Michigan citizens will vote on Proposal 2 next week and it is a mess. From the @MackinacCenter op-ed in the @WSJopinion: wsj.com/opinion/michigans-pr… [T]he ballot initiative goes much further than limiting campaign contributions or forcing corporate disclosures. It also creates a new category of political speech—“electioneering communications”—that would be tightly regulated by state authorities. This term is defined as public communication within 100 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary or special election that is “targeted to the relevant electorate,” and “references a clearly identifiable candidate.” Anyone who issues such communications and spends more than $5,000 doing so in a calendar year must file a detailed spending report with the Michigan secretary of state. This language is so broad that it could cover news outlets and independent journalists like me. State law exempts newspapers and other traditional media from campaign expenditure reporting requirements for the content they publish “in the regular course of publication or broadcasting.” But there is no clear exemption for media included in Proposal 2’s definition of “electioneering communication.” The requirements would also likely apply to independent journalists using platforms like podcasts and blogs. I could be subject to an enormous burden if I want to keep interviewing or even talking about candidates for office. What’s more, the state’s definition of “candidate” is so broad that the initiative would cover anyone in office who isn’t term-limited, regardless of whether he is up for re-election in the current cycle.