Russ Diamond, known for founding PA Clean Sweep back in 2005 to mount opponents to incumbents in the Pennsylvania state legislature who voted themselves salary increases and took them in the form of unvouchered expenses, and who also mounted a campaign for Governor of PA which failed, is reshaping his argument for a Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention.
Diamond's opinion-piece is posted on a Centrist at Heart which touts itself as a moderate conservative
site and also published in a Herald-Standard commentary entitled: "
Latecomer Rendell tries to hijack reform train."
In it, Diamond slams PA Governor Ed Rendell's consideration of adoption of a series of government reforms and equates Rendell's proposals to an attempt to hijack the "reform train."
There's no doubt Russ Diamond attempts
trickery to reel in "the people" to his cause of holding a so-called citizens' convention.
Diamond again first tries to convince readers that there is a broad and massive PA reform movement darn it, there really, really is.
If you keep saying something over and over again it must be true.
Don't be fooled. There is no widespread, outraged public screaming for a PA Constitutional Convention to be held to enact reform measures the state's legislators could propose themselves and the Governor could sign.
There isn't a mass of people storming Harrisburg to demand a PA Convention be held to alter the structure and the foundation of our PA republican form of government.
Admittedly, Governor Ed Rendell has adopted the language of candidates who ran on issues of reform, but contrary to Diamond's presentation, there is no massive reform train - desirous of overhauling our PA Constitution - to hijack.
The ending of his opinion piece shows Diamond's willingness to try again to fool the people of Pennsylvania all the time on the issue of a PA Constitutional Convention.
Diamond wraps up his opinion-piece with:
if he truly believes in the right of self-governance as enumerated by Article I of the Constitution, a carefully crafted citizens' convention provides no cause for hand wringing, anguish or hesitation of spirit.
See how Diamond spins?
If you believe in the right of self-governance... there's no cause for hand-wringing with a carefully crafted citizens' convention.
I guess if one lists a really long list of the dangers of both a limited and unlimited convention, as we've done here at Net the Truth Online (and
Vote Fix) ever since the issue of a convention arose in August 2005 during Diamond's speech at a PA Newspaper Association meeting, then one must
not believe in the right of self-governance, according to Diamond.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007 PA Constitution Did No Wrong Wednesday, February 21, 2007 PA Constitutional Convention: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid Saturday, January 27, 2007 PA Reform Populists Want Convention Initiatives Referendums (See sidebar and archives search for more)
Don't let Diamond fool you. Those of us who have an objection to a PA Constitutional Cconvention believe in self-governance, and as well, maintaining the foundation of our nation and our state as a republic, representative government over direct democracy.
The Founders warned of democracy. Those who want an unlimited or open general convention also want initiatives and referendums which is direct democracy.
- Update: April 27, 2007 However, Diamond has responded he isn't among those who desire an open or unlimited general convention, rather, he proposes a general convention, excluding Article I. Diamond further relays he doesn't want an unlimited constitutional convention.
Lastly, it wasn't Rendell's idea to form an Office of Public Records Advocate. That's the proposal of newly elected freshman, Timothy Mahoney, whose idea Rendell obviously now supports as does re-elected Democrat H. William DeWeese.
And, the idea is an example of what can be proposed, supported, accepted, and adopted in legislation without the need for a PA Constitutional Convention.
Let the public get behind the effort for open records legislation, and all other reform measures. Educate them to become informed on the issues, and then make their opinions well-known to their representatives.
In addition, the state legislature recently adopted 31 of 32 reform measures, which again, shows there is no need to mount a convention to get the PA legislators to reform themselves.
Governor Rendell makes a well-stated case against a convention by the very action of his proposing the type of reforms he's proposed. He got the message from the defeats of a handful of the state's top leadership in the '06 Primary and General elections.
We can discuss whether his proposals have merit, but we don't need a PA Convention to propose amendments to the Constitution. The PA Constitution did no wrong.
It doesn't take a convention to get the state legislators and Governor to clean up their own acts. It takes the threat of people becoming engaged in their own action - at the polling place - the last election, the next election, and the next.
