Every 10 years, in accordance with the State Constitution, Alaska voters must be asked an important question.
Article 13, Section 3: Call by Referendum
If during any ten-year period a constitutional convention has not been held, the lieutenant governor shall place on the ballot for the next general election the question: “Shall there be a Constitutional Convention?” If a majority of the votes cast on the question are in the negative, the question need not be placed on the ballot until the end of the next ten-year period. If a majority of the votes cast on the question are in the affirmative, delegates to the convention shall be chosen at the next regular statewide election, unless the legislature provides for the election of the delegates at a special election. The lieutenant governor shall issue the call for the convention. Unless other provisions have been made by law, the call shall conform as nearly as possible to the act calling the Alaska Constitutional Convention of 1955, including, but not limited to, number of members, districts, election and certification of delegates, and submission and ratification of revisions and ordinances. The appropriation provisions of the call shall be self-executing and shall constitute a first claim on the state treasury. [Amended 1970]
Article 13, Section 4: Powers
Constitutional conventions shall have plenary power to amend or revise the constitution, subject only to ratification by the people. No call for a constitutional convention shall limit these powers of the convention.
Special interests have governed Alaska for decades. These special interests fund the election of legislators and the subsequent organization of the State Senate and State House. Then they control you. The people of Alaska should have the last word in Alaska law.
If you believe, as I do, that the people of Alaska should be the ultimate decider of Alaska law, you might consider joining a growing coalition of voters who see the Constitutional Convention as the only remaining means of returning power to the people to curb the special interests.
Let’s deal with three issues that the public supports but the court or a majority of a respective legislative house has blocked:
1. The right to a corruption-free government
2. the right to determine the amount of your Alaska Permanent Fund dividend.
3. The right to life.
Alaskan’s must change the corrupt and biased selection of our judges through the Alaska Judicial Council, which is governed by seven members – four attorneys and three non-attorney members. The four attorney members dictate whom the governor can appoint to their list of “qualified nominees” for a judgeship. A member of the Judicial Council should not be practicing law in front a judge they appointed. The Judicial Council should exclude those with a conflict of interest. Excluding attorneys who could try a case after appointing their candidate for appointment is corrupt. Covering up corruption by a special interest group for the benefit of their members is wrong. The voters can correct this conflict of interest only through a Constitutional Convention.
A Constitutional Convention is an opportunity to take back our government, to reclaim for the people good public policy in Alaska.
The right to determine the dividend of the Alaska Permanent Fund must be ratified by a vote of the people. The Legislature has proved through Special Session after Special Session that it cannot produce a dividend policy that is fair, consistent and sustainable. Convention delegates can and will.
The right to life can be on the ballot in Alaska in 2024. The U. S. Supreme Court could shortly rule that Alaskans, instead of the federal government or courts, can determine the rights of a baby in utero. Will Alaskans continue to be bound by an elusive mandate that the right to privacy and reproductive rights legalizes the taking of innocent human life? The only way for the people to overrule that precedent is through a Constitutional Convention. Rescuing babies with a beating heart could be passed by a majority of Alaskans.
Each of these examples could be added or excluded by elected members of the upcoming Constitutional Convention as outlined in the Alaska Constitution. The original authors provided the path to restrain out of control, special interests that practice conflicts of interests by controlling Alaska law.
I’ve been a registered voter in Alaska since I turned 18 in 1966. I’ve opposed a Constitutional Convention each time since then. But I will vote for the Convention in 2022. Why? Because there is no other path that gives the control of government back to Alaskan citizens. The voters of Alaska are smart and can be trusted to study the issues prior to a vote. A majority of Alaskans must approve each amendment resulting from a Constitutional Convention. Each Alaskan will have the opportunity to weigh in on issues they feel are important. The power will be back where it belongs, with the people.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Those who oppose the Constitutional Convention appoint judges by putting their thumb on the scales of justice, scoff at the public’s right to set the dividend of the Alaska Permanent Fund and campaign with fear to justify taking an unborn baby’s innocent life.
A Constitutional Convention is an opportunity to take back our government, to reclaim for the people good public policy in Alaska. We have a bright future if we do not forfeit our rights to a clean, unbiased government, our right to protect innocent life and our right to determine our earnings through sustainable dividends. Each of these three rights share a common ancestry. Each has been controlled for decades by special interests. A majority of Alaskans can change that by voting yes for a Constitutional Convention in 2022.
The views expressed here are those of the author.
20 Comments
Would voting in favor of the convention be for just the Alaskan constitutional issues?
My question is this, it isn’t also a vote for the convention of states is it?
I can see that there are some state issues that an attempt should be made to clarify here in Alaska.
I’m not in favor of a convention of states, as I think we’d most certainly end up with an entirely different country that we wouldn’t recognize after that happened. And more than likely with fewer freedoms.
No. A vote for an Alaska constitution convention would be just that – a convention for proposing amendments to the Alaska Constitution. It has nothing to do with the U.S. Constitution or a convention of the States.
Yetitrax being better informed about how the convention of states would work would benefit you greatly.
I am not sure a CC would be just amendments on a reading of the statute with that question in mind.
I totally agree!! Its time.
