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EDITORIAL: Unhealthy for Michigan / Health lobby's ballot plan would subvert the state Constitution 

It is no exaggeration to say that the Healthy Michigan Amendment would corrupt the Michigan Constitution and the system of representative government that it provides. State constitutions, following the federal example, are supposed to provide frameworks for decision-making. They aren't supposed to take funding choices out of the hands of the people's elected representatives. If the "Healthy Michigan" tactic prevails, look for other lobby groups -- conceivably for K-12 education, the environment, labor, universities, parks -- to make their own bids for parts of the state's revenue and lock them forever into the Constitution.

The Healthy Michigan Amendment thus is a cynical subversion of representative government, though it won't look that way in the ads soon to be filling television screens, radio airwaves and newspaper pages across the state. The situation creates an obligation for responsible organizations and leaders in each Michigan community to speak out and make the case for good government. On Nov. 5, that will mean a "No" to what definitely would be an unhealthy change for Michigan.

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