Like many Hawaii voters, I am frustrated with local and national politics. A few years ago, when the notion of having a Constitutional Convention (ConCon) was floated, I was excited by the possibility that this could be the golden ticket to right so many wrongs.

However, my short-sighted optimism was short-lived. After taking a closer look at multiple indicators, I realize this is not the right climate to have a ConCon. Here is why I will be voting NO on that question in November.

Our state Constitution, overhauled during the 1978 ConCon, includes strong protections for Native Hawaiians, for working families, and for our precious natural resources. These progressive values deserve to be protected from the monied influence of corporations and their lobbyists.

We have all witnessed the smoke and mirrors of local politics. “Dark money” and Super PACs have had a huge impact on recent elections.

We are at a time when the richest multinational corporations are so entrenched in Hawaii politics that one of their professional lobbyists was able to take the helm of the state’s most powerful political party.

If we open up the Constitution for a potential overhaul during this pro-corporation climate, we are taking a huge risk. Can we afford to gamble with our environmental protections? Can we afford to have pensions and benefits earned by our kupuna taken away from them during their retirement? Can we afford to roll back the remediation of injustices faced by kanaka maoli under U.S. occupation?

The Hawaii Supreme Court has made numerous rulings in recent years that evidence the strengths of the current Hawaii Constitution; the problem has been the lack of compliance and enforcement by the legislative and executive branches.

Ultimately, it is our job as voters to hold these lawmakers accountable. Let’s continue to coalesce our power and work together for progress. This last legislative session, strong coalition work led to the nation’s first ban on the neurotoxin, chlorpyrifos. We need to replicate that effort.

We need to continue reminding the Democratic establishment of who it once represented when it took on the Big Five.

During the period leading up to this past primary election, we witnessed Democratic lawmakers distancing themselves from their own histories. They tried rebranding themselves as “environmentalists” — despite having spent most of the past decade fighting true aina protectors.

They asked voters to view them as champions for “working families” when they have been keeping the minimum wage lower than it should be, given state and federal data clearly documenting that workers cannot meet basic needs even when they work two full-time minimum-wage jobs. Our legislators have blocked efforts to pass paid family leave, while keeping Hawaii’s corporate tax rate the lowest in the nation.

In this Citizens United era, progressive groups in Hawaii cannot hope to match the level of funding that will flow into the state from the likes of the Koch brothers should we open up the Constitution.

Profit-driven corporations and right-wing donors will continue to invest their money to persuade voters to limit government services and support a ConCon; then they will apply their resources to elect delegates to the convention to do their bidding.

Let’s not be naïve: they will not do this because they love Hawaii or its people; they will be jumping at an opportunity to erase constitutional protections that have stood in the way of increasing their profit margins.

Voters need to say very firmly: “No way. Not now.”

Kim Coco Iwamoto is a lawyer and community activist.