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OP-ED: A Matter of Trust

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “…we the voters are now faced with a collection of suspiciously bundled, intentionally confusing and misleading amendments. The CRC conducted its business in a thoroughly irresponsible manner, under the heavy influence of special interest groups, and we are the recipients of their political game to embezzle us from our votes to support their hidden agenda.”

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Jennifer Carroll, Former Florida Lieutenant Governor

By Jennifer Carroll, Former Florida Lieutenant Governor

According to the Florida Constitution, the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), which meets every 20 years, is to make “its proposal, if any, of a revision to this Constitution” (Article 11, Section 2(c) Florida Constitution).

Very simply, the original intent of the CRC is to review our Constitution for minor corrections; be it reducing the size and scope of the document, cleaning up arcane or outdated language, and/or streamlining the document for efficiency and clarity. In other words, proposals that do not warrant the considerable effort of a joint resolution, a ballot initiative or a constitutional convention.

Well, the CRC basically ignored its mandate and has cobbled together a total of eight proposed amendments that, for the most part, do not even belong in our Constitution.

Their proposals encompass issues that are legislative in nature and should be handled by our elected representatives through a transparent process where the people have a voice, not by the CRC – a group of unelected lobbyists who represent no one but themselves, and have no accountability to anyone whatsoever.

The result, we the voters are now faced with a collection of suspiciously bundled, intentionally confusing and misleading amendments. The CRC conducted its business in a thoroughly irresponsible manner, under the heavy influence of special interest groups, and we are the recipients of their political game to embezzle us from our votes to support their hidden agenda.

The CRC purposely and deceptively bundled totally unrelated issues into their proposed amendments (like banning oil drilling and vaping) in order to trick voters into supporting a more controversial matter embedded in the same amendment that they may not fully understand.

They are also utilizing bait and switch tactics, only worse.  In fact, the CRC is taking advantage of the good will that we have for our veterans and law enforcement, exploiting these honorable public servants as a decoy to capture our vote for another hidden issue in the same amendment we may not agree with.

The CRC process is obviously flawed and, therefore, their proposed amendments are flawed.  It is a matter of trust, and the CRC certainly did not earn our trust.

The best thing that we, the voters, can do to be safe and not get hoodwinked by the CRC is to vote NO on all of their questionable amendments 6 thru 13.

We must not be fooled. NONE of these amendments, no matter how good they may sound, deserve our support and our vote.

The proposed CRC amendments were borne out of duplicitous process that was beholden to special interest groups. Since the shady intentions of the CRC show that they cannot be trusted, how can we trust and vote for any of their amendments? We can’t!  Just vote NO!

Jennifer Carroll
Former Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Commander USN (Ret.)

Jennifer Carroll is a member of the Save My Constitution coalition

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