As a front-page article in Sunday's Butler Eagle pointed out, there is significant pessimism about the prospects for a state constitutional convention anytime soon.

But that doesn't obscure the fact that the Keystone State needs to take the opportunity to improve the document currently in place.

The last time a constitutional convention was held in Pennsylvania was 1967, and the results from it didn't damage the state. Similarly, it's unlikely that a new convention would have a negative impact.

In fact, the potential benefits from a constitutional convention could be many, especially if part of the convention were to deal specifically with fixing what many state residents perceive as the commonwealth's dysfunctional Legislature.

Indeed, any convention proposal not specifically targeting the Legislature as one of its points of focus should be rejected.

There's no point in holding a constitutional convention if it doesn't address the state's biggest problem.

But in Sunday's article, state Rep. Dick Stevenson, R-8th, wary about what a constitutional convention might produce, nonetheless made a good point.

"If the Legislature can't fix what's wrong, it's not because the constitution prevents (it) from doing so."

However, recent history has provided a number of examples of how lawmakers have ignored the commonwealth's main document, not the least of which has been lawmakers ignoring the constitutionally mandated process for consideration of legislation.

One of the prime examples of that was the 2005 middle-of-the-night pay-raise vote that created a firestorm of voter anger that resulted in the ouster of several powerful lawmakers, including the Senate president pro tempore.

Besides the 2001 pension grab, whose effects property owners are expected to begin suffering in a big way in 2012, and the constant chaos of the Legislature and governor ignoring the June 30 deadline for state budget passage, there's the ongoing disgraceful Bonusgate scandal investigation, which has implicated a number of current and former legislators and might implicate others before the probe is wrapped up.

A poll released earlier this year by Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster indicated 72 percent of this state's residents favor a constitutional convention. But before a convention can take place, the General Assembly, which, again, should be the main focus of one, would have to pass a bill authorizing one — and doing that would not be easy for lawmakers content with the status quo and a state-residents-be-damned attitude.

Beyond action by the Legislature, a convention would have to be approved by way of a voter referendum. In connection with that, convention delegates would have to be elected.

The delegates would be charged with debating changes to the constitution, and any proposed amendments would have to be ratified by the voters.

While examining the entire process reveals that it could take several years before changes to the constitution could actually be put in place, it's clear that it's past time for the process to begin in earnest in this state.

To do that, the voters must demand a constitutional convention and look unkindly on any lawmaker unwilling to vote in favor of one.

Pennsylvania needs to take the risk associated with improving its main document and ignore the fearmongering being voiced about interest groups possibly creating convention havoc while pushing their particular goals. Safeguards can be put in place to prevent that.

In Sunday's article, state Rep. Brian Ellis, R-11th, said people upset and frustrated about their state Legislature's conduct, performance and results "want a more ethical government. They want a government that lives within its means."

A sturdy path to that is a constitutional convention to address what the 1967 convention failed to tackle.

This is the right time to stop talking about one and, instead, begin the process of making one a reality. Judging from what's been going on in Harrisburg, a constitutional convention is no longer an option, it's in fact a long-overdue necessity.