From a constitutional standpoint, initiatives are just as limited as statutes passed or amendments proposed by legislatures. In fact, in real-world experience, it seems the courts are much more cognizant of constitutional restraints when considering and sometimes striking down measures passed by voters.

Moreover, the actual history of statewide initiatives shows that the bulk of dangerous government growth comes not from the people, but from the politicians.

The people will make mistakes, of course, and we have to recognize that. But we desperately need a countervailing force to push for freedom. And that will not come from politicians Left or Right. But it can and has come from citizens who care about issues protecting and expanding the critical process of voter initiative, referendum and recall.

To the extent the Left means those who favor ever-growing government, the initiative serves as a natural curb. Politicians are likely to side with idea of government being bigger and more powerful — this can be said even of many so-called conservative Republicans — because as ministers of said government their power is tied to the power of that to which they minster.

There is a long track record of initiatives, and the big mistakes during that history didn’t come from the voters through initiatives. Legislators, Congress first among them, did far more than the lion’s share of damage.

On the other hand, much good came from the initiative. In the 1910s, voters passed some of the first statewide provisions for women’s suffrage through the initiative. In more recent times, Proposition 13 in California touched off a tax revolt and term limits swept the country.

Face it: Surely Prop 13 did more good by saving the homes of many Californians — and by touching off a tax revolt across the country — than all the misguided initiatives in over a century of ballot propositions.

Why? Because it stuck out. The general trend of government is to grow. Politicians rarely embark on a daring plan to limit government.

But the people do. And when they do, their efforts shine as a beacon, and spread.

Indeed, efforts to stem the tide of unlimited government consistently outshine all other efforts, simply by contrast.

The initiative is the one venue that favors freedom.

A different friend (I have at least two), once asked me, “Do you trust the people?”

Loaded question, I thought, and then, just for good measure, I told him the truth. “No, I don’t trust the people — but I trust the people a whole lot more than I trust the politicians.”