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Opinion January 17, 2002 If, the voters willing, we get a new state constitution, no one will be able to say they didn't get a chance to be heard. Last week, Gov. Don Siegelman raised the issue of putting a call for a constitutional convention on the ballot in November. That's the "easy" vote. The next step becomes very, very complicated - if the public decides the archaic, racist, ineffective and convoluted constitution that now governs us needs repair.The next step is how to elect delegates. On Tuesday, Siegelman proposed electing 210 delegates, a man and a woman from each legislative House district. No one who has served as an elected official or lobbyist would be allowed to stand for the job. Contributions would be kept small. And the convention would be held in Birmingham, not special-interest-rife Montgomery. Earlier, Lt. Gov. Steve Windom proposed similar legislation. And Rep. Mac Gipson, D-Prattville, is floating a plan that would use Windom's district formula, add all former lieutenant governors and chief justices - then appoint (by someone) a dozen special-interest representatives to round out the group. Abundant questions remain. Will there be run-off elections if no one gets a majority or will simple pluralities carry the day? Can you forbid someone from running for an elected position like this because of his or her occupation? Will voters be heartily sick of the whole process if they have to vote to hold a convention, then vote for delegates - and then, finally, vote for a new constitution? Yes, they'll do all that because of what's at stake. They'll do it to remove the special-privileges yoke that has held Alabama back from mainstream governance. They'll do it because they want a better future for their children. True, the Legislature is now going about cosmetic changes in some of the less controversial parts of the constitution, item by item as the law allows. But handling the easy issues hasn't been a piece of cake for the legislators. Disputes arose Tuesday over the exact location of the Alabama-Florida border, for goodness sakes. There's a lot of work ahead, beginning with legislative action to set up the vote on the convention. But with the support for action at its highest level in recent history, no one should shy away from reform because it's difficult. Clarification In an editorial Saturday on the Huntsville City Council's decision to create an additional secretarial position to serve its members, The Times said that ''the normal city hiring process will be bypassed.'' Council members say they have traditionally hired their own secretaries,as do other city departments, and that applications will be accepted for the post. (See ''Opinions are not facts,'' Page B5) Return to: Editorial Index |
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| Alabama Citizens for
Constitutional Reform Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 34 Montgomery, Alabama 36101-0034 E-mail: accr@constitutionalreform.org |
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