Latecomer Rendell tries to hijack reform train
By Russ Diamond
04/07/2007
Gov. Ed Rendell should step aside from his bid to become the state's reformer-in-chief. While some of his ideas may have merit, the governor has no more right than the average citizen to prescribe the structure of state government in Pennsylvania and his viewpoint is distorted by his position.
Perhaps his goal of a better open records policy is desirable, but his suggestion of creating an Office of Public Records Advocate might be just another plump patronage position to be filled by political pals. Maybe the people can come up with a better plan for making government more transparent.
Perhaps merit selection for state appellate judges is an idea worth considering, but what if the people would rather make all judicial races non-partisan affairs and ban contributions to those races by lawyers?
How could Rendell's proposed Appellate Court Nominating Commission, dominated by a majority of legislative and executive appointees and confirmed by the Senate, improve the independence of the judiciary?
Independence from the other two branches should be encouraged, but independence from the sovereign people at the voting booth should not.
Perhaps the governor's suggested campaign finance limits appear to level the electoral playing field. On the other hand, maybe the people of this Commonwealth realize that the voter revolt of 2006 would not have been possible under those limitations and that no financial ceiling could ever negate the current incumbency protection program.
Perhaps Rendell's legislative term limits sound like a good idea, but reality in Pennsylvania suggests that if the General Assembly was truly part-time and was stripped of the unconstitutional perks it now enjoys, term limits would be utterly unnecessary.
Perhaps Pennsylvanians want a smaller legislature, but maybe they'd like a larger one, or to keep its size the same, with some of the above mentioned features and fewer expenses. Maybe they want to look at the other 49 states to see what others are doing before deciding which path is best for the Commonwealth.
Perhaps the time has come for citizen redistricting, but Rendell's 11-member commission would include four legislators and three appointees of the governor, two of whom would be legislators.
The remaining four would be appointed by - you guessed it - the four legislative caucus leaders. Pennsylvanians just might have a slightly different notion of how a citizens redistricting commission should look.
On constitutional issues in Pennsylvania, the governor's opinion has no more real or deserved weight than the average citizen's.
Perhaps the governor has some good ideas. Perhaps he doesn't. Either way, today's climate dictates that constitutional change should not be viewed only through the myopic lens of the chief executive.
The merit of Rendell's ideas should be discussed openly among citizens, not quietly between the three branches of government. Other citizens should be able to discuss their ideas as well.
The proper forum for such a discussion is a constitutional convention. Surely, the governor would be free to provide his vision for consideration at such a gathering.
"Citizens will not rest until there is an end to perks, an end to control by private interests and an end to political rules that shut them out of the process," the governor said in a press release.
But his plan eliminates no perks, suppresses the freedom of speech in political races and utterly shuts the people out of the process of structural change.
Nearly two years after the reform train left the station as Ed Rendell signed the pay raise, the governor is using his bully pulpit to try to hijack it.
Perhaps he doesn't realize that many other citizens were on board well ahead of him. Their voices on constitutional matters deserve an equally fair hearing.
In announcing his preferred reforms, Rendell expressed trepidation at the prospect of a constitutional convention, but if he truly believes in the right of self-governance as enumerated by Article I of the Constitution, a carefully crafted citizens' convention provides no cause for hand wringing, anguish or hesitation of spirit.
A plan for such a convention of the people is available at www.PACleanSweep.com.
Russ Diamond of Annville is chair of PACleanSweep.com
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18179797&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=468562&rfi=6
Also
Monday, April 02, 2007
Russ Diamond: Rendell Hijacking the Reform Train
http://centristatheart.blogspot.com/2007/04/russ-diamond-rendell-hijacking-reform.html
More
Rendell proposes major government reforms
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
By Tracie Mauriello, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau
HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell had no qualms about accepting $100,000-and-up campaign contributions when he ran for re-election last fall.
Now, though, he says that's too much; contributions should be limited to $5,000 in gubernatorial elections and $2,000 in most other races.
"There's far too much influence in the governmental process by people and organizations with large amounts of money," Mr. Rendell told reporters yesterday at the Pennsylvania Press Club's monthly luncheon.
