpedia, on November 2nd, 2010, Initiative 300 as it was known, was overwhelmingly rejected by Denver citizens with 80% voting against, but it was on the ballot to create a commission to keep track of UFO sightings in the area. Okay, I think we have time for one more contestant person. That's the singular. Rick in Hicksville, you're at WNYC. You're ready to give it a shot?
Rick: Yes. Good morning, Brian.
Brian Lehrer: Good morning. We now enter some potpourri questions on New York area geography. The Throgs Neck Bridge, the Whitestone Bridge, and the RFK Triborough Bridge can all get you from another borough to Queens. Is that the truth or is it a lie?
Rick: It's true.
Brian Lehrer: That is the truth. Is this the truth or is it lie? The Lincoln Tunnel, the Midtown Tunnel, and the Holland Tunnel all go between Manhattan and New Jersey?
Rick: No.
Brian Lehrer: You are correct. That is a lie. The Midtown Tunnel goes between Manhattan and Queens, so doesn't belong on the list. For the sweatshirt, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connects a fort in Brooklyn and a fort on Staten Island.
Rick: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: That is the truth. [trumpet victory sound] You win a Brian-Lehrer Show Pro Democracy Sweatshirt. The MTA website describes the bridge as connecting Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn and Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, both of which were actual forts that defended New York Harbor in the Revolutionary War. Rick, hang on, we'll take your mailing address. We'll have another 'Is it the truth or is it a lie' democracy plus other stuff quiz on tomorrow's Brian Lehrer Show. Stay with us for much more today.
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