As an attorney for 38 years, including 15 years as Alpena County Probate judge, 26th Circuit Family Division judge, and 88th District Court judge (retired from the bench) I have a unique vantage point.

With regard to Proposal 3, an amendment to our state’s constitution, an analysis includes studying ‘how we make law’. We make law in at least four ways: 1. Establishing or amending a constitution, 2. Legislative process, 3. Judicial law in the appeals courts, and 4. Administrative or rule making. All law, wherever made, must be constitutional, as our constitution is the highest form of human-made law.

The language of Proposal 3 is overly broad and sweeping. It invites many lawsuits for interpretation that will plague our society for decades. Some of the devastation, if this proposal passes, includes eliminating parental consent for many medical procedures (not just abortion), eliminating dozens of laws designed to protect us, protecting wrong-doers from prosecution who impregnate our children, and exposing women and children to non-sterile environments, and under-trained “health care professionals”, etc., etc., just to name a few.

The issues surrounding pregnancy are vast, and extremely important. Let us properly analyze the many issues through the legislative process where there is appropriate debate, public hearings, time and better decision-making, rather than political sound bites, and an emotional rush to amend the constitution.

Vote NO on Proposal 3. Indeed, ‘the devil is in the detail’.

THOMAS J. LaCROSS

Alpena