[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_image admin_label=”Fullwidth Image J.H. Snider’s Blog” src=”http:\/\/newyork.concon.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Blog-Header-PNG-e1452798289595.png” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” alt=”J.H. Snider’s Blog” use_overlay=”off” saved_tabs=”all” global_module=”1329″ \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_post_title admin_label=”Post Title” global_module=”891″ saved_tabs=”all” title=”on” meta=”on” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” featured_placement=”below” parallax_effect=”on” parallax_method=”on” text_orientation=”left” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still have an electoral system that protects the prerogatives of politicians at the expense of voters.”<\/p>\n
–Andrew Cuomo, State of the State Address in New York City<\/a>, January 9, 2017<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
This year during his annual State of the State address\/roadshow<\/a> and in his accompanying 383-page \u00a0State of the State report<\/a>, \u00a0Governor Cuomo didn\u2019t mention the Nov. 7, 2017 referendum on whether to call a state constitutional convention.\u00a0 How should we interpret this conspicuous omission?<\/p>\n
When Governor Cuomo ran for office, he included calling a state constitutional convention as a key enabler of his democratic reform agenda.\u00a0 Without one, much of the rest of his democratic reform agenda wouldn\u2019t be able to overcome legislative opposition.\u00a0 In his 2016 State of the State, he started to fulfill his campaign promise by calling on the Legislature to provide $1 million for a commission to help prepare a convention reform agenda prior to the Nov. 7, 2017 referendum.<\/p>\n
Anyone who has been following the Governor closely on this issue knows that since taking office his support for calling a convention has been lukewarm at best.\u00a0 It\u2019s one thing to campaign for an aggressive democratic reform agenda.\u00a0 This is as controversial as motherhood and apple pie.\u00a0 It\u2019s an entirely different matter once in office to do the same when there is a political cost to doing so.\u00a0 Just think of all those incumbent members of Congress who run for Congress by running against it.<\/p>\n
The Legislature hates the idea of convening a convention and so do many of the most powerful special interest groups in New York, some of which are important allies of the Governor.\u00a0 It\u2019s no surprise, then, that he didn\u2019t push for his proposed $1 million preparatory commission\u2014a drop in the bucket in the context of New York\u2019s overall budget, and something he could have gotten if it were a priority.\u00a0 By proposing the commission, he provided himself with political cover if he doesn\u2019t fulfill his campaign pledge, as not getting the commission funded can now be blamed on the Legislature.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the ethics package<\/a> in his proposal arguably has significant implications for calling a convention, as calling one can be viewed as a sword of Damocles hanging over the Legislature if it doesn\u2019t deliver up a decent amount of ethics reform.\u00a0 \u00a0If the Legislature doesn\u2019t deliver meaningful ethics reform during this session, as it hasn\u2019t<\/a> when Cuomo proposed similar reforms in the past, Cuomo will have bolstered the perception that the Legislature is incapable of reforming itself.<\/p>\n
Whether that\u2019s Cuomo\u2019s intention or not cannot be known without being able to read his mind.\u00a0 But regardless of his intention, it\u2019s an inevitable consequence of the democratic reform agenda he is pushing.\u00a0 Most likely, ethics reform legislation will be passed that muddies the water.\u00a0 That is, regardless of what the Legislature passes, it will claim it not only can but has reformed itself.<\/p>\n
It was always unlikely that Cuomo would become a strong public opponent for calling a state constitutional convention.\u00a0 Given his dad\u2019s and his own previous strong support for convening one, it would be too much of a flip flop.\u00a0 But it has also now become increasingly likely that he won\u2019t be a strong supporter either; most likely, essentially standing on the sidelines.\u00a0 If so, that would be a big loss for the yes campaign.\u00a0 In the face of inevitable legislative and allied special interest opposition to calling a convention, strong gubernatorial support has generally been essential to a successful yes campaign.<\/p>\n