NYPEOPLESCONVENTION.ORG THE NEW YORK CONSTITUTION OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 7
“I like to look at the Constitutional Convention not so
much as change, but adding on. It’s updating. You are including
people that have never been included before. … To all of
you union members out there, my fellow sisters and brothers,
please, when you got to the polls on November 7th, please vote
for the Constitutional Convention. I always had the courage to
fi ght for what I believed in. I am willing to do the same for this,
because I strongly believe in this Constitution Convention. Just
vote YES!”
— Peggy Eason, Former Union President, CSEA Local 259
“Foremost among the reasons for a Constitutional
Convention is the issue of ethics. Albany has none. It’s a playground
for extortionists, thieves and other crooks, among
them a former governor, a former state comptroller, a former
Assembly speaker and a former leader of the State Senate. Th e
place is crawling with miscreants who think their positions of
public trust amount to a license to raid the public cupboard or
otherwise indulge a dangerous sense of entitlement.
Since the most recent of those convictions, Albany has done
precious little to improve its standard of ethics. Its practice is to
stick a toe into the waters of ethics reform, declare a great victory
and then get back to the business of robbing the public. It
won’t change on its own. A Constitutional Convention could
force that issue. …
New York is a damaged and corrupt state that will not fi x
itself. Any hope for improvement must come from voters. Th is
fall, they will have a chance to force the issues that Albany prefers
to ignore.”
— From Th e Buff alo News Editorial Board’s endorsement
“Th e citizens of this state have
enormous power. And what is
that power? It’s to amend the
Constitution of the State of New
York. Th e present Constitution
is antiquated. It is not designed
to meet the problems of the state
in the year 2017. Isn’t it time we
addressed the modern issues of
environmental poisons? Th ings
that can harm our people. Our
children, our greatest resource, are
they entitled to more than an 8th
grade education? I’m not one to
say to say, ‘Let’s trash everything
that is.’ But without question, ‘Can we do better?’ Th at is a rhetorical
question. We can do a lot better! And a Constitutional
Convention is the way to make that happen.”
— Jonathan Lippman, Former Chief Judge of the State of New York
"We have all read reports outlining the dysfunction in our legislature.
Th e vote to hold a Constitutional Convention gives
New Yorkers, upstate and downstate, from our rural to inner
city communities, a chance to say ENOUGH! It is a vote that
could—and to succeed, must—reignite the participation of New
Yorkers in the activity of self-governance, in public discourse
and in policy making. A Constitutional Convention asks New
Yorkers to be active creators of a way to move our state forward,
and off ers us a chance to restructure things in a developmental
way. Th is is a crucial time for our state and country and a crucial
opportunity that we must embrace!"
- Cathy L. Stewart, Citywide Coordinator,
“If on Nov. 7, voters decide
to hold a constitutional convention
… for the fi rst time
ever, New York could have
a Constitution that women
play a major role in shaping.
Nothing, in fact, would prevent
a majority of delegates
being women. … Opponents
of a constitutional convention
are fearmongering,
throwing out all kinds of
crazy theories about destructive
or anti-democratic ideas
that could emerge.Th at’s
nonsense. …Th e real danger
is voting against a convention
— and allowing a constitution
New York City Independence Clubs
that was draft ed overwhelmingly by men to last for at
least another 20 years.”
— Former NYC Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum
“Th e powers that be in Albany:
the state Legislature; these vipers,
vultures! Th ey’re never going
to impose term limits on themselves.
So the state Constitutional
Convention is the only way to
get it. Th e state Constitutional
Convention gives you an opportunity
to change the system from
within, so that they cannot undo
it.”
– WABC Radio Host and Guardian
Angels Founder Curtis Sliwa
“I am very happy to be part of a movement for a
Constitutional Convention. Th ere’s a big old party that we can
have that everyone can participate in and all the things that you
want to see in New York can get done. Guess what? You can
actually do that! It’s called a Constitutional Convention.”
— Bertha Lewis, Founder, Th e Black Institute