Republicans take aim at universal health care
In the Legislature, Republicans are moving House Concurrent Resolution 2014 forward. The effort at a 2010 ballot issue would do essentially what one narrowly rejected by voters last year would have done: protect the for-profit health care industry.

The new ballot issue would "Prohibit any law or rule from directly or indirectly compelling any person or employer to participate in any health care system." Freedom of choice. Very compelling. Except there is another way to look at it. If appoved, this would prevent consideration of any type of universal health care proposal in Arizona.

Are we ready to close out that option? With more than a million Arizonans without health insurance, and hundreds of thousands of others in perilous insurance situations, closing any options is grossly premature.

Rep. Phil Lopez (D-Tuscon) had it right when he told the Arizona Republic, "This is an ideologically driven effort because they don't like government, and they don't want government running health care."