[Speed Gibson,
Wednesday May 25, 2005 at 1:20am]
Summer Project
Our Legislature entered yet another Special Session. What would actually be Special would be a year without one.
Part of this is problem is our two house structure, especially when controlled by different parties. Many votes are not in earnest, knowing the other body will not agree. Deadlines are the other body's problem. Yes, I would like to see an uni-cameral legislature.
Come to think of it, I'd also like to avoid another drawn-out confirmation debacle like what happened to Ms. Yecki, setting a reasonable time limit.
And the Richfield - Best Buy swindle must mean that the "takings" clause needs more solid constitutional girding even though the existing language is pretty clear.
A while ago, I read through the Minnesota Constitution to see just what it required of us for public education. While our Federal Constitution still reads pretty well, our Minnesota version clearly needs some overall work.
So, around Memorial Day, I'm going to start building an "open source" constitution over the summer, drawing on the many other constitutions across America. I'll post a section at a time, inviting comments and suggested revisions. I doubt that I'd include Initiative and Referendum, for example, but I'm open to arguments for it.
It should be a good balance of relaxation and education.
Part of this is problem is our two house structure, especially when controlled by different parties. Many votes are not in earnest, knowing the other body will not agree. Deadlines are the other body's problem. Yes, I would like to see an uni-cameral legislature.
Come to think of it, I'd also like to avoid another drawn-out confirmation debacle like what happened to Ms. Yecki, setting a reasonable time limit.
And the Richfield - Best Buy swindle must mean that the "takings" clause needs more solid constitutional girding even though the existing language is pretty clear.
A while ago, I read through the Minnesota Constitution to see just what it required of us for public education. While our Federal Constitution still reads pretty well, our Minnesota version clearly needs some overall work.
So, around Memorial Day, I'm going to start building an "open source" constitution over the summer, drawing on the many other constitutions across America. I'll post a section at a time, inviting comments and suggested revisions. I doubt that I'd include Initiative and Referendum, for example, but I'm open to arguments for it.
It should be a good balance of relaxation and education.