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Assassinating reform The Alabama Senate isn't the only group acting irresponsibly and not in the state's best interest. Depending on your perspective, the Alabama Farmers Federation either pulled a smart political trick last week or used some underhanded maneuvering to kill a bill that would have let Alabamians vote on bill to call for a constitutional convention to rewrite our antiquated 1901 State Constitution. We think the group's actions falls in the latter category. Rep. Demetrius Newton, DBirmingham, was prepared to offer a bill in the House that would let voters decide whether or not to call a citizens' convention to draft a new constitution. It seemed to have its best chance ever of passing. That was until the Alabama Farmers Federation- one of the state's most powerful special interest groups, thanks to the 1901 constitution- mounted a massive telephone campaign, urging constituents to call their local House members to oppose the bill. Alfa's message was biased and one-sided and intentionally instilled fear that a new constitution would increase property taxes. Local legislator Marc Keahey of Grove Hill said the phone lines lit up like a Christmas tree at his Grove Hill office. He said he was not impressed by Alfa's tactics at all. Most legislators said those who called did not have any idea of the bill's real intent or that they would get to vote on the issue. (Which was only the first step toward a new constitution. Voters would again be called on to ratify any document written by a convention.) One of the ironies of the whole sorry mess is the fear that was instilled that a convention would be controlled by special interests that would write a constitution to their specs. Never mind that delegates would be elected from House districts just as House members are. Would special interests anymore control a convention than they do the Legislature? But Alfa had done what it intended. It had thrown enough tacks in the constitution roadway that Rep. Newton pulled his bill. He said he may try and talk with his fellow legislators individually to see if it would be worthwhile to bring it back up for consideration before the session ends. Frankly, it probably doesn't have a chance of passing this session. Alfa's tactics show what those who support constitutional reform are up against. The grassroots organization Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform doesn't have the financial or political resources to manipulate voters and legislators like Alfa and other powerful special interests that benefit from the old constitution do.
Reform proponents are going to have to do a better job of informing voters as well as legislators of why constitutional reform is needed.
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