cannabisnews.com: Johnson Hopes To Bend Bush's Ear at Roundup










  Johnson Hopes To Bend Bush's Ear at Roundup

Posted by FoM on January 06, 2001 at 14:05:56 PT
By Gilbert Gallegos, Tribune Reporter 
Source: Albuquerque Tribune  

Gov.Gary Johnson was recruited along with the nation's other Republican governors to help usher their colleague, former Texas Gov. George W. Bush, from the statehouse and into the White House.   Today those governors, including Johnson, will be at the Bush family ranch in Crawford, Texas. They have the president-elect's ear, mostly on education reform, but also on other issues facing the states that those governors represent.
 Johnson said he is looking forward to a discussion on school choice. Bush, like Johnson, favors private school vouchers for families who have students stuck in failing public schools. Both men as governors tried unsuccessfully to get their respective legislatures to pass voucher plans.   But the two part ways when it comes to the scope of a voucher program.   During the presidential campaign, Bush laid out a plan for $1,500 vouchers that would go only to families of students whose schools fail to meet standards for three years.   Johnson wants a wide-open plan in New Mexico that would eventually provide vouchers for any family who wants out of public schools. And Johnson claims his vouchers would pay a larger chunk of private school tuitions.   But Johnson's efforts have failed in New Mexico, and the Legislature does not appear any warmer this year to the governor's idea for school reform.   Johnson is expected to lobby Bush today for a more aggressive federal voucher plan from the White House.   Johnson said Friday that he may also make a pitch to the president-elect for new thinking about drug policies in the nation.   During the presidential campaign, Johnson said he was hesitant to push too hard on drug legalization during conversations with Bush. Johnson said he understood why Bush wouldn't want to touch the issue because of the political consequences of appearing soft on drugs.   Bush said publicly during the campaign that he opposed Johnson's ideas about legalizing some drugs.   Rather, Bush said he supported efforts to cut the demand for drugs and to enforce the border against drug smuggling.   Johnson goes much further in his quest to change drug policies. After receiving a report this week from his Governor's Drug Policy Advisory Group, Johnson jumped on the recommendation that New Mexico's laws should be changed so that possession of small amounts of marijuana would no longer be against the law.   "The line that needs to be drawn, I think, is if you're doing drugs, you're smoking marijuana in the confines of your own home, doing no harm to anybody arguably other than yourself, do you belong in jail for that?" Johnson asked during a news conference Friday. "Should that be criminal? I don't think that that should be criminal."   Johnson said he thinks nationally some leaders are beginning to warm to new strategies that would replace the so-called war on drugs.   Because of his new optimism, Johnson said he may try again to talk with Bush about his drug reform ideas.   "I might. I might," Johnson said Friday. "Again depending on the situation."   The other thing Johnson said he will bring up with Bush is a recent federal decision to deny New Mexico's managed-care program the ability to keep offering mental health services.   Johnson said today's meeting is a key perk to having a Republican in the White House.   "I do see it as a great opportunity, and I'm certainly going to take advantage of it," Johnson said.   Gilbert Gallegos' political notebook appears Saturdays in The Tribune. He can be reached at 823-3670 or at: ggallegos abqtrib.com Complete Title: Johnson Hopes To Bend Bush's Ear at Governor RoundupSource: Albuquerque Tribune (NM)Author: Gilbert Gallegos, Tribune ReporterPublished: January 16, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Albuquerque TribuneAddress: P.O. Drawer T, 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109Contact: letters abqtrib.comWebsite: http://www.abqtrib.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Governor Gary Johnson's Home Pagehttp://www.governor.state.nm.us/Drug Revamp Gets Wary Reception http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8222.shtmlGovernor To Pursue Changes in Drug Policy http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8219.shtmlJohnson Bill Would Legalize Small Amounts of Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8218.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Governor Gary Johnsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=gary+johnson 

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Comment #11 posted by freedom fighter on January 08, 2001 at 13:38:27 PT

Now   62%
2,000 votes.. 
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Comment #10 posted by NiftySplifty on January 08, 2001 at 03:12:17 PT

84% YES!
I just wondered if the poll was still up, and with 800 votes, 84% said that crazy Mari-jawanna should be decriminalized. Unfortunately, this probably won't be noticed by anyone but those of us here.
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Comment #9 posted by NiftySplifty on January 07, 2001 at 13:44:21 PT

71% YES
Damn! I hope people are noticing! (Too bad there aren't three zeroes behind the number of votes, though).Nifty...
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Comment #8 posted by dddd on January 07, 2001 at 09:26:09 PT

Sixty seven percent yes
33% no
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Comment #7 posted by dddd on January 07, 2001 at 03:42:01 PT

another percent
Now 61 percent
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Comment #6 posted by NiftySplifty on January 07, 2001 at 03:29:03 PT

At the time of this posting: 60% YES
I wonder if the Fedzis are noticing how much is going down right now toward ending the War. There just seems to be so much happening recently like "Traffic", Gov. Johnson's proposals (let alone his Governor's Drug Policy Advisory Group's recommendations!), Clinton's recent (tardiness is not acceptable) statement, Metro ads, etc. I hope they have the same feeling in their stomachs that any person had when the doorbell rang a minute after sparkin' up a J.Nifty...
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Comment #5 posted by sm247 on January 06, 2001 at 20:31:20 PT

Einstein
Gov J is a modern day Einstein I hope President Bush opens his ears 
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on January 06, 2001 at 18:17:29 PT

Poll - Should New Mexico Decriminalize Marijuana? 
Man oh man dddd, He just must be our drug czar and I want a picture then! LOL!There is a current poll on Albuquerque Tribune. When I first saw the poll it was 51 percent against and now is 55 percent for! I don't know how long the poll will be up so it's best to vote fairly quickly if you want to.Should New Mexico decriminalize marijuana?  Yes  No http://www.abqtrib.com/
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Comment #3 posted by dddd on January 06, 2001 at 16:06:40 PT

Wouldnt it be nice
FoM.I hope that your optomistic wish comes true.If Mr Johnson was appointed drug czar,it would rattle the very foundation of the war on drugs. Unfortunatly,it would also rattle all of the good ol' boys ridin' the drug war gravy train.I'm afraid that even the suggestion of Gary Johnson for drug czar would would make all the passengers on the train scream,and threaten the shrub. If this somehow happens,and Johnson becomes the drug czar,,I will get the first haircut I've had in twenty years.I wont like it,but let's hope I'll be in the barber shop soon....LoL............dddd
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on January 06, 2001 at 15:46:10 PT

My Opinion
There is nothing that would make me happier at this point then if Governor Johnson was made the new drug czar. Realistically I think it couldn't possibly happen but the pollyanna in me just wants to hope. He's the perfect person for the position. I can't think of anyone that would do a fairer job.
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Comment #1 posted by Frank S. World on January 06, 2001 at 15:32:55 PT

Bush should appoint Johnson drug czar!
It would make too much sense, but we can always hope!
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