cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Ruling Sparks New Dispute With Hill Marijuana Ruling Sparks New Dispute With Hill Posted by FoM on April 03, 2002 at 21:22:55 PT By Neely Tucker, Washington Post Staff Writer Source: Washington Post In 1992, at the behest of a senator from Alabama, Congress ordered the District to put a death penalty referendum on an upcoming ballot. In 1998, at the behest of a senator from Georgia, Congress ordered the District to ignore a public vote on legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.Now the District is gearing up for another ballot showdown with Congress after a U.S. District Court judge ruled last week that the congressional mandate prohibiting District residents from voting on medical marijuana was an unconstitutional abridgement of free speech. Just days after the 52-page ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, advocates of medical marijuana, who won 69 percent of the vote in the 1998 referendum later quashed by Congress, are again raising funds and mapping strategy to put the issue back on the ballot this November.Buoyed by local home-rule support and by a national drive to make marijuana legal for some medical patients, the campaign is shaping up as a defining test of congressional control over the federal city."It's particularly outrageous to be told what you can and can't vote on," said D.C. Shadow Senator Paul Strauss (D). "The issue here isn't the topic of the referendum but the right to free and fair elections. Whatever the framers of the Constitution had in mind for the District, the abrogation of free elections just couldn't be part of it."Robert Kampia, executive director of the Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project, said congressional opposition had energized his nonprofit organization."It's a big case for marijuana legalization across the country because it's in a national media market and because it pushes the issue onto the congressional agenda," Kampia said. "But we get a big spike of D.C. interest because of the home-rule issues."Kampia said an e-mail solicitation last weekend, just one day after Sullivan's ruling, drew donations of $9,000, with more arriving. That money will go toward a hectic drive to obtain 15,000 signatures needed by June 8 to certify the issue for the November ballot."We are reviewing the court's decision and have not yet decided if we will appeal," said Charles Miller, a Justice department spokesman.When the 1998 referendum, known as Initiative 59, was set to pass, Rep. Robert L. Barr Jr. (R-Ga.) was the driving force behind a congressional ban that prohibited counting the ballots for more than a year. Each year since, Barr has sponsored a rider on the D.C. appropriations bill that forbids the District from spending money to hold another vote on the subject.Sullivan ruled that rider unconstitutional last week. Barr shot back that "the court ignored the constitutional right and responsibility of Congress to pass laws protecting citizens from dangerous narcotics."Supporters of the bill say just the opposite -- that marijuana alleviates chronic pain in some terminal patients and relieves pain associated with AIDS, cancer or multiple sclerosis. Eight states have legalized use of the drug for patients whose doctors recommend it for them."There's no reason to mislead ourselves because to succeed in this political climate is going to very, very tough," said Anise Jenkins, whose group Stand Up for Democracy has been at the forefront of home-rule campaigns."But four years ago, this issue passed in all eight wards of the city with nearly 70 percent of the total vote. This is something D.C. residents want. The denial of that right highlights the colonial control over the city that Congress likes to have."Source: Washington Post (DC)Author: Neely Tucker, Washington Post Staff WriterPublished: Thursday, April 4, 2002; Page DZ04 Copyright: 2002 The Washington Post Company Contact: letterstoed washpost.comWebsite: http://www.washingtonpost.com Related Articles & Web Sites:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmMedical Marijuana Ban Overturned in D.C. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12422.shtmlRuling May Put Marijuana Measure on Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12398.shtmlLaw Overturned Barring Marijuana Vote in D.C. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12387.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #13 posted by FoM on April 04, 2002 at 13:20:25 PT Morgan I know what you mean. The Hemp article from the Boston Phoenix I posted today was three pages. I go to the last page copy and paste then two then one. That's how I've found it's the best way as far as articles are concerned. There is a limit on comments because they can get way out of hand with length. I don't have a limited size on the articles but I did at one time. