1. Make New York Great Again
The New York State Constitution Convention Question
We The People of New York, Inc.

2. THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION
Adopted 1777, ten months after the Declaration of Independence and ten years ahead of U.S Constitution
No word is added or deleted except by vote of the People
It is the voice of the People; it is the People speaking
By its terms, the People structure and regulate the government, telling them what they can and cannot do and what they must do, all in the interest of securing our unalienable Rights to Life, Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness
Governs all elected and appointed officials in New York, far more so than does the U.S. Constitution which hardly ever comes into play in the day-to-day administration of the State
We The People of New York, Inc.

3. THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION (cont’d)
Article I Bill of Rights Article II Suffrage (voting rights) Article III Legislature Article IV Executive Article V Officers and Civil Departments Article VI Judiciary Article VII State Finances Article VIII Local Finances Article IX Local Governments Article X Corporations (public and private)
We The People of New York, Inc.

4. THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION (cont’d)
Article XI Education Article XII Defense Article XIII Public Officers Article XIV Conservation Article XV Canals Article XVI Taxation Article XVII Social Welfare Article XVIII Housing Article XIX Amendments To The Constitution (How to amend) Article XX When To Take Effect
We The People of New York, Inc.

5. 2 WAYS TO AMEND THE NY CONSTITUTION
The State Legislature Can Place Its Proposed Revisions On a Statewide Ballot For a Vote By the People Anytime It Wants To
The Delegates To a NY Constitutional Convention Can Place Their Proposed Revisions On a Statewide Ballot For a Vote By The People When The People Vote For a Constitutional Convention
We The People of New York, Inc.

6. PEOPLE VOTE ON THE QUESTION OF A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Whenever The Legislature Decides To Place The Question On The Ballot
Every Twenty Years The Question Must Be Placed On The Ballot, Whether The Legislature Agrees Or Not
We The People of New York, Inc.

7. THE QUESTION
Article XIX mandates the following question be placed on the statewide ballot in November 2017:
“Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution
and amend the same?”
We The People of New York, Inc.

8. We The People of New York, Inc.
THE QUESTION
How will you vote?
Here are some issues for your consideration
We The People of New York, Inc.

9. We The People of New York, Inc.
WE HAVE PROBLEMS
NYS Has Highest Tax Burden In The Nation
NYS Has Worst Economic Outlook In The Nation
Our NYS Government is Broken, Dirty and For Sale
Our NYS Government Routinely Violates The State Constitution
The NYS Judiciary is Politicized
Our NYS Government Lacks Transparency and Accountability
We The People of New York, Inc.

10. WE HAVE PROBLEMS (cont’d)
Our State budgets are adopted in violation of Articles III, IV and VII
Public debt is incurred without voter approval in violation of Art. VII
Corporate welfare is rampant in violation of Articles VII,VIII, X
Legislative due process replaced by “three-men-in-a-room” and “message of necessity” in violation of Article III and Art. IV
State laws affect property, affairs and government of less than all counties in violation of Article IX
The Court of Appeals refuses to hear constitutional challenges in violation of Article VI
We The People of New York, Inc.

11. WE HAVE PROBLEMS(cont’d)
Votes counted in violation of “public nature of elections”
Provision for defense of the state violates Art. XII
Federalizing Education in violation of U.S. Compact Clause
State Laws Favor Public Over Private Education
Principle of “frequent inculcation of fundamental values” and Civic Education Requirements of Section 801 of State Education Law are ignored
We The People of New York, Inc.

12. WE HAVE PROBLEMS (cont’d)
Rule of Law is being replaced by the rule of whim
The servants are taking over the house
The Constitution is hanging by a thread
We The People of New York, Inc.

13. We The People of New York, Inc.
SOLUTIONS
The Electoral Process
The Courts
We The People of New York, Inc.

14. We The People of New York, Inc.
A THIRD SOLUTION
“…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness….” (Declaration of Independence- Preamble to NY Constitution.
We The People of New York, Inc.

