By Lisa W. Foderaro
ALBANY
— Every 20 years, New Yorkers have the chance to vote whether they want
to hold a constitutional convention to amend, tweak or otherwise
improve the founding document of the state.
For
the past half-century, voters have demurred. This year, however,
academics, good-government groups and others believe the outcome of the
ballot question in November may be different. And — perhaps no surprise —
it has something to do with the current occupant of the White House.
“Trump’s
election emphasizes how valuable it is for states to chart their own
course,” said Peter J. Galie, author of “Ordered Liberty: A
Constitutional History of New York” and a professor of political science
at Canisius College
in Buffalo. “We can put a right to clean air and water in our
Constitution. If we want to add more labor protections, we can do it.
That’s the beauty of federalism.”
But before voters confront the ballot question, they will no doubt be
barraged by campaigns for and against a constitutional convention,
affectionately called Con-Con.
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Source: The New York Times (via The Empire Report)
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