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Morgan on April 04, 2002 at 13:12:32 PT Backwards You're welcome FoM. Next time I have to remember to post backwards. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on April 04, 2002 at 12:58:27 PT Morgan Excellent Thank you so much! I really appreciate your getting the transcripts and posting them. I'm sorry I missed the program but very glad for the transcripts! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Morgan on April 04, 2002 at 12:37:35 PT Part 2 Bill: Which begs the question -- why did we arrest 700,000 people for smoking it last year? That's not an insignificant number. If that was a disease, there would be marches on the mall. Okay? There would be zero tolerance for this kind of injustice. I don't understand why this goes on 30 years after this report.David: Because politicians are afraid of being seen as soft on drugs, soft on crime.Victoria: Well, if they thought the people were for it, they'd be for it.David: But the people aren't for it.C.C.H.: No, the people are for it. We've had referendums.[ Talking over each other ]Victoria: You all need to march on Washington.Bill: Well, here's what Nixon said, and maybe this is why it never got through as commission. First of all, he brought in the head of the commission, and he said to him, "You're enough of a pro to know that for you to come out with something that would run counter to what the Congress and the country feels, that what we're planning to do, would make your commission just look bad as hell." So he was telling him right before the report came out not to report what he did. He also said to Bob -- this came out in the tapes. Talking to Bob. "You know, it's a funny thing. Every one of those bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the [ bleep ] is the matter with the Jews, Bob? What is the matter with them? I suppose it's because most of them are psychiatrists." [ Laughter ] I mean, you can't write dialogue like this.Fred: Well, you must remember that Nixon had that famous meeting with Elvis Presley.Bill: Right.Fred: And he probably said, "This man is out of control. I like my toke as well as the next man, but -- " so that might have changed, that might have chilled the president.Bill: Elvis was very stoned during that meeting. It shows.Fred: And ironically, he showed up -- he wanted to fight drugs. He wanted to get a badge to go out and --Bill: That is such an epitome of the irony in this country, right? Elvis Presley, who died from drugs, who took 11 different kinds of incredible downers that would kill anyone the first time they took it, took them every night, and he built up such a tolerance, and it froze his insides. But pot? That was for the hippies, and that had to go. I gotta take a commercial.[ Applause ]Bill: Okay, we're talking about the Nixon commission report on marijuana, why it hasn't been implemented. You said smoking. We found out smoking was bad for us.Victoria: Yeah, isn't that -- just don't inhale.[ Light laughter ]Bill: See, that simplistic thinking is one of the reasons why so many people are in jail for this stupidity. Yeah, don't inhale, zero tolerance, just say no. Government by slogans. But people actually wind up suffering for it. Now, explain to me why we found out what the connection between -- we found out smoking was bad, which kills hundreds of thousands of people, by the way, where this drug I never heard of anybody dying from it. What is the connection? Victoria: Smoking is bad because we found out it did things inside of your lungs, and I don't agree with that commission report. I would not wanna rely on a study 30 years old. I'd like to see one done today.Bill: They did one, I'm telling you, two years ago. It said the same basic thing. They all come back to the same basic thing because they hand it over to people with science on their mind instead of politics, and those idiots come up with the truth.[ Applause ]Victoria: There are contradictions, Bill.Bill: Well, show me the study. Show me the study from whatever administration -- show me the study that says this is evil, this is bad, this hurts people.Victoria: Well, I don't know evil, but hurting people's health I think it does. I don't want to pay for people to decide --Bill: So Americans don't have the right -- v>> They'd rather toke up.Bill: But Americans kill themselves with food, alcohol and cigarettes. Why should this one thing land people in jail when it -- ? C.C.H.: I just want to see the legalized marijuana, when you see the ad on the television, as you're seeing for all these new drugs when they say, "And it may cause side effects such as dizziness, vomiting," and so on.