By FRITZ PETTYJOHN
Why does our Constitution give us the chance, every 10 years, to call for a constitutional convention? The answer is in Article I, sec. 2, which declares “All political power is inherent in the people. All government originates with the people.” If this is true, the people must have the right to intervene in the normal workings of their government, when the necessity arises.
In the 62 years since the Alaska Constitution went into effect, such an intervention has not been needed. Now, for the first time, it clearly is. Alaska’s politicians have failed to resolve the future of the Permanent Fund Dividend.
Partisan and personal rivalries have divided the Legislature into two warring factions. One wants the so-called full dividend, according to a formula adopted in the 1980s, which was followed until 2015.
Another feels the state needs much or most of this money to provide the government services that Alaskans are accustomed to.
For the past five years these two factions have been at war with one another, and legislative sessions are dominated by this issue. Countless special sessions have been called.
Nothing seems to work. Legislators, and governors, come and go. Elections are held. Promises are made. There’s no reason to hope that more elections, and new people, will change a thing.
If our politicians can’t resolve this issue, the people can. They must vote for a convention, and then elect delegates who they know and trust. They must closely monitor the deliberations of the convention, and in the end they must decide if the solution offered is acceptable.
Are the people of Alaska capable of this? Are there qualified men and women who are able and willing to serve as delegates? What are we afraid of? Ourselves?
They won’t admit it, but those opposed to a convention are afraid of the people. They feel they can’t be trusted with this kind of power. Left unsaid is the belief that only an elite is qualified for such weighty matters, and the people aren’t.
Or maybe the real reason for their opposition is that they just don’t like the dividend. In fact, the convention would have only one power, the power to propose amendments. And then it’s up to the people to decide. Yes or no? Is the solution offered acceptable?I think the people of this state are perfectly capable of exercising this power responsibly. So did the men and women who wrote our Constitution. Do you? If you don’t trust the people, who do you trust? Some elite?
That’s not the Alaska way. That’s not the American way. There’s much more that needs to be discussed on this issue, and everyone’s voice deserves to be heard. We have a little less than a year before we, collectively, render our decision at the ballot box. I will continue to argue, as forcefully as I can, that the people should trust themselves. And that if you want the dividend, you should vote for the convention.
Fritz Pettyjohn got his start in Alaska politics working for Governor Jay Hammond, who was responsible for beginning the permanent fund dividend program.
“The people” (along with Dominion) gave us Ballot Measure 2, Bill Walker, and a legislature dominated by RINOs and Communists. What makes you think the convention delegates would be any better? The whole point of a Constitution is to PROTECT our freedom AGAINST the whims of the majority.
The Alaska Supreme Court has the duty of enforcing our state constituional rights. They’re worse than the legislature. If not a Convention, what? Elect better people? PLease. You’ll get people running to be a delegate who would never run for the legislature.
When do we get the option to vote for a constitutional convention – or what is the process to get this on the voting ballot?
It’ll be on the November ballot.
Gimme gimme gimme – I want my hard-earned PFD! We cannot trust a group of Alaskan representatives to not want to hand out free s**t. People love free s**t, and money is the best free s**t there is. But if it was beer they’d go for that too. Because even if you don’t like beer, you could convert it in to value.
Congratulations to the “conservatives” who think the purpose of government is UBI. Totally bonkers.
key words in the piece by Fritz are “Alaska’s politicians have failed” in session after session to do the will of the Alaskan citizens . the last few legislatures have failed to legislate and the Governor’s have failed to govern and our court system has become corrupted and totally political arm of government controlled by an army of liberial trial lawyers.
That’s a big no to the constitutional convention. Do you really trust those who would be in charge, to do what is right for Alaskans?
Who do you trust?
Not one single elected official, they seem to forget they are in public service, not royalty sitting over the serfs. Constitutional convention is like opening pandora box.
Good piece, Fritz. I see where Cathy Giessel and John Coghill have both come out against a constitutional convention. Interesting! Both Giessel and Coghill had their a$$es handed to them by their former constituents in last year’s primary. Both Giessel and Coghill supported Bill Walker and we’re against any proposal by Dunleavy to follow a statutorially mandated full PFD. Giessel and Coghill are both circus clowns, as you and I know. But Coghill’s old man, former Lt. Governor Jack Coghill, was an original member of the first Constitutional Convention and signed the document which guided us to statehood. Giessel and Coghill were both raised in Fairbanks. How did they fall off the wagon so hard and have their political careers incinerated?
