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Thread: for fun let's write our new state constitution

  1. #1
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    for fun let's write our new state constitution

    Just for fun, let's design our own New York State Constitution.

    Article 1: Under no circumstances can a government body (that is the state) demand a lower tier of government do any action without COMPLETELY funding it. If the funds are not available from the state, the lower tier of government does not under any circumstances make up the difference. It can if it wants, but doesn't have to.

    Unfunded mandates do nothing but blur responsibility. The state politician says "look at the goodie I got you cheaply, I didn't have to raise your taxes much". The local politician says to the people who benefit "look what I did for you", and to the people who are stuck paying "The state made me do it". If it is important enough to be done, take responsibility for it.

    Article 2: All budgets must be voted on and passed not sooner than one month before a general election of the body involved, and not after 1 week before said election(we need the week to get the word out, and prevent a budget passed the night before the election). If they don't make the time limit, they must hold another general election within one month of the passage of the new budget, but it cannot be until after one week of the passage of the budget.

    This will prevent the Rockefeller trick of non election year huge tax hikes, and holding the line untill one day after the general election. This would make sure that WE are the bosses and not the legislatures. It would also make sure the budgets are on time.

    Article 3: No retirement benefits for elected officials.

    Why are we encouraging them to stay around forever? Serve the public and then leave, and do something useful. This would probably make the term limit legislation unnecessary.

    Article 4: Pay raises for elected officials. Keep the same rules as now, but add one step.

    1) Cronies and friends get together and decide you need a huge raise.
    2) Goes before the legislature to vote on it, along with raises for everyone else on the legislature. Surprise, it passes.
    3) Goes before the executive who signs it. Surprise, again it passes.

    now we add the new step.

    4) Goes before the people on a vote. They get to vote whether it is a raise or a CUT.

    Watch how slow the request for raises come under this provision, and you can bet the raises will be modest.

    Article 5: Define in concrete the function of the Judiciary, to INTERPRET the law and not legislate from the bench.

    Article 6: All state borrowing must be passed by the electorate. No more of these authorities which Rockefeller used to bypass the electorate, who are still held liable. If the borrowing doesn't pass it isn't necessary for the electorate to pay for it.

    Any other suggestions?
    The shortest distance between two politicians is thru your wallet.

  2. #2
    Member jbinbny's Avatar
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    I dont see term limits as part of your constitution.

    Nor do I see any sort of recall provision.

  3. #3
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    jbinbny:

    I think the removal of retirement benefits would force the elected officials to "retire". I have no problems with a recall, but wouldn't the election requirements suffice?
    The shortest distance between two politicians is thru your wallet.

  4. #4
    Member jbinbny's Avatar
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    I think term limits would preclude any sort of retirement benefits as well!

  5. #5
    Member absolivious's Avatar
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    - Eliminate provisions for PLAs or requirements for "prevailing wage rate" in all public contracts.

    - Provide for greater frequency of public referenda for a constitutional convention and provide that public petitions for same NOT require legislature approval.

    - Prohibit any leigislator's vote from being counted in absentia. (I understand that currently one's absence is counted as an Aye vote on all motions - maybe someone can correct me on this)

  6. #6
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    Total elimination of PENSIONS.
    Total elimination of UNIONS.
    Total elimination of HEALTH INS.
    One year TERMS of office

    Their all being badly abused, and not accomplishing what they were created for. They are just, gigiantic "cash cows", serving the well off.

    Pensions - supposed to help the low level wage earner from becomming destitute upon retiring. Is it?
    I don't think so. Those who make the highest wages are getting pensions that are way, way beyond what the lower wage earners make. Why should somebody who makes six figure plus salaries get the best, premier pensions? CEO's get pensions that are "out of the galaxy". They are paid the extra compensation for their knowledge and expertice with "much higher salaries" than the average person is paid. The poor are the ones paying for the pensions of the well off, in much higher prices and costs.

    Unions - created to protect the badly abused workers that were forced to work in inhumain conditions. Sweatshops, beatings, poor lighting, and safety. Those were the norm for the dark ages of the past. If those unions are a necessity for today, where's the logic to where there's only a few privledged that are covered? Aren't we all in need of protection? I guarantee there are many more low paying employers abusing "at will", min wage, employees, than government employees making real good money. If OSHA is legally good enough for all the non-unioner's protection, then why do the few need union's? Today they are the masses, due to their large numbers, and job positions, saying I want more money, more health insurance, bigger pensions "OR ELSE", I will shut you down! They are merely holding their "job positions" as hostages for extorsion of the people they serve. There are no gov employees forced to work in dark, , unheated, dungeons. Forced to breath coal dust, work long hours without ot. The laborboard protects everyone equally against that. Right? Then were's the need, other than for the purpose of extorsion?

    HEALTH INS - Why is it only the very well off, highest paid, get health coverage? They are being paid "very well" for their positions. They can "afford" to pay for health ins. Today, it's a fact, the desparity between pay scales is completly outrageous. Yet those making the most, have full health coverage, while those who get paid min. don't. Is that what health ins is designed for? Does that make sense? They have coverages that cover everything, cosmetic surgery, etc., while those at the lower end of the pay scale, even if they have coverage (min), still end up going bankrupt, in the event of a tragedy? Whose the health industry serving - the rich, well paid. Get the rich to part with some of their own money, and I guarantee, they will bitch about the exorbitant cost of perscriptions, doctors, etc. Remove mandatory coverage for just the few, and the ins co's will have to trim their rates for everybody.

    The abuses of these benefits are "facts", not speculation.

  7. #7
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    I agree with everyone who said include term limits. That is essential.

    Unfunded mandates need to be eliminated. If the state can't find a good reason to pay for their ideas then they should forget about them.

    Become more business friendly. Cut taxes, promote cheap energy,reduce the extreme paperwork and costs that a business needs to figure out to just start and exist in NYS now.

    Tighten up residency laws so people don't just move here to suck on the social programs.

    Dump NY city off into it's own statehood and take the Albany long timers with it. We will never get what we deserve in the rest of the state if the same government set-up and incumbents are allowed to continue.

  8. #8
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    sounds good!

    Lets add get rid of the welfare program, in one year; the only people left on the program after that is some one who is missing a limb and can't work.

    My parents came to this counrty with 200.00 in their pockets, and my Dad worked two jobs for seven years to buy a house.

    I don't want to hear it can't be done, get off your a** and do it!

    I am tired of seeing in the grocery store a full shopping cart and paying with food stamps/card. They eat better then I do, jewelry cell phone, Escalated.

    What is wrong with this picture?

    The reason healthcare is so expensive is the abuse and the fact that people get a free ride or just don't pay. So you and I make up the diffrence!

    A drug dealer gets shot, it cost 25,000 to bring him back; do you think he pays!

    Good luck try and collect that bill!

    Maybe they should have to work their debt off!

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