Amend constitution? Well since you asked . . .

Vanderbilt law prof, Brian Fitzpatrick on efforts to amend constitution re. judicial selection Format Dynamics :: CleanPrint :: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120203/OPINION03/302030052/-Tennessee-Plan-needs-revisions?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p:

Last week, Gov. Bill Haslam, Lt. Gov. Ron
Ramsey and House Speaker Beth Harwell
announced their support for an
amendment to the Tennessee Constitution
that would legalize our system for selecting
state judges. For many years, people have
doubted whether our system, known as the
“Tennessee Plan,” is constitutional. These
leaders deserve great credit for taking the
constitution seriously and doing something
about it.

But constitutional amendments require
great time and effort, and there is no
guarantee the public will go along. And
once in the constitution, the system will be
difficult to change. Thus, before enshrining
it there, we should ask whether the plan
can be improved. It can.