Constitutional Amendment to ban health care?
The hottest debate on the national level right now is the issue of health care. Two state legislators from central Florida have decided to preemptively move to ban universal health care, even before a final deal has been worked out.
The legislators, Senator Carey Baker (R- Eutis) and Representative Plakon (R- Longwood), have introduced a state constitutional amendment that would constitutionally ban Floridians from enrolling in any federal health care plan. Really.
The language states:
"To preserve the freedom of all residents of the state to provide for their own health care:
A law or rule shall not compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer, or health care provider to participate in any health care system."
Take that, nearly 4 million uninsured Floridians.
In a joint statement, Baker and Plakon said: "We believe this is unprecedented power-grab by President Obama and Congress is clearly not in the best interests of the citizens of Florida."
In Florida, legislators can place an amendment on the ballot with a 3/5 vote in the House and the Senate. If approved in the legislature, the initiative would then go to the voter's for approval in the 2010 election.
Senator Baker is running for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which is a cabinet level position, up for election in...2010. Representative Plakon will be running for reelection in 2010, so far unopposed.
Sadly, Florida is not the only state considering such a measure. The Arizona state legislature has already approved a bill that would " put a proposal on the 2010 ballot which would constitutionally override any law, rule or regulation that requires individuals or employers to participate in any particular health care system."
Maybe it's the heat.
