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Citizen power, Letter to editor[]
It was a pleasure to see the Post-Gazette editorial supporting a Pennsylvania constitutional convention ("Got Reform? In This State, It May Take a Constitutional Convention," Oct. 8, 2006).
For more than a year, Democracy Rising PA has been collecting ideas for constitutional change from citizens across the state. Out of the 182 ideas received so far, dozens are appropriate for a constitutional convention, including initiative and referendum. All are ideas genuinely offered to improve our state government. All deserve public debate and decision.
When representative democracy is at its best, citizens themselves get the chance to make important decisions. Then, there can be little doubt that the system is working as it should and power is where it is designed to be -- in the people's hands.
Outside the magnificent state Capitol building in Harrisburg, a quote from William Penn reads, "Government is of divine origin and any government is free where laws rule and the people are party to those laws." A constitutional convention will make our people party to our laws like nothing else can.
Kathleen Daugherty, Co-founder, Democracy Rising PA, Carlisle, Pa.