There is something viscerally satisfying about political reforms that begin with “wiping the slate clean“.  

Like other expressions of renewal (”start fresh” and “make over” come to mind), it elicits feelings of hope;  that if given just one more chance, we could make things right.  Sort of like the feeling many of us had, albeit fleetingly and possibly induced by alcohol, at midnight early Friday morning. 

Considering our nation’s Puritan heritage, it’s not surprising that many of America’s most well established public policies are linked to the idea of redemption. Do we not attempt to rehabilitate neighborhoods, wounded war-heros and prisoners?

It is this very American “let’s take a Mulligan” attitude that both fascinates and repels about a Constitutional Convention. 

By its very nature a “con con” appeals to exhausted voters who just want to “throw the bums out” and start all over. Who wouldn’t want to give New York the ultimate extreme make-over?  It is the same idea used by girls who say they are “re-virginized”, and religious fundamentalists who consider themselves “born again”.

Its power is awesome to contemplate. 

Which is precisely what repels people who fear a Constitutional Convention. 

To them, a “Take Two” of this magnitude smacks of “throwing the baby out with the bathwater“.  Or seeing a pitch-fork carrying mob scream “kill em all and let God sort ‘em out“. 

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On Monday’s edition of The Capitol Pressroom, we will talk about both attitudes with two members of the Assembly minority who are pushing for a “reformed” constitutional convention.  Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb & Assemblyman Will Barclay will join me to discuss the spell cast by the possibility of a “con con”, and what they’re doing to ensure political reforms won’t turn into an apocalyptic political cleansing replete with fire and brimstone  (in other words, the elimination of the Robert Marshall provision protecting the Adirondack Park  in the State Constitution, among other things).

Plus, a lot has been going on while you were partying with your friends from college, shopping for new boots and eating too much vegan chocolate cake.  There could soon (!) be a deal on VLTs at Aqueduct, DiNapoli is investigating Cuomo while Cuomo investigates DiNapoli & yet another Republican is throwing his hat into the gubernatorial race.   We will get you caught up on all the state political news with Michael Gormley of the Associated Press.  

Listen to The Capitol Pressroom on-line anytime via podcast at www.thecapitolpressroom.org

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