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Fritz nails it. The question boils down to who you trust. If you cannot trust the voters, how in the world can you trust those who they elect? The power belongs to the people , let the people decide. Vote for a convention because the legislature is a proven failure in doing the peoples business.
The radical and brain concussed Democrats not only want to bankrupt our country with $trillion dollar spending packages and increased debt ceilings, they also want a universal income of $1000 per month for every citizen. Based on what? (Mere existence as a US citizen, which a growing number are not).
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But here in Alaska, Democrats and their RINO allies in the Legislature don’t believe in a legal, binding PFD, which is actually based on an earnings account, which is derived from a taxed resource developed by independent corporations. Huge difference from a universal income check, which is based on…….NOTHING.
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Dementiacrats and RINObutts continually prove themselves to be ignorant of rudimentary economic principles, and of basic common sense.
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Good article, Mr. Pettyjohn.
The legislature hasn’t just failed regarding the PFD. The legislature has failed in nearly every possible way.
We wouldn’t want a Constitutional Convention if the legislature had done their jobs.
Sounds about right to me.
Go home, Fritz. You’re drunk. Again.
The last few years have shown us that virtually NO Alaskan politician is to be trusted behind closed doors no matter what they say in public. The kind of power inherent in a constitutional convention delegate in these times is akin to handing a loaded gun to a toddler and admonishing him to play nice.
No one trusts politicians, or article contributors who deem those who have seen what politicians do as “scared.”
Sorry, Mr. Anguished but it is not yours to say whether anyone is inebriated. You have made an accusation that a clever lawyer could turn into a cash-cow.
“They won’t admit it, but those opposed to a convention are afraid of the people. They feel they can’t be trusted with this kind of power.”
I’ll admit it. The electorate today is a confused mass of propaganda-driven beliefs. Left and Right.
I also think a convention would be an unsolvable quagmire, rife with dissension. The rules are unknown and would require the election of delegates – not much different than how we elect the Legislature. We have the power now to form a rational government and make rational decisions. We, as a people, are unable to do it. Even when our candidate wins – we lose.
I blame the greatest brainwashing machine ever invented – the TV.
Right on point! We the people need to step in and fix the problem our elected representative are or have been unwilling to stand up to the tax and spend big government mommy state.
The current times we are living in are far from ordinary. I believe Alaskans(and hopefully more Americans in general) are much more aware of what happens if we the people do not become involved. The time for sitting back and letting business go on as usual is done.
Do not be afraid. Vote for our state to have a Constitutional Convention. Get involved. If the past few years stalemates regarding the PFD have told us anything, it is this; its time for we the people to take back our power.
Lol, thanks for the helpful advice, Karen.
Article XIII section 3 of the state constitution says:
“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]”
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Article XIII section 4 of the state constitution says:
“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.”
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Everything is on the table, not just the PFD. Every word of the constitution could be removed and/or replaced. The PFD could completely disappear along with the $80,000,000,000.00+ corpus of the PF itself. I’m not sure how I will vote on this yet, but if it’s just for the PFD then that’s not a good enough reason. We have elections and the ballot measure process that can/should take care of that.
I am all for a Constitutional Convention. It is the only way we the people will be protected and have a say anything about this State. We should also vote for Statewide Sherifs Departments. They are the ones that we need to Defend our Constitutional rights, National and State.
The whole theft our Permanent Fund is simply drill more. The more we drill the more money will support Alaska and it’s people.
It has nothing to do about not having the resources available, it is those in the Legislature that wants everything for themselves in the Government and nothing for us.
Bring it on.
If we need a constitutional convention to get school choice vouchers for parents then lets do it.
The Alaska State Constitution framers were wise to emulate the U.S. Constitution’s provision for a Convention of States. Both the federal and state constitutions foresaw a hopelessly stalemated legislature and provided for the direct involvement of the people to circumvent this toxic impasse. Mr. Pettyjohn is right. It’s time for people to get off the couch and get informed and participate in righting our government. Get the PFD carved into the constitution so that future Governors like China Bill doesn’t interpret the meaning for us.
By the way, while we are at it, let’s get a two year budget in the constitution so we don’t fight over the same pot of money every single year. The odd years we actually deal with important issues other than the budget.
Fritz: what’s your definition of elite?
“Those sociopathic and pro-globalist authoritarians whom Evan Singh (and the other leftist trolls here on MRAK) instinctively and rabidly defend” would be a good working definition.
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