THE NEXT STEP

THE NEXT STEP

BY

RIC WELLS

COMMON MAN

COMMON SENSE CITIZENS FOR AMERICA

MAY 10, 2011

EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A NEW GOVERNOR WITH ANDREW CUOMO AND A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE THERE ARE STILL 2 OBSTACLES STOPPING AN OPEN, HONEST AND TRANSPARENT STATE GOVERNMENT. THESE OBSTACLES ARE THE STATE ASSEMBLY AND THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION.

THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT ALLOW ANOTHER CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION UNTIL THE YEAR 2017. EVEN AT THAT, THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVENTION ARE DULY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, ACCORDING TO THE CURRENT STATE CONSTITUTION. GIVEN THE DIRECTION OUR STATE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN IN THE PAST IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT ANY MAJOR CHANGES IN THE STATUS QUO WOULD TAKE PLACE IF ANOTHER CONVENTION WERE HELD.

THE SAME POLITICAL WRANGLING BETWEEN THE TWO EXISTING PARTIES WOULD REMAIN ENTACT. VYING FOR POLITICAL POWER AND SUPERIORITY WOULD REMAIN AS THE MAIN FOCUS FOR RUNNING STATE GOVERNMENT INSTEAD OF PROGRESSING THE STATE IN A POSITIVE FISCAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DIRECTION.

SO NOW “WE THE PEOPLE” ARE AT AN IMPASSE. WE SEEM TO HAVE NO OTHER AVENUE TO VOICE OUR OPINIONS, MAKE OURSELVES HEARD AND HAVE OUR POLITICAL POWER FELT. OR DO WE?

IN 1773 13 MEN MET IN PHILADELPHIA IN ORDER TO DISCUSS THE FORMATION OF THE BASIS OF OUR NATION, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE 13 STATES, TO BE, WERE ALSO BEING ESTABLISHED. FAST FORWARD TO 2011 AND THE TOTAL DISCONNECT THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK HAVE WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT. THIS DISCONNECT CAN DEFINITELY BE COMPARED TO THE WAY THE 13 COLONIES FELT TOWARDS THE RULING BODY OF ENGLAND. IT IS DEFINITELEY TIME TO TAKE A LESSON FROM HISTORY.

IT IS TIME FOR THE VOTERS OF NEW YORK TO ESTABLISH A “PEOPLE'S CONVENTION” TO STUDY, DISCUSS AND CHANGE THE INEQUITES IN THE CURRENT STATE CONSTITUTION.

IT IS TIME TO CHANGE THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF THE STATE TO ESTABLISH AN EASIER MEANS OF ALLOWING THE FORMATION OF MULTIPLE POLITICAL PARTIES.

IT IS TIME TO STUDY THE CURRENT STATE TAX STRUCTURE TO ESTABLISH ITS LEGALITY.

IT IS TIME TO COMMIT THE BUDGET PROCESS TO OPEN AND HONEST TRANSPARENCY.

IT IS TIME TO APPROACH SPENDING WITH ECONOMIC LOGIC AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY INSTAD OF FALSE PROMISES OF FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ABMISMAL JOB CREATION.

IT IS TIME FOR POLITICIANS TO STOP CIRCUMVENTING THE “RETIREMENT SYSTEM” IN ORDER TO RECEIVE DOUBLE-DIPPING IN PAY AND BENEFITS.

IT IS TIME FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO RE-REALIZE THAT THEY WERE ELECTED AS PUBLIC SERVENTS AND NOT TO POSITIONS TO FURTHER THEIR WEALTH AND POWER.

IT IS TIME THAT THE PEOPLE REALIZE THEY HAVE THE POWER TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THIS AND MORE IF THEY HAVE THE DEDICATION AND WILL TO DO SO.

WHAT I AM PROPOSING IS THE FORMATION OF A “PEOPLE'S CONVENTION”. ONE PERSON FROM EACH COUNTY IN THE STATE THAT IS NOT HOLDING A CURRENT POLITICAL OFFICE WOULD BE CHOSEN TO REPRESENT THEIR DISTRICT. WE SHOULD ALSO INVITE GOVERNOR CUOMO, SPEAKER SILVER, THE SENATE MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS AND THE ASSEMBLY MAJORITY AND MINORITY LEADERS. BY DOING SO WE ARE OPENING OUR PROCESS TO TRANSPARENCY AS WE WISH OUR PRESENT STATE GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH.

THE PURPOSE OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE “PEOPLE'S CONVENTION” WOULD BE TO DISCUSS THE PRECEDING PROBLEMS AND TOPICS, TO SET THE GOALS WE WISH TO ACHIEVE, TO ESTABLISH THE WAYS AND MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS AND TO PUT THE STATE ON NOTICE THAT WE ARE HERE TO STAY AND WILL BE A VIABLE POLITICAL FORCE TO BE DEALT WITH IN THE FUTURE.

THE TIME HAS COME FOR THIS ACTION TO TAKE PLACE. THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION HAS STARTED TO MAKE STRIDES TOWARDS AN EFFECIENT AND EFFECTIVE STATE GOVERNMENT BUT SO MUCH MORE HAS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN ORDER TO CLEAR THE PATH FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. ETHICS REFORM, TORT REFORM, MEDICAID REFORM AND UNFUNDED MANDATE REFORM JUST TO GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES.

WHO BETTER TO DO THE WORK THAN THE ONES WHO KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND HOW TO DO IT, WE THE COMMON SENSE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE. WE LIVE THE LIVES. WE MANAGE OUR OWN HOUSEHOLDS. WE STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET GIVEN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF OUR STATE AND COUNTRY. WE KNOW HOW AND WHEN TO CUT BACK SPENDING IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE HOUSEHOLD AND/OR BUSINESS. WE KNOW THAT PROPER DEREGULATION IS NECESSARY TO PROMOTE BUSINESS AND JOB GROWTH FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL. WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INVALID DEFICIT SPENDING AND VALID INVESTMENT SPENDING.

WE KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THE FISCAL COURSE OF THE STATE BECAUSE WE DO IT EVERY DAY IN OUR OWN LIVES WITH OUR OWN FINANCES.WE KNOW WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO CHANGE THE ECONOMIC COURSE OF OUR STATE TO BECOME A VIABLE ECONOMIC POWER ONCE MORE, HOW TO DO IT, AND STILL BE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS. WE KNOW THAT TO BECOME A VIABLE POLITICAL ENTITY ONCE MORE WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND RELEARN THE ART OF COMPROMISE, A TRAIT THAT HAS BEEN LOST IN OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES.

AS VOTERS WE DON'T NEED TO BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE PRECEDING GOALS. WE KNOW WHEN, WHERE AND HOW TO TAKE ACTION. WE ARE NEW YORKERS, MEMBERS OF THE ORIGINAL THIRTEEN COLONIES. ORIGINAL FOUNDERS OF OUR NATION AND STATE WITH A RICH HISTORY OF CHANGE, GROWTH, INNOVATION, FORTITUDE, TENACITY AND FORSIGHT. WE HAVE LEARNED A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON FROM OUR HISTORY AND THAT IS:

“ HISTORY CANNOT BE CHANGED

HISTORY CAN ONLY BE MADE

IT'S TIME TO MAKE HISTORY”