Con Con

The Maryland legislature currently spends $32 billion/year, and a referendum to convene a con-con only appears on the ballot once every twenty years. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

Ignoring any benefits from a reduction in injustice and private sector mismanagement, that would result in the public receiving a 500 to 1 return on its investment in the con-con. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

The fourth state, Michigan, has a con-con scheduled for every 16 years, leading to an 80 year cycle when its referendum coincides with the other three. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

So when these groups sense that a referendum to convene a con-con might pass, as in both Illinois and Connecticut in 2008 (in both states the yes vote was ahead in the polls only a week before the election), they are willing to spend large amounts of money on PR campaigns to kill them. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

On November 2, 2010, four states (Maryland, Michigan, Montana, and Iowa) have referendums on the ballot asking voters whether they want to convene a state con-con. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

The last con-con in Maryland proposed a number of worthwhile constitutional reforms, and although voters rejected the complete package of constitutional changes it proposed, they have in the ensuing years adopted piecemeal a number of its better proposals. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

Constitutional provisions to automatically place state con-con items on the ballot, including provisions to elect con-con members independently of the legislature, are necessary to ensure that state constitutions reflect the public's views. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

The next time four con-con referendums are expected to be on the ballot at the same time is in 2090. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

In Maryland, the misconception about a con-con's limitless, unaccountable power may result from the wording of its con-con ballot referendum, which reads: "Should a constitutional convention be called for the purpose of changing the Maryland Constitution?" ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

As a result, the vast majority of living Americans, including reporters, haven't witnessed a con-con in their adult life. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

That means the cost of a con-con would be .00001 of the 20-year budget. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

He maintains a clearinghouse of information about the Maryland con-con ballot referendum at www. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

State voters decide whether to have a con-con, elect the delegates, and ratify or reject the con-con's proposals. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

The politics of getting a con-con called suggests just the opposite. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

The key point is that even if a con-con makes only a slight improvement in the quality of state democracy, the payback can dwarf the cost. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

This popular ignorance has made it easy for misinformation about con-cons to spread, especially during the last few days before a con-con election when there is virtually no accountability for what is said. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

When Montana revised its constution in 1972 as a result of a con-con, it included an automatic con-con referendum provision with a 20-year cycle beginning in 1990. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

Nothing a con-con could propose could supersede the rights protected in the U.S. Constitution. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

But over time such patches tend to make constitutions incoherent and unreadable; they are no substitute for the type of careful review that a con-con can provide. ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

Using Maryland to illustrate the economics of con-cons, let's assume that a con-con would cost approximately $1 per person, or $6 million in total (Maryland has a population of close to 6 million). ❋ J.H. Snider (2010)

Man, a con-con sounds like a great idea. It could overturn [Citizens United] and give the people a fair, balanced health insurance reform bill that will stop the new [IRS] insurance revenue service in its tracks. The only way to fix our broken [U.S. government] is with a con-con. ❋ Euphemismo (2010)

I typed [con\con] into the Windows 95 run box, pressed enter and my [VM] crashed and [blue-screened]. ❋ Gypsy Gypsy (2017)

*Friend gets elected [class president] Annie: “[woah man] [con con is on on]” ❋ Annedawg (2020)

[Scene guy]: "Check out my new Converse all-stars, I have eight pairs now" Emo girl: "They look just like my trusty con-cons" Scene guy: "Yeah, but they're fake and therefore I am cooler than you" Emo girl: "Fake they may be, but with the hundreds of dollars I have saved from purchasing these knock-offs over the years, I have purchased tickets to [Soundwave] to see [Silverstein]" Scene guy: "I can't afford to go to Soundwave..." ❋ Ob-scene (2009)

1.) "Hey Con Con!" 2.) "[Yeah] [me and] Con Con [hung out] last night." ❋ Lahfjasflasdfs (2009)

"That [fat bitch] ate all the [con con]..let's [throw bricks] at her" ❋ LayzeeDee (2022)

OMG Dude go to teh run and type in the C:\[con\con] and hit run for [a good game]! * Loser has quit irc ([Connection Reset by Peer]) ❋ TimmyT (2003)

C:\con\con can often be used as a prank like this: Suki: So, you type C comma [backward slash] con backward slash (C:\[concon]) and then hit enter, alright? [Hikaru]: Yes, what happens when I hit enter? Suki: Something happens! *Hikaru hits Enter. *The computer bluescreens, causing Suki to laugh. ❋ Surono419CH (2019)

1) [Hello] 2 ) [CON CON]!!!! 1) ¿!?!¿!?!¿ ❋ Irob (2003)

[Oh yeah], did you [listen] to con clavi con dio [yet]? ❋ Ghost B.c (2023)