CT Constitutional Convention Needed Now!

In fall 2008 CT voters did not elect to have a state constitutional convention as they could have. Few politicians ever acknowledged the opportunity and to a large extent did not endorse the concept when they even spoke of it.

No surprise. The media did not fulfill its "journalistic reason to exist" by explaining it or even providing any input to the few discussions. The print media seem to become less relevant at a greater pace as their public service role declines. Nobody even practices investigative reporting anymore.

The goal of having the Constitutional Convention was to resolve any consitutional issues (that we all know) including the vagueness of the spending cap with astute definitions. Add impeachment guidelines for public officials (including governors) and you have some real progress.

The real value of the Constitutional Convention, however, comes with a voter initiative option in the Constitution. Voters could, under guidelines established in law, initiate actions that would be put forth to all voters in a referendum for the public at large to vote on.

If such recourse were available, some debates underway now in this 2009 session would not even occur so that attention to the budget detail could occupy the primary interest. Debates over expanding marriage options and their controversies could avoid the proxy vote of legislators and allow the "silent majority" to be heard in a true democratic vote.

Polls indicate a large public majority favor the death penalty while legislators continue their personal quest (and own agenda) to outlaw this popular penalty.