We're really a Federal Republic, a collection of states where the citizens vote on their Representatives, who are then supposed to legislate under the guideline

We're really a Federal Republic, a collection of states where the citizens vote on their Representatives, who are then supposed to legislate under the guidelines of a Constitution which delegates power to various branches. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_republic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_republic The citizens of Oregon do get to vote on Initiatives and Referendums, that is something which is relatively new to the state 1908, and not the way states outside of the Western part of the country operate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_democracy_in_Oregon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_democracy_in_Oregon ^^ This page has a nice map showing other states as well. In many of the blue states on the map constitutional amendments for the state can be proposed and voted on but the majority of laws are simply written by the legislature.