So you want to be a legislator or governor in Michigan. Congratulations!

You already know the reality of healthcare: it’s expensive, complicated, and bureaucratic. That makes your top three official health policy priorities very clear.

1. Don’t make it worse.

Pledge to oppose any bill or policy that makes healthcare:

• more complicated,
• more expensive,
• more bureaucratic, and centralized.

The pledge covers at least half of the bills you’ll see, since those who advance bills tend to be special interests promoting their own agenda.

However, healthcare lobbyists are often experts, and very persuasive at getting their piece of the healthcare pie. How can you recognize the true, ultimate impact of a bill?

2. The essence of healthcare is people using their liberty and property to sustain their lives.

Healthcare is NOT a pie to divide.

Special interests believe it is a pie. They want a bigger piece, and they want you to help them get it.

Importantly, as you prepare to take office and swear to uphold the Constitution, be aware that securing life, liberty, and property rights (including conscience) is the heart of that oath. In fact, the Declaration of Independence states that preserving these individual rights is the reason government exists.

Keep Life, Liberty, and Property rights front and center when handling every policy and bill vote. The more decisions you can ensure are made by patients and clinicians, the closer you will be to the moral and constitutional ideal of individual self-governance.

Best of all, constitutional healthcare is also less expensive, complicated, and bureaucratic.

3. You will be publicly graded on these priorities.

Every year, the MHF Report Card scores all state legislators by assessing every floor vote on healthcare impact bills.

Legislator scores become part of history. Make a high score your legacy!