[ Light laughter ] And to see it with marijuana. I'd just like to see that. All the side effects of marijuana listed so that people know.Bill: Even the drugs they advertise --C.C.H.: All the new drugs that they're advertising.Bill: I know. And the whole --C.C.H.: It'll clear up your nostrils, but constipation, dizziness and vomiting -- these are all the other side effects it has. [ Applause ]Bill: Right. The entire commercial is taken up with disclaimers.C.C.H.: And they say it as fast as they can.Bill: Right, right. Diarrhea, ask your doctor about it.[ Light laughter ]Victoria: Back in the hallway in my hotel, just as I was getting on the elevator, says, "Watch out. This hallway has smoke in it, tobacco smoke in it, and it may be dangerous to your health under California law." Bill: What a dumb country. We'll take a break. We'll be right back.[ Applause ]Bill: All right, this just in. Marijuana eases Tourette's Syndrome. I keep saying, if you wanna legalize this stuff, people gotta start dying from it.[ Applause ] [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Morgan on April 04, 2002 at 12:37:05 PT Politically Incorrect 4/03/02 Part 1 04/03/02 Transcript for Wednesday, April 3, 2002 Fred Willard Victoria Toensing David Brock C.C.H. PounderBill: Hello, and welcome to "Politically Incorrect." Let me tell you who's here with us tonight. C.C.H. Pounder is here. She not only has a show, "The Shield," great reviews on that show, FX Tuesdays at 10:00, and your new cd here called "Smoke." We're gonna get to that. David Brock. I've been wanting to have you here for quite awhile. This is your book. We're gonna talk about it right off the bat, "Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative." Thank you for coming by. Victoria Toensing. I know I said that right. You are a former prosecutor in the Justice Department, and you headed up the terrorism -- started the terrorism unit, which I imagine is quite in play these days. And Fred Willard -- you're, of course, Fred Willard.[ Light laughter ]Fred: I do have some credits there.Bill: Your show is "Maybe It's Me," on the WB, Fridays at 9:30.Fred: Thanks for the fan mail.Bill: And the new movie, "Teddy Bear's Picnic," opens this Friday. Okay, have a hand for this panel.[ Applause ](Skipping first part)All right, this month is the 30th anniversary of the Nixon commission. He appointed a commission to study marijuana use. This was an issue in 1972 because, you know, the pot smoking hippies in the '60s and so forth. So as every administration, by the way, has done since, they wanted to do a study. Let me read to you what the commission reported 30 years ago. It recommended all penalties for possession and use and even casual distribution be eliminated. It said, "Neither the marijuana user nor the drug itself constituted danger to public safety." I don't think we can say the same about alcohol. And it said, "Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to the individual than the drug itself." Now, what went wrong in the last 30 years that this commission from this conservative president, why didn't they listen? Why hasn't the federal government caught up with the states and the people on this issue? Victoria: On drugs? Bill: It isn't drugs. Drugs is a big, big word. This is marijuana.Victoria: Even just marijuana. You know what Mort said? He said, "I told all my friends that if their kids kept taking marijuana, they were gonna grow up to be mutants." And they did. They all grew up to be Republicans.[ Laughter ][ Applause ]Fred: Oh, I'm definitely gonna spank her.Bill: Yeah, I'd like to get a shot in myself, Fred.[ Laughter ]Fred: You say marijuana is a very benign drug. It does make people kind of mellow. If we make it legal, isn't that what we want our rebellious young people to be doing, smoking, taking a drug that cools the mouth? If they make it legal, then they're gonna look for something harder, a harder drug. Does that not make sense? [ Talking over each other ]Bill: No, it doesn't.[ Laughter ] In fact, the last presidential commission to study this, just a couple of years ago, their finding addressed that issue, whether it was a gateway drug. The answer came back, no. They keep doing studies, and the answer keeps coming back, not the answer they want. The answer keeps coming back. It makes you eat cookie dough.[ Laughter and applause ] And that's all they can find.Fred: I'd like to see the report on the gateway drug thing. I've heard it does lead to it.Bill: No, actually, the gateway drug is beer.Fred: Well, that, too.Bill: That's the first thing that --Victoria: But didn't we just get over this with smoking? I mean, haven't we for the last 20 years learned that smoking is bad, and that we're not to do it? C.C.H.: Marijuana has actually positive properties.