It’s the law to distribute a full PFD
AGREE. Shouldn’t have to jump thru all these other hoops. Problem is, the courts are crooked and say gov’t can take the PFD and use it on themselves.
I also agree. We need to get back to a constitutional government and a CC is the best way to begin. Let’s vote to make it happen.
By special interests you mean oil, right?
All these years I wouldn’t have done it. But now, I’m game. Lets do it.
I would vote no.
Why?
With this LT Gov who purchased the CCP owned DOMINION voting machines that put in the very rank choice
BS communist voting by flipping and also allowed the theft of all our voter ID,s.
It simply amazes me that with such a theft apparatus in place “SANE” men still write of a vote that will be pure…lol..
Until DOMINION is taken out and paper ballots are re. issued we have no vote period.
I didn’t vote to have my PFD Stolen.. I mean “Garnished”.
As if it’s some sort of salad.. LMAO.. give us our PFD in FULL!!
“If you believe, as I do, that the people of Alaska should be the ultimate decider of Alaska law, you might consider joining a growing coalition of voters who see the Constitutional Convention as the only remaining means of returning power to the people to curb the special interests.”
Naive in the extreme. Changing the Constitution, federal or state, means nothing when the People don’t enforce it. The feds control 70% of Alaska without any Constitutional authority to do so. Why don’t the People eject the feds and take control of their state? The Federal Constitution mandates Gold and Silver coin for Legal Tender. Why don’t the People enforce that?
The weakness of a Constitutional Republic is that it requires an intelligent ACTIVE citizenry to function.
And moral citizenry
As the legislators understand the people : “The greeeeddddd!”.
I really wish that I could stand by Mr. Crawford’s statement that “Alaskans are smart”. If someone were to step forward and simplify the issues for a constitutional convention into the 250word vocabulary in use today (instead of the 6,000 words of a Webster’s, or even the 1,000 words handsighned by Koko the gorilla) perhaps a convention could accomplish many tasks. Language describing concepts (legal, social and contractual) could be eliminated so that humans might understand both premises and “bottom line” of issues without confusion. Doubters of our State’s illiteracy need only challenge themselves to read a single document by our constitutional expert Judge Anna VonReitz.
I fully support an Alaska Convention of the Constitution! It’s time to remove the binding caucus as well. It’s time Alaska is back in control of the people and the greedy crud weeded out. Lets do this! Alaska belongs to Alaskans, not corrupt greedy individuals or the federal swine.
I strongly support a constitutional convention to change parts of the state constitution including the term limits of state legislature persons, representatives and senators. Also to term limit the federal congressional senators and representative. Enough is enough with the dirt these elective persons throw at those who put them in office. The PFD is a problem today because we have a governor that refuses to create a bill to repeal former Gov Parnell’s bill that took the PFD down the path it’s on at this point, trying to do a favor for the oil companies. All he, Dunleavy has to do is create and write a bill, and get the legislature to sign on and the Senators as well to repeal all bills back to the original law. But, having a chance to get the constitution amended to change these issues is one thing. The other problem is the amount of harm that will also be argued for other purposes. Everything you see going on in legislative work today with the state legislature is moving on a fast track to an extremely socialistic form of government from the top down, i.e., look at the Martine Highway issue. There is almost none in this Dunleavy Administration and the whole of Southeast Alaska has really suffered without transportation they need. Dunleavy gave away three ferries and promised more if the federal money from the new but empty bill from congress gives our state the money to create and build ferries on a five year plan. How dumb is the population of the state of Alaska to believe such a stupid plan and statement. His statement is no different than the famous “bridge to no where” by another politician in the past. Dunleavy’s budget never includes any replacement of anything but he hope no one will be smart enough to figure it out. We, in the State are owed 90% of any transportation project each year, not in a five year period and it doesn’t matter if its ferries or roads and bridges each and every year in a budget request to Congress. Take a look at law enforcement….the US Attorney’s office had the money to begin two years ago, but Dunleavy is just now making a statement on the issues. We all know Dunleavy’s performance is poor but a five year old has a better attitude than Dunleavy shows this state and those who elected him. And where is the issue on creating another 8 billion dollar debt a year for a Health and Social Service split by Adam Crum and the governor? Really? Adam Crum hands the new governor an illegal contract in 2018, Dunleavy signs it. the law department says its illegal and can’t be legitimate, so they get rid of the contract for a really bad decision of prison management to manage the API and Dunleavy still keeps the bad actor, Adam Crum in office. Today, Adam Crum is busy attending the new reform of medical design for the State of Alaska and the use of all persons in the state. But guess what? The reform he wants is a reform insurance and medical practice put out to the world by Communist China. the big CEO’s such as Providence and Alaska Regional are “in.” You will never know has hit you. Obamacare is dead in the water but people like Crum, Zinke and Dunleavy are trying to re-live the past events that put us where we are today and the cost to the feds and court system to clean up the ambitions of socialists attitudes and bad actor leaders. It is election year ahead. Choose wisely and don’t vote in bad actors that want more money in their pockets at your expense. Think and work toward the Constitutional convention but also what the convention will do for the whole state. The term limits issue is far more important than you think.