The century-old Arizona Constitution will be the subject of a forum in Phoenix on Thursday.

As Arizona nears its 100th birthday, we find ourselves divided, polarized and in desperate need of a government system that will serve us well for the next 100 years.

The Goldwater Institute is among the most powerful public policy organizations in the Southwest, and behind all of its decisions is Darcy Olsen.

Voters on Nov. 2 will decide whether to write state-guaranteed protections for health care into the Arizona Constitution.

The Arizona Constitution rates better than the constitutions of most other states in part because it guards against government seizing private property and putting public dollars toward private ventures, according to a report by a conservative Goldwater Institute.

Legislative leaders say the governor exceeded her constitutional authority in some of her line-item vetoes of budget bills this month, but they decided against taking the matter to court. Gov. Jan Brewer said she "absolutely" stands by her action, adding she didn't give much thought to the lawmakers' statement that she doesn't have authority to line-item veto items that don't have to do with appropriations.

The Arizona Constitution requires the enactment of a balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year before July 1. But two months into the fiscal 2010, the budget in place was not signed or balanced, even on paper.

In late June, the Arizona Supreme Court delivered what could be considered a draw for Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leadership, who argued over how long the Legislature can withhold bills from the governor after they have been approved. ...