Health Care Professionals Final

 

 

A Statement of Opposition to Amendment 2 As a health care professional I was taught “first, do no harm.” All physicians, nurses and health care professionals understand this basic principle. With that in mind, a vote for Amendment 2 is a clear violation of this principle. This is the exact ballot language for Amendment 2 that Floridians will vote on this November 4:  "Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no  other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or  recognized." Proposed Amendment 2 is known as the so-called “Marriage Amendment” by its proponents. Regardless of your views on gay marriage, Amendment 2 goes far beyond just the definition of marriage and seriously affects health care coverage for all unmarried couples in Florida. If passed, Amendment 2 will jeopardize health insurance coverage, and limit public and private flexibility in extending benefits to domestic partners – gay or straight. Many people in Florida live in non-traditional family relationships in which they are not married but that extend health care benefits to their partners. Amendment 2 would remove the ability for those couples to extend coverage. The supporters of Amendment 2 are already planning their legal challenges to stop cities, universities and employers who extend benefits to domestic partners. If you think Amendment 2 won’t affect you, your family and friends, you are wrong. Amendment 2 will impact you by increasing the number of our patients without health care coverage. We, the undersigned, are among the growing list of Florida health care professionals who oppose Amendment 2. Together, we urge you to vote NO on Amendment 2. Signed: ____________________________________________________________________________________  

I authorize the Committee to Protect Employee Health Benefits to use my name in any press releases, media advisories or listing of medical professionals opposed to Amendment 2. My authorization is only for opposition to Amendment 2 (on the ballot for November 4, 2008) and no other purposes. Name:________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________________________________________ City:_________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:________________________________________________________________________________________ Email:________________________________________________________________________________________

Please Fax this form to Tom Maher at 786‐363‐1394   or email it to [email protected]  Pd. Pol. Adv. Sponsored by the Committee to Protect Employee Health Benefits, 4500 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 340, Miami, FL 33137