referenda are bad ways of deciding anything, especially if the public is ignorant (by that I mean misinformed, underinformed, or informed by someone with a vested interest).

Problems with turnout - only those sufficiently bothered turn out

When you think about the enormous cost of organising elections,

to ask people to turn out (and support the cost of doing so) for gay marriage, abortion, war in iraq, or anything else that someone somewhere cares enough about... then you realise what is wrong with referenda.

"...Athens...where the citizens all voted on laws directly"
This is not true, the "democracy" in Athens excluded women, children, and the poor. It wasn't "majority rule", it was "Majority of Rich Men Rule".

Those who don't want, don't pay? I am certain administering a system like that would do wonders to lessen the government's size and involvement in every American's life...

Which brings us to the general point of your arguments - You believe Liberals (or pinkos, or leftists, or communists, or social marxists) are hijacking America, and creating a federal government which is way too involved in citizens lives. This bugs you because the Constitution, bill of rights, and truly the creation of your country was to eliminate this bullshit. You seem to understand the original intent of the constitution, and want it to be realized in modern America, but at the same time wish to say "Fuck you, American Constitution, I'm with the Christians and writing their anti-gay position into law"

Dude, your small points (such as reason comes from my digestional reactions to various things) do a great job of highlighting the fact you are a short sighted moron who argues in circles, and your argument as a whole is totally contradictory

(I like the Constitution, I support anti-constitution constitutional amendments).

Your suggestions for improving the situation are not thought out past your angry current post, and are often contradictory to what you posted 3 posts ago.

You are reflecting such stupidity in your typing that three people are currently illustrating the flaws in your arguments, and no one (aside from bangrsmencesjh who got a map to the door handed to him) will defend your position (which rapidly changes from post to post). Still, somehow you manage to ignore all of it, and keep spouting off the same BS. What's your real name, George Bush?