15. We The People of New York, Inc.
THE THIRD SOLUTION
The People Can Legally Alter Their Government in New York By Changing The Language of Their New York Constitution
We The People of New York, Inc.

16. THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ALTERING THEIR GOVERNMENT IN NYS
First NYS Government/Constitution: 1777
Constitutional Conventions: 1821, 1846, 1894, 1938
Hundreds of Amendments Initiated By The Legislature
We The People of New York, Inc.

17. We The People of New York, Inc.
Amendment Article XIX
Sec. 1: Government’s Pathway to Change
Sec. 2: People’s Pathway to Change
Sec. 3: If Conflict, the People Prevail
We The People of New York, Inc.

18. We The People of New York, Inc.
GOVERNMENT’S PATHWAY
Legislature’s Proposed Amendment Goes to the Voters After Passing Two Successive legislative Sessions.
166 Government Initiated Amendments Since 1938
We The People of New York, Inc.

19. We The People of New York, Inc.
PEOPLE’S PATHWAY
Constitution Convention Question Must be on the Statewide Ballot Every 20 Years or
Whenever The Legislature Decides It Wants the Question on the Ballot
We The People of New York, Inc.

20. PEOPLE’S PATHWAY (cont’d)
Nov. 2017: People Vote On The Question
Nov. 2018: People Elect The Delegates
April 2019: Delegates Begin Work
. We The People of New York, Inc.

21. We The People of New York, Inc.
DELEGATES
Adopt Convention Rules
Are Paid What Assemblymen Are Paid
Take As Much Time As They Need
Decide How to Present Their Proposed Amendments to The People
We The People of New York, Inc.

22. We The People of New York, Inc.
PEOPLE’S CHALLENGE
Keep Government from Controlling Both Pathways
Employees of government, political parties and lobbyists have no business being delegates at a Constitutional Convention, the purpose of which is to recommend changes to the Rule Book that regulates their behavior – the ultimate conflict of interest
We The People of New York, Inc.

23. RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
The People have a right to know, before they vote in Nov. 2017, that a “Yes” vote will NOT be a vote for a Convention that would be controlled by those in or close to government - the same people responsible for the problem.
We The People of New York, Inc.

24. RISING TO THE CHALLENGE (cont’d)
Needed Now: WTP-NY website to nominate and vet non-aligned citizen Candidates, 15 at- large and 3 from each of the 63 Senatorial Districts.
2017: Organize for “YES” vote
2018: Organize for Delegate Elections
We The People of New York, Inc.

25. SHARE THE VISION Our Finest And Brightest Step Up to be Delegates
People Vote for the Convention in 2017 and Elect the Delegates in 2018.
Delegates Propose Amendments to Limit Government and Restore the Rights, Freedoms and Liberties of the People
The People Vote in Favor of the Amendments
The People Enforce Obedience to the “New” Constitution
As Liberty Gains Ground, Government Loses Ground
Corruption and Dysfunction in NYS Government Cease
People Prosper

26. SHARE THE VISION (cont’d)
Constitutional Protections are Restored
Government Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Enhanced
Government Power Limited To Its Least Essentials
NY Regains Adherence To Natural Rights Philosophy
Equal Rights For All And Special Privileges For None
Lavish Spending, Lending And Taxes Cease
We The People of New York, Inc.

27. SHARE THE VISION (cont’d)
Financial Advantages To Particular Classes And Industry Cease
Specially Chartered Corporations For The Favored Few Cease
Inflationary Prosperity Ends
New York State is Stabilized and Prospers
The Government and Society are Righted
We The People of New York, Inc.

28. We The People of New York, Inc.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Volunteer to help organize your Senatorial District as part of statewide organization
Nominate your best and brightest to serve as delegates
Shame Those In Government from serving
Educate Community
We The People of New York, Inc.

29. WE THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK, INC.
WeThePeopleofNY.org
We The People of New York, Inc.