Health reform opponents launch petition drive Tuesday in Pontiac!

Health reform opponents launch petition drive
Published: Monday, March 29, 2010

By CHARLES CRUMM
Of The Oakland Press

A group calling itself Michigan Citizens for Healthcare Freedom plans to organize and launch a petition drive in Pontiac Tuesday to allow Michigan residents to opt out of the new health care reform laws.

The group will lay out the details of their petition and specify how to legally circulate the petitions to ensure enough signatures are gathered to place the initiative on the November 2010 statewide ballot.

“This will be a large-scale event,” said Glenn Clark, chairman of the 9th District congressional Republicans and a conservative activist. “There’s a lot of interest.”

Clark said he expects some who attend will be retired union members who face taxes on their “Cadillac” insurance plans.

“They realize if you tax something, you get less of it,” Clark said Monday.

The event will be at 5 p.m. in the Oakland County Board of Commissioners’ Auditorium next to the county courthouse at 1200 N. Telegraph in Pontiac.

A similar even was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday in the cafeteria of the Howell Freshman Campus, 1400 West Grand River Avenue in Howell.

The petitions drive will also be launched at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at The Exchange, 314 East Michigan Avenue in Lansing.

The actual petitions will be available at the event, Clark said.

In general, the ballot question:

• Declares the right of people to provide for their own health care without being compelled by government to participate in any health system,

• Prohibits government from imposing prohibitions on the sale or purchase of health insurance in private health systems,

• Prohibits government from imposing penalties against people, employers and health systems for participating in direct pay activities of lawful health care services, and,

• Prohibits government from creating any disadvantage against a health system for permitting a person or employer to pay directly for services, or for permitting a health provider from accepting direct payment for health services.

Supporters need to gather 381,000 valid signatures by early July in order for the proposed constitutional amendment to appear on the November ballot.

According to the Michigan Council of State Legislatures, 36 states — including Michigan — have attempted to block forced participation in health care reform, either through ballot issues or through legislative action.

Contact staff writer Charles Crumm at 248-745-4649 or charlie.crumm@oakpress.com.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/03/29/news/local_news/doc4bb0be71d5d47282519661.txt