Amending the state constitution

I think the 2004 election showed us the political power that a state amendment proposal on a ballot. Even if the amendment is legally shaky or unlikely to pass, having it on the ballot is a good way to motivate the base: they can vote for an idea, rather than a particular candidate.

The Republicans seem to be monopolizing constitutional amendments, with their latest attempts in Florida detailed on another thread. But there must be a state amendment the Dems could get behind, even if it winds up being only a symbolic gesture that the SCOTUS later overturns (like the current Florida gambit).

For those of you that are liberals or Democrats: what would you think if the following were on your state ballot?

Amendment: The [State] National Guard may not be deployed abroad without a Congressional declaration of war.

Having served in the OANG for 9 years, that works for me.

Doesn’t the president retain the power to federalize the Guard? I believe Kennedy did that to remove Gov. Wallace from standing in the door of the University of Alabama. If so, such an amendment wouldn’t be anything more than a symbolic gesture.

Wouldn’t this preclude the National Guard from being used abroad for anything that isn’t a war? Like humanitarian work, legitimate peace keeping, etc.? Or do they never do that kind of stuff?

Constitutionally, he does have some rights over the guard. Of course, one could always propose to amend the US constitution, instead of the state’s.

But, again, this isn’t about producing something that is airtight against the SCOTUS. This is more about beating the Republicans at their own game (e.g. the ongoing church vs state or flag-burning shenanigans): bring out the voters, make your point, and then let the SCOTUS clean up the mess.

Probably. But I think those actions usually don’t involve large deployments, and under normal circumstances wouldn’t require much from the regular armed forces.

I would support that. There has been entirely too much undeclared war in the last 50 years.

Vote for it in a second. Note, though, that we don’t get declarations of war because Congress is full of cowards.

I’d do everything I could to make sure it passed. Why is that limited to liberals/Democrats, though?

For most of actions in Bosnia and Kosovo, Reserves and National Guard made up a sizeable portion of the troops there. 50 to 60% of the troops serving as peacekeepers there wasn’t uncoming, and there were a number of times over the years where the numbers jumped to 75%.

It isn’t, but I’m assuming that the administration would strongly oppose it, anyway.

For most of actions in Bosnia and Kosovo, Reserves and National Guard made up a sizeable portion of the troops there. 50 to 60% of the troops serving as peacekeepers there wasn’t uncoming, and there were a number of times over the years where the numbers jumped to 75%.[/quote]
I stand corrected.

Ok, so I have this, uh… friend… and now he wants to amend the state constitution of Pennsylvania. But he’s not a lawyer and he doesn’t know any state legislators. How do these things get started, anyway? Webpages? Billboards? Letter to the editor? Radio talk show call-in?

It helps if you have friends who own a voting machine company.

Being a high profile legislator.