Campaign finance limits are one part of a package of reforms the governor is putting forth.
He also wants to expand open records laws, change the judicial selection process, reduce the size of the Legislature and impose term limits on senators and representatives, all by 2012.
Meanwhile, Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, R-Dauphin, held a hearing yesterday on whether to hold a constitutional convention later this year or in 2008 to address term limits and the size of the Legislature. He expects it would last three months and involve 150 delegates elected from around the state.
Several citizens groups who fought against the 2005 pay raise urged such a convention but differ over whether the agenda should be limited to just a few issues or whether any aspect of state government should be up for discussion.
Matthew Brouillette of the Commonwealth Foundation urged a limited agenda, saying he didn't want the process to get bogged down in controversial social issues such as gun control and violence.
Meanwhile, Tim Potts of Democracy Rising and Russ Diamond of Clean Sweep advocated an open agenda.
Mr. Rendell prefers to amend the constitution without a convention. Changes would have to be approved by two separate sessions of the Legislature and by voters during a statewide referendum.
"I see dangers in calling a constitutional convention," he said. "I don't think we can limit the scope of such a convention" and talks could drag on for months without action.
Judicial selection is a key part of Mr. Rendell's reform package. He wants them to be selected through a merit system, instead of a political one, where campaigns often are financed by lawyers or businesses that are involved in a lot of lawsuits.
Under his proposal, a 14-member committee would nominate between two to five candidates. The governor would select one for Senate approval. If the Senate rejects three candidates brought forth by the governor, the nominating panel would have final authority on an appointment.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rendell is calling for a separate committee to redistrict the state into fewer legislative districts...
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07086/772842-85.stm
Related
Highlights of the Citizens' Constitutional Convention Act of 2007 as proposed by Russ Diamond, PACleanSweep ChairConvention to be "general" except for Article I
http://www.pacleansweep.com/ccc07.html
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
REGARDING A CITIZENS’ CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Presented by Russ Diamond Chair, PACleanSweep
March 26, 2007http://www.pacleansweep.com/rhd032607.html
The Reformers
By Brad Bumsted
STATE CAPITOL REPORTER
Sunday, March 25, 2007 http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/bumsted/s_499440.html
A Call For A Constitutional Convention In PA
Posted by Chris on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 at 9:32 am and filed under GrassrootsPA.
Russ Diamond
Posted Tuesday, April 3, 2007 at 5:35 pm | Permalink not yet rated + -
Greg-
As an instructional aid, the 1873 convention excluded Article I. The delegates messed with it anyway and the voters approved their tamperings. This could be avoided by including fidelity to the enabling act in the delgates oath of office. I’ve done that at http://www.pacleansweep.com/ccc07.html
This would subject the convention to court challenge *if* the delegates stray from the mandate. Wasn’t thought of in 1873...
http://www.grassrootspa.com/blog/archives/13743
Written on March 26th, 2007 in News Of The Day, PA Politics, PA Government, PA Constitutional Convention, PA Constitution
by Tim Potts_DR News
A co-founder of Democracy Rising PA today asked the Senate State Government Committee to authorize the Commonwealth’s first general constitutional convention in more than 130 years and to adopt a method for selecting delegates “to achieve the goal of fair representation for all … segments of the citizenry.”
Tim Potts said Democracy Rising PA since 2005 has collected ideas for changes to the state’s Constitution. Now numbering more than 180, the ideas touch every Article of the Constitution.
Democracy Rising PA is the only group so far calling for a general convention. Others have proposed to limit the areas of the Constitution that delegates could address.
Potts said Democracy Rising PA believes it would be unconstitutional and contrary to the principles of self-governance to hold a limited convention.
To limit the convention, he said, would be “tantamount to King George telling Thomas Jefferson what he could discuss in the Declaration of Independence and to deny that those convened in Philadelphia in 1787 could go beyond the confederation to propose to their fellow citizens a more perfect union. It bespeaks a distrust of citizens that undermines the foundation of this noble experiment.”
Potts said a limited convention could forbid discussion of dozens of ideas, including...
http://papundits.com/index.php/category/around-pa/constitutional-convention/
