Comments on: Gov. Brewer Speaks at Const. Reform Roundtable

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 00:57:51 +0000

Please post a pointer to ACCR’s proposed constitution. After glooming around their site, couldn’t find much substance other than “tax fairness” an end to earmarking tax revenue and “home rule”.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:23:23 +0000

Best I can tell, Gov. Brewer and ACCR would love for a convention to consider the 1969 draft and the ACCR Commission’s draft. I don’t think the drafts are secret, and I’ll try to find out where you can get copies.

By: Don

Don — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:15:32 +0000

Kathy, thanks for answering my question about the 1901 constitution.

Wouldn’t be helpful, though, if there are any drafts for a new constitution from any source that they be disclosed to the public and ask for comments to see what folks think of them? And couldn’t legislation seeking a convention suggest that the convention members take all drafts and comments about them into consideration as they draft their own document. It seems like that might be better than starting from scratch and it should conform to the prior ruling by the Supreme Court. I’m just thinking out loud and perhaps outside of the box.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:21:09 +0000

Don, I believe ACCR has written a draft of a new constitution. Gov. Brewer appointed a commission in 1969 that wrote a draft. And I agree that your approach would be a good one. However, one thing Gov. Brewer pointed out on Tuesday night is that Big Jim Folsom attempted to get a convention called in order to re-apportion the legislature, and the courts ruled that a convention could not be limited to specific actions before the fact. So we couldn’t call a convention with the requirement that it approve a specific document.

The only two approaches permitted under the current constitution are a citizens’ convention (which must be called by the Legislature) or an article-by-article rewrite by the Legislature. The last time there was a major (and by all accounts excellent) rewrite of a constitutional article was in the 1970s, so I’m not holding my breath for our part-time Legislature to get around to the rest of it anytime soon. Unless, that is, we hold their collective feet to the fire.

By: Don

Don — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:31:02 +0000

“one of the various commissions generated a model document a convention could use to reassure the citizens of Alabama of its intended destination.”

I’ve said before that asking voters to approve a convention is akin to asking them to “buy a pig in a poke” and then if the convention produces a document voters reject it will have been a costly exercise in futility — a waste of time, energy, and taxpayer dollars. If that happened, I believe it would sour voters on the idea of a new constitution and set back the agenda of ACCR.

If a model document has been generated, why can’t it be available and presented to voters to accept or reject without going through the convention process? I’ve said that ACCR itself should write a version of a new constitution an open it up to public scrutiny. Does our present constitution require a convention to write a new constitution?

By: John C.

John C. — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:08:28 +0000

Incredible job summarizing this first part, Doc – I don’t know how you got that all down. I shoulda had you taking notes for me in college! Kathy commented earlier today that this event was similar to an upper-level college seminar and doggone if she’s not right. I don’t think there were many in that crowd last night who didn’t learn a great deal. Thank you for reporting on it. One thing mentioned that I look forward to learning more about: one of the various commissions generated a model document a convention could use to reassure the citizens of Alabama of its intended destination. I realize all bets are off once the convention is convened, but if the delegates all take a pledge and we take their loved ones hostage, well, who knows what we could accomplish…

Thanks again for the work you do!

By: dan t

dan t — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 18:54:16 +0000

One of those attorneys in the GOP house primary in Cullman is pushing
the initiative process as one of his priorities if he’s elected to the house.
Its not Parker but that other attorney…his name escapes at the moment.

By: Birmingham Blues » Blog Archive » Reports on Constitutional Reform Forum

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 18:05:35 +0000

[...] Gov. Brewer Speaks at Const. Reform Roundtable [...]

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:46:10 +0000

Thanks, Danny. I’m going to link to each of your posts as you put them up. Just to clarify for anyone who doesn’t know Barry, the “member of the vast right wing conspiracy” remark was meant in jest. Well, mostly. :) Barry did a great job as moderator, and the panel was really impressive. There will be video highlights posted soon on the OTM Dems website. I’ll let you know when they’re up.