cannabisnews.com: Super-Rich Trio Put Cash Into Marijuana Initiative





Super-Rich Trio Put Cash Into Marijuana Initiative
Posted by CN Staff on November 05, 2002 at 09:21:34 PT
By Donna Leinwand, USA Today
Source: USA Today 
Two billionaires and a multimillionaire are bankrolling campaigns to legalize or decrease penalties for marijuana in three states and Washington, D.C.Purported grass-roots campaigns in Nevada, Ohio, Arizona and the District of Columbia are being run by political advocacy firms in New York and Washington, D.C., with money from financier George Soros and University of Phoenix founder John Sperling, billionaires both, and multimillionaire Peter Lewis, retired CEO of Progressive Insurance.
Opponents say their posse of soccer moms, anti-drug groups and police officials cannot raise the money to counter the proponents' professional media campaign.''It could be Nevada today and Anytown, USA, tomorrow,'' says Sandy Heverly, director of STOP DUI, the main opposition group in Nevada. ''Their ultimate goal is to legalize drugs everywhere.''Recent polls indicate the ballot measures, to be decided today, are a tossup in Arizona, Ohio and Nevada. In Washington, polls show voters favor the measure.* Arizona's ballot measure asks whether to require state police to distribute up to 2 ounces of marijuana per month to people with a registration card for medical marijuana and whether to remove criminal penalties for possession of up to 2 ounces.* Nevada's measure asks whether to make it legal for adults to possess as much as 3 ounces of marijuana and require a legally regulated marijuana market.* Ohio and Washington ballot measures call for treatment instead of jail for people arrested for marijuana possession. Snipped:  Complete Article: http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021105/4591536s.htmSource: USA Today (US)Author: Donna Leinwand, USA TodayPublished: November 5, 2002 - Page 8A Copyright: 2002 USA Today, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.Contact: editor usatoday.comWebsite: http://www.usatoday.com/Related Articles:Voters Debate Issue One - War on Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14664.shtmlNevada Voters Face Marijuana Initiative http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14605.shtmlMarijuana Initiative Qualifies for Arizona Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13727.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #19 posted by FoM on November 05, 2002 at 22:17:24 PT
Prop 203
I was surprised when Prop 203 didn't pass. I thought if any did it would. Hang in there. It isn't over until we quit. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #18 posted by Prop203 on November 05, 2002 at 21:19:00 PT:
We lost
I cannot belive it.. this is so bad. I am so depressed! It was the DPS hand out that killed prop 203. And then they had a Bill 302.. that was worded on the ballot like it was more linient on drug users when actually in the bill it lets them put u in jail for first time possesion offence. This combined with the lazy ass pot smokers not going out and voting.. now we are stuck with this crap.Disgusted
Prop203
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #17 posted by FoM on November 05, 2002 at 17:42:37 PT
DdC
Thanks! You're good!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #16 posted by Patrick on November 05, 2002 at 17:14:33 PT
Holy cow comment #5
well said Ddc!!! 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #15 posted by afterburner on November 05, 2002 at 15:56:13 PT:
Purported grass-roots campaigns??#$%^ &*!!
Do they really think all the people who signed the petitions to get these issues on the ballot were brainwashed by three billionaires? I think not! Do they really think that all the people who voted to pass 17 out of 19 drug reform initiatives were misled sheep? How insulting!ego destruction (status quo) or ego transcendence, that is the question."There's a place in the sun where there is love for everyone where we can be," Bob Marley.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by VitaminT on November 05, 2002 at 14:21:16 PT
the difference . . . .
This time a few Billionaires agree with me.First time in history!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by The C-I-R-C-L-E on November 05, 2002 at 12:41:42 PT
Helloo-oo...anybody out there?
