Today we received the voter guide for the 11 amendments that will be on the Florida ballot in the newspaper. I wanted to research these and make sure I voted the best way for our state. As it turns out, all of these amendments are harmful to the citizens of Florida and I will vote NO on all amendments. You should too. But if you want to do your own research the amendments are listed HERE.
Amendment 1 would allow Florida to opt out of the federal health care reform. You like being able to keep your sons and daughters on your health insurance until they are 26? The Legislature would stop that. You like receiving your rebate check from insurers that exceed the percentage of profit they are allowed to take? The Legislature and governor would put an end to that!
Amendments 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11 are part of the tea party/GOP effort to destroy government services and the quality of life by reducing revenue. They sound like compassionate efforts (reducing property tax, limiting growth in state revenue, increasing a business tax exemption). We need these property taxes to fund state services.
Amendment 5 is a raw power grab by the Legislature over the courts. It adds the requirement that Supreme Court justices appointed by the governor need to be confirmed by the Senate. It also allows the Legislature to repeal a court rule by a simple majority instead of the two-thirds majority now required. In important cases, the Florida Supreme Court has been a check on the extremism of the Legislature.
Amendment 8 Called the "Religious Freedom" Amendment, it is nothing of the sort. There are no cases of anyone being denied their religious freedom. It is only about allowing religious organizations to receive unlimited tax dollars for anything and everything from church services to schools. As it should do, currently, the Florida Constitution prohibits the direct or indirect use of tax dollars for religion.
Amendment 6, part of the GOP War on Women and yet another attempt to ban all abortions
Amendment 12 is about which student should represent the State University System on its Board of Governors.
These 11 Amendments are part of disturbing trend in Florida to place ultra-radical priorities near-permanently in the Constitution. They are issues more properly left to legislation, if addressed at all.
Reject them all.