In all of the voting that produced the collapse of the Republican Party in the last week, there were some bright spots where the people spoke directly for themselves rather than indirectly by electing politicians to speak for them. The people passed a number of conservative-oriented referenda.

• Iowa…voters approved a constitutional amendment to require a two-thirds legislative majority for raising income taxes on residents or businesses.
• Ohio…voted to shore up the state’s voter ID requirement by putting it in the constitution.
• North Carolina…approved a constitutional amendment to cut the maximum income-tax rate to 3.5%, from 7%.
• North Carolina also approved an amendment on voter ID.
• Washington state approved a measure.
• Colorado is on a path to Colorado’s barring biological males from competing in girls’ sports and a separate measure banning gender surgeries on minors also is ahead.
• Arizona is on a similar path to protecting female athletes.
• Kentucky voters amended their constitution to prevent lame-duck pardons.

However, even that silver lining is deeply buried in dark clouds; there’s still this:

• Colorado voters repealed the state’s groundbreaking Taxpayer Bill of Rights and may saddle themselves with a progressive income tax.
• Washington looks to have rubber-stamped a millionaire’s tax.
• Arizona and California said no to voter ID.
• Montanans and Michiganders voted for new restrictions on free speech under the guise of “campaign-finance reform.”