Newsvine - Proposition 8: Starr argues that any right can be taken away

"Starr argues that voters have an inalienable right to amend the state constitution as they see fit." - Maybe that's why he thought President Bill Clinton should not have been impeached. In NY State we just voted to change the wording in the state constitution to help "veterans" even though we have a provision for calling a constitutional convention every I think 20 years to change it. I would not have thought it possible by election turnout to change such important and fought for documents of government. Really, what if 10% of the potential electorate changes it is that right? We also have a right not to vote if we think there might be no choice provided. No votes, no mandate, then taxation without representation. Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:55 AM EDT Many years ago, as an undergrad, I read the State of California handbook, which stated that the beauty of their laws and structure was in the simplicity of language and transparency of how it works. Recently in NY without notice or explanation, the voters changed the wording in the New York State constitution to help veterans get work in the state, to paraphrase the paragraph almost hidden in the bottom right lower corner of the early 1960s voting machines which no longer work, the curtain no longer opens and closes when pulling the lever, the change I thought was not possible by simple majority vote in New York. We have a state constitutional right to amend the constitution in public convention if so needed, not changing rights by voter turnout. For example the court found it "constitutional" to discriminate using property values to create different levels of aid to education, richer property getting more money for its schools, which we might want to change if the lottery system, created to ameliorate the differences is found lacking. As the state with the first National Guard guarding the new US Congress, I could see why a right to a "state militia" with arms was the second most important amendment, perchance the new federal government's troops wanted to over-run one of the states. I doubt that is one of the "rights" Mr. Starr thinks could be voted out by popular vote, or is it? Thu Mar 5, 2009 9:34 PM EST