This already failed in the Michigan Senate , which does have a Republican majority. So I don't think it's going anywhere.
Anti-health reform drive begins in Michigan
KIM KOZLOWSKI
The Detroit News
Republicans and Michigan Tea Party leaders are launching a petition drive today to put an initiative on the November ballot that would ask voters if citizens could opt out of the federal health care reform.
The move follows landmark passage of legislation late Sunday that aims to overhaul the nation's health care system by expanding it to an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans. Among the package's provisions is a requirement that all citizens have health insurance or face sanctions if they do not purchase it.
But opponents want to allow citizens to opt out.
"We feel what happened last night, under the cover of darkness, was the taking of our freedoms," said state Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills.
The group announced it has scheduled a press conference for 1 p.m. outside William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, which prompted hospital officials to declare that it does not support the effort.
"Beaumont is not affiliated with the anti-health reform press conference in Royal Oak today," officials said on its Twitter page. "We support health reform."
To get the initiative on the ballot, supporters will have to collect 381,000 valid signatures by July 5. Already, 300 people have volunteered to collect signatures after McMillin put up a request on his Facebook page on Sunday, he said, adding that organizers will be submitting language to the board of canvassers this week.
The language is patterned after legislative and ballot initiative efforts in 37 other states, such as Arizona, where citizens rejected the initiative in 2008.
Whether a state constitutional amendment can trump federal legislation is unclear. Numerous experts say state efforts can't override federal law.
But the Goldwater Institute -- a public police/think tank/litigation center based in Phoenix -- says it can.
"This is one of the most important decisions people can make for themselves, but it's not the government's decision to make for us," said Starlee Rhoades, vice president of external affairs for the Goldwater Institute, which hopes the issue reaches the U.S. Supreme Court.
"We want to have a legal battle on whether the federal government can force people to buy products they may or may not want."
