What do the war referenda mean?

It depends on how voters interpreted the question. Does "now" mean now?

Some voters certainly took the question of getting out now quite literally.

This means some voters who despise the war nonetheless may have voted against the referendum because they fear a hasty exit could cause an even greater calamity in Iraq and the Middle East.

Other voters no doubt saw the referendums as a vehicle for expressing their dissatisfaction with how the war is going. The message from their "yes" votes wasn't "get out" so much as it was "get better."

Still others may have viewed the vote as a referendum on an unpopular president. Given George Bush's poll numbers lately, it's easy to see how "yes" votes could have been boosted.

What a ridiculous exercise to subject us to! How about speculating about what the failure to vote meant? Uh, could you rephrase the question?

Fortunately, the war referenda have no effect. They were only a way to express opinion (inarticulately). Next fall, we're asked to vote on a statewide referendum to express something about gay marriage. The language in that referendum is also confusing, and it's not just an opportunity to blow off steam. It's language to be inserted into the state constitution.