[ Applause ]Victoria: You'd never get applause for that in Washington, D.C.C.C.H.: I think even that's changing because, I mean, coming from an experience of my 80-year-old neighbor, white, southern Texan, husband, a banker, has been smoking marijuana for the last 25 years because it alleviates symptoms with her eyes. I usually go over there and read for her. And she says that when she takes it, she is alleviated some pressure behind her eyes. It's known -- it's known that it has helped glaucoma, and there are some people --Bill: Yes, that's undeniable that it has medicinal properties.C.C.H.: Right. I mean, I think the other fear is, of course, if you legalize it, then people are afraid that their refrigerators will be empty and their cupboards will be empty.[ Light laughter ] Eaten out of house and home, but as far as I'm concerned in terms of a casual smoker, toker, drinker, it's absolutely fine.[ Cheers and applause ] [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on April 04, 2002 at 09:15:31 PT p4me I ALWAYS watch Politically Incorrect but didn't last night. Here is the transcript page. I have it bookmarked so I'll check for the transcripts. I usually only post the part of the show that is about our topic and a link for checking out the complete program. I'll keep looking over the next few days. They aren't very fast most times getting them posted. If I forget and you remember post the link in a comment section. Thanks!http://abc.abcnews.go.com/primetime/politicallyincorrect/episodes/2001-02/1.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by paul peterson on April 04, 2002 at 09:06:14 PT: I LIKE HOW YOU USED THE SCRIPTURES-NOT TO STRIKE The GCW: Well said, at first I thought you were going to say that Joyce gets blown away or something, but you stayed true to the lord's word (at least how I see it), that we must focus on our own intent, and not let that become so vengeful or revengefull that we lose the moral imperitive & empowerment, but instead hope for defense, in whatever form our support is to come, and to hope that this or these other people will see the error of their ways and will not force their own destruction merely to stop truth (that would be a waste of assets right?)I am, of course, horribly aghast at the prospect that our lead attorney in this nation, John Ashcroft, brandishes a bible as a sword, not a shield. This man purposely teaches his kinship with a "Pentacostal" background, as some sort of divine mandate to put people in cages, to put people to death, to keep people in pain, particularly when they are close to death, (and I believe my lord Jesus Christ would rather these people be freed from bondage, to be freed from the wages of sin, and to be freed from their earthly burdens so as to be more calm when they pass, etc.).Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (although I believe he was an atheist, or close to it), stated something like: "I am skeptical of people who believe they are right, because that makes them believe they have some right to impose (violently), their will on others, which leads to oppression", (like the civil war, etc.). He was especially skeptical of persons that claim a divine right, because that makes it all the more likely that they believe they are right at all costs. He further believed that the courts and the legislature should be extremely quick about yielding to the developing mandate of the majority of the voters, and should just as quickly ensure that the minority should not be discriminated or oppressed by the whims of the majority. He logically theorized that citizens do not have a "personal" right of freedom of speech, other than as a "societal force", and not by virtue of the fact that the individual is right, or might be right, but because SOCIETY NEEDS AS MANY IDEAS AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T MISS THE RIGHT IDEA, you know, the idea that saves us from some force or situation (and by the way, the more openly ideas are discussed, the better of a chance we have of avoiding a BLOODY CONFLICT LIKE THE CIVIL WAR-Holmes saw in that war some 40,000 people savagely butchered for IDEOLOGIES, and when, in 1925 & again in 1927, in the Supreme Court,he worked to ensure that these "proceedural due process rights" were guaranteed, he issued in an era for societal force of change, etc. Of course, the cold war era deadened the tone of "societal rights", and "pluralism" or "pragmatism", and so when the civil rights movement came in, it was posited on "individual freedoms" rather than on "due process" rights, and as a result, we have totally lost track of his intellectual genius, and so now we have this guy (Ashcroft again) talking about "divine mandate", and "bloody repression" and "intolerance" because he believes he is "right" and we're right back in the civil war era with two armies fighting a war-(Oh yeah, Holmes believed, and rightly so, that the civil war, was, in fact the "stepchild, father, mother, brother, son & twin, at the same time, of SLAVERY" (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT), or in other words, violence to stop oppression is no better (it is still oppression, right?). HOW LITTLE WE HAVE REMEMBERED ABOUT OUR COUNTRY'S PAST- Apparently, in fact, in 1993, the police force of New York City actually planned a road block of INCOMING traffic, to catch people with cash in their pockets (for a clean forfeiture), rather than for outbound traffic with drugs in tow (they couldn't sell the drugs, eh?) which leads me to believe that they would rather keep the drug houses in business, pad their budgets, and perpetuate the drug trade at the expense of the user (who probably was holding down a job, could and would pay the toll and forget about speaking out about the practice, out of shame or something, and thusly perpetuate this despicable drug war-I'm thinking Joyce might just have some property interest in doing the same thing-and ISN'T THE WHOLE DRUG WAR ABOUT A "PROPERTY CRIME" ie: if people would only pay for a "prescription" and thusly pay homage to and tribute to and respect to the MEDICO-INDUSTRIO-WAR industry, instead of trying to cut out the middle men, the DEA would simply run out of things to do and retire, right? (Or would they, like when prohibition ended, need to find another "whipping post" crime to go after, for job security and all?- I'm thinking the "Men in Black" would probably either go after those illegal cable guys (you know, the ones on Seinfeld) or the people that leave bubble gum under the tables in restaurants, or those guys that always take the toilet paper rolls out of public washrooms, or how about getting those homeless people busted for not having any place to live, eh? Started out with religion, turned to DEA job security [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by The GCW on April 04, 2002 at 06:23:41 PT Bible has laws that protect citizens who use herbs They have hocus pocus, we have TRUTH.We’re removing that satirical wall and we’re doing it with Truth.Let me put Truth more into perspective. BEING IN THE COMPANY OF TRUTH IS LIKE BEING IN THE COMPANY OF CHRIST GOD. (Eph. 6:17)The Sword of the Spirit IS THE WORD OF GOD.On this scale of Truth is a potential of Truth beyond our conception, that we have access to.Many things have given velocity to what was already occurring. This is one that helped make an adjustment.FOOTPRINTS. One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You, You’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed You most You would leave me.” The Lord replied, “My son, My precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.” Welcome a mode that amounts to mass Truth. TRUTH IS A MODE. With the ability of the mind, you can enter that portal, with remarkable assurance, from all aspects. It may well be the part the big dogs, are afraid of people knowing, the most. Ephesians 6:11; The Armor of God (10-24) http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=EPH+6&language=english&version=NASB&showfn=on&showxref=on - Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (Prohibitionists war on plant cannabis, is a scheme of the devil, by all Biblical accounts!). Ephesians 6:12; For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (our struggle in not against Joyce but beyond that it is Biblically against schemes of the devil, more than flesh, like a possessed one...- btw – this describes current issue perfectly) Joyce MAY THEN BE EXPOSED AS A SORT OF SUICIDE BOMBER. 13 Ephesians 6:14-18; Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; (could cannabis be a preparation of the Gospel? There has been shod ding of feet with cannabis oil and textile sandal stuff for many moons) 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (!The Sword of the Spirit IS THE WORD OF GOD.) (If the word of God is on the 1st page, saying all plants are good, then that said, by Our Father is a part of the sword, of the Spirit. Truth. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,,, (the computer w/o wires). (Don’t just pray, but pray to and through that promised H.S.o T.)jOYCE BECOMES THE ENEMY OF OUR FATHER. We following Christ’s example with out even knowing it, (sometimes), will not kill, harm or hurt her with our fists or might but we will - Put on the full armor of God, and we will use the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Merely just tell the Truth. How God Awesome. JUST TELL THE TRUTH.We will use the sword of the Spirit instead of the fist of man. We will use Truth to its fullest, which is probably beyond our conception, in its scope. We often contain components of that connection to the Holy Spirit of Truth, but do not make full use of it.May the brightness of the Truth attract the evil deluded one to choose toward Him, so that Our Brothers who know not better, suffer not. