Thursday, October 30, 2008

Key Facts about the Ballot Question
on a Constitutional Convention

from the CT Vote No Coalition:

Haga clic aquí para español

  • The question on the ballot will read: “Shall there be a Constitutional Convention to amend or revise the Constitution of the State?” It doesn’t say anything about who goes to the convention or what will be proposed.
  • State legislators appoint the delegates to the convention. Average citizens have no say in who goes. The politicians in Hartford will appoint lobbyists, special interests and party operatives – not regular citizens and taxpayers.
  • Convention delegates can propose anything, without limits. Voters have no say in what is proposed at the convention. They will do what’s in their best interest,not the public interest.
  • The group pushing for the convention is a political organization dedicated to banning marriage for gay people and outlawing abortion. They will use the convention to take away people’s rights.
  • In other states, big businesses like health insurance companies and tobacco companies have used this process to get special tax breaks, overturn environmental laws and take away workers’ rights and benefits.
  • The state constitution has been amended 30 times since 1970 – without holding a convention. We can make changes to the constitution without holding a taxpayer-funded convention.

  • Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and other experts on the state constitution have come out against the convention.