The California Constitution is 16 times longer than the U.S. Constitution, and it has 512 amendments, compared to just 17 for the later. Maybe it's too easy to amend the state constitution.

Attorney Andrew Giacomini from the Bay Area Council was the speaker at the League of Women Voters of Marin's September kickoff meeting, discussing current efforts to call a constitutional convention for California.

The Council has a three-year strategy: in 2010 present two ballot measures to: 1) amend the constitution to permit voters to call a constitutional convention and 2) call the convention and define its parameters. The convention would meet in 2011; and the new constitution would go on the ballot in 2012.

The list of questions about this movement is long: How would delegates be chosen? Randomly? By election? By appointment? Ordinary citizens or policy experts? How many? How long would they meet? Would hot button issues like marriage equality and abortion be off the table? What about term limits? The initiative process? Campaign finance? Where would the money come from - estimated at $100 - $200 million? Where would support come from? Not from the parties or the unions, irate taxpayers or legislators, Giacomini said.

Opponents will file legal challenges and also put rival measures on the ballot. Giacomini is trying to "keep it simple." He listed four top issues: election reform, budget reform, revenue distribution and governance. He has no illusions about the obstacles. "It will be politically tough, financially tough, legally tough." But, he asserts, he wouldn't have thrown himself into this movement if he didn't believe that the state is in dire trouble and cannot be fixed under the current system.