Voters have chance at positive change on state, city levels
“The best laid plans O’ mice and men often go astray,” is a quote attributed to the poet Robert Burns. It is highlighted in the now famous book
“Who moved my cheese?”, by Dr. Spencer Johnson. It is often used at business seminars and workshops to help people deal with the challenge of change, any change. The “cheese” in an allegorical sense represents anyone’s life goals. People fear change in both their personal and professional lives, because they have no control over when and how it happens to them, and/or the impact of change. We can apply this concept to changes in our body politic, and begin to understand how people oppose changes in city charters or in state constitutions as a result of a fear that something they currently have could be taken away from them. As a result, it is easy for proponents of the status quo to fight constitutional change by conjuring up and feeding that fear in the electorate. Unfortunately, this is exactly what’s happened in the debate over this year’s ballot question, as to whether the state should authorize a constitutional convention. The same can be said of the Saratoga city charter change proposal.
Those in power wish to stay in power, and will resist any change which threatens their hegemony over the functional processes of government. So we are hearing about all the horrible things that could happen as a result of a constitutional convention, and adoption of a new city charter. As to the state constitutional convention, never mind that it is only step one of a fourstep process. First we have to vote to have a convention. Second, we have to vote for delegates to go to the convention. Third, we have to have that convention, and produce a document. Fourth, that document must then go back to the voters for final approval. Those steps in and of themselves serve as a counterbalance to any radical or unacceptable change in our governmental system.
If we let fear overcome us in authorizing the initial process, step one, we will be doomed to continue the current dysfunctionality for the next 20 years. Government accountability in the form of initiative, referendum and recall, as well as term limits and closing of loopholes in campaign finance in state are realistically possible only if we think outside the box of the current system which hems us in. No significant change or real reform can be expected from those who benefit from the lack of reform.
Status quo advocates, including many powerful unions have warned of loss of pension benefits and the power to bargain and organize. Environmentalists worry and warn about the loss of the forever wild provisions relating to the Adirondack Park. Women’s rights groups worry about preserving a woman’s right to choose. The chances of reversals in those three fundamental areas are between slim and none. NY has a largely pragmatic, mostly progressive electorate
So how should we look at the upcoming constitutional convention vote, as an opportunity for positive change, or a “who moved my cheese” Armageddon? I prefer the former.
Assuming the proposal passes, there will, however, be much work to be done. We must organize to find and support qualified electable candidates for delegate, and efforts must be re-doubled to prevent current state legislators from running for delegate posts. That can be accomplished and reform can triumph, but to be sure of that, a major effort must be undertaken. But first we must face the fear mongering and distortion of the truth being engaged in by opponents of the Convention proposal. The Rockefeller Institute is a good place to start when it comes to searching for the truth about the proposal.
As to the Saratoga City Charter issue, after observing the adversarial approach to change adopted by several of our city commissioners, I have changed my mind, and have reluctantly decided to vote for the new City Charter. It is not an easy choice, but viewing it from the standpoint of the lesser of two evils: supporting the existing form of government which is not functioning properly, or choosing a better management system, even if it weakens the power of the mayor, I believe forward is better than backward. So count me as a yes on Nov. 7.
I urge a vote for positive change on Nov. 7, in both city and state government.