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by freddybigbee on April 04, 2002 at 05:47:01 PT: I Need A New Constitution "the court ignored the constitutional right and responsibility of Congress to pass laws protecting citizens from dangerous narcotics."My copy of the Constitution must be defective. Does anyone have an extra copy of the one that authorizes Congress to pass laws protecting citizens from herbs? [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on April 04, 2002 at 04:32:42 PT Why vote twice? DC is not Nevada! I'm still confused a little on this one. They voted 69% in favor of MMJ. Then Bob Barrs the vote. Now a judge has overturned the Barr. Why do the residents of DC need to put the issue back on the ballot and vote again? Didn't it already pass?? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by DdC on April 04, 2002 at 00:48:07 PT Barring Barr Sounds Better! Bob M BarrS Let's Kill Democracy linx http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionlinx.showMessage?topicID=69.topicGary Storck Drug Policy Forum of Wisconsin http://www.drugsense.org/dpfwi/Cheryl Heart Foundation http://www.cherylheart.org/Jim Busted, Cheryl Put Back in Chair! - 10/21/99 http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3364.shtml More D.E.A.th Deceptions! http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionprohibitionistwodjunkies http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/DEAth.html Bob Barr xCIA Vote Blocking Lawyer w Altitude Sickness,Get em Off the Hill! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by p4me on April 03, 2002 at 23:41:44 PT FoM Last night I did come in here just to put up something brief about watching Charlie Rose because of his guest. I did not know that tonight Bill Maher would raise the marijuana subject with the 1972 Commission Report and Nixon's take on it. He also had David Brock that wrote the much talked about book, "Blinded by the Right." Somebody will probably post the text of the show. There was one Republican lawyer that could not see what Bill Maher was saying. Taking "Smoking is bad for the lungs" to justify the the incredibly harsh laws takes a something. It may be blindness instead of stupidity. Whatever it is this woman had it.VAAI [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by p4me on April 03, 2002 at 23:22:16 PT is that all That is about as brief as you can get for such in-your-face defiance of the Constitution. Does stuff like this frivilous coverage have a way of really exercizing your sadness emotions?Maybe I am still processing what was on the 11PM news from Channel 3 in Charlotte. I usually watch the BBC news at 11 because it has no commercials and tape Channel 3 because Letterman follows. I copied the exact words from the tape.The statistics are staggering. A third of North Carolina school kids smoke.They are talking about tobacco of course. Can you imagine that the government hides behind this does that and is therefore illegal and that leads to 734,498 marijuana arrest, houses being seized, and peasants in Columbia being bombed and sprayed and their land is seized while we let one third of the children in high school smoke? 21,000 people die from illegal drugs which includes overdoses and impurities and we spend a billion dollars a week on a drug crusade while we are letting this go on. This is really disgusting.In North Carolina most of the governors come from down east and are backed by tobacco money. Governor Hunt had been governor for 8 years and had to sit out because of term limits only to come back for 8 more years. The guy in between was a Davidson College professor named Martin and would be an exception to eastern rule as he resided in Mecklenburg County.(Charlotte)Hunt has had his educational conferences on PBS and wants the friend of education legacy. Most people say he has national ambition in education that could be realized if the Democrats ever come back to presidential power while he is still fit. Here is a man that has already lived a full life as a man and as public servant that wants acknowledgement for his contributions to education and is financially secure . And this man can not come out and just say like Yul Brenner, "Whatever you do, do not smoke." It is all but incomprehensible to me that this man and also any president that talks of WAR on drugs does not say this and more. What a corrupting force this money of big tobacco.VAAI [ Post Comment ] Post Comment