Can someone tell me what the difference is between other rich people bankrolling the whole political system (any candidates in office right now that didn't spend at least tens of thousands of dollars, on up to tens of millions?) and these rich people bankrolling a part of the political system?IT'S THE MOST AMERICAN THING A RICH PERSON COULD DO: SPEND MONEY TO CHANGE LAWS!!!Are they pissed cause we're playing by their rules now...and winning?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by p4me on November 05, 2002 at 12:33:18 PT
Plain talking there DdC 
I must say that DdC saves me from a lot of typing. I won't have to say what he just said below. I tell you Ddc, that was some honest talking that really tells us about these goddamn prohibitionist. I am not for waiting years for them to stop stealing people's houses over a cannabis plant. The injustice is with us and needs to be attacked. Screw the warshit about Iraq, and attack the fascist government and the corruption of any agency even similar to the DEA. The DEA needs to be fired and prohibited from any further state or federal employment.The drug wars are treason. Jose used to say the drug war is treason. Well their are wars on all fronts and they are all treason. Let's go to Columbia and poison everything and when they retreat into the jungles we will blame the destruction on people that use cocaine. Regulaed cocaine with standards of purity wouldn't kill anyone with proper education. Let us not blame Monsanto poison for the destruction when its thoes cocaine addicts that hate the aAmason and the rain forest that need to be preserved as the world some how reforest.It is time to talk plain and tell our leaders to come out of their make believe world where they pretend things where lies are somehow permitted if they are big enough. We would want to waste our governmentl allotment for lies on something petty.The drug wars are treaon. DdC, please explain to your audience this point of view. People here just do not understand the rage we have against these treasonist facist that murder, corrupt, and lie us into a true moral failure when they were led by their goddmned morals.I am serios too when I say that Hutchinson, Ashcroft, Hutchinson, and the fascist-appointerd president are totally unfit for public service. As the Extremist representative of the Extremist choir, I am not happy with their level of service. I want them replaced. To me, yseterday was not soon enough for Free Cannabis For Everyone. What happens in Nevada is much less significant than it is made out to be. The thing to do one way or another is tell the legislatute and governor that the poeple have proved that brainwashing is to be denounced and that change is long pased due. It took them a few months to convict the would=be shoe bomer, but they take years to settle hempfood lunacy of the DEA. Why isn't the states rights issue of the commerce clause already settled. I mean it has benn there for hundreds of years and it is in the Constitution, not that the administration/fascist want to talk about their transgressions. We need to shoot Hutchinson out of public service and I can see Dan Forbes' work leading the way.I have come to appreciate outlets for real journalism on the Internet. YellowTimes has a good standard for articles and I am starting to follow what they and other journalist that are building names for themselves now, will have their followers. The three sites you need for news are CounterPunch and YellowTimes and Cnews. The writers are trying to find the audience for reality and change.Free Cannabis For Everyone, Everyone. Steve Tuck, Paul Peterson, Adler, Colin Davies, and others could use a little help. Let's kill the cancer and dismantle the DEA and this treasonist federal government. Godnamn the lying,fascist prohibitionist. And since Dana won't say it for the choir and because the patriotic Extremist are not intimidated by politicl correctness as propagandized I am led to say. FUCK GEORGE BUSH. That is the way it is correctly said. Now if plain and common English is banned from this website, then it would be a sad site indeed.I know we are a virtual community and everything is about growth. Ther is no better way to say Fuck George Bush than Fuck George Bush. F George Busch is not close enough. I wish Dana would have the honor of saying that before he reformed. Now that Fuck Gerge Bush has been said, its repetition is not nearly in need of detail.Now that that has been said, I don't think anyone has said screw George Busch. I really need to study doing macros. I would think that a Screw George Busch in a comment would be a sign, Doughnut man, that there are a lot of Extrewmist coming for your job and Busch's job. I have already said I am for his impeachment, but maybe I have not said. At this point I can no longer go on without repetion of key words and sentences. I can see that this next year I will be the macro king of repetition. Just in case I have not said this in this way and on the chance I might have one more original macro-Impeach George Busch.1or 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by schmeff on November 05, 2002 at 12:18:55 PT
Comment #5
Brilliant.Thank you.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by FoM on November 05, 2002 at 11:45:23 PT
canaman
Yes! Because I am limited because of copyright issues posting links to articles is very helpful. We have a few canadian papers Mapinc. and C News can post the whole article but many we just can't until this is all settled.All these are snipped sources or almost all of them.http://www.canada.com/search/results.aspx?keywords=marijuana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by canaman on November 05, 2002 at 11:35:07 PT
Actually FoM ...
There's no info about Mark in the article(should have read it before posting). But JR Bob Dobbs had asked about the date and I saw it so I posted it. I understand if good news stories or other info comes up posting them like this works best for you?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by FoM on November 05, 2002 at 11:28:44 PT
canaman
That's a great idea posting the link. Most of the Canadian newspapers are snipped sources but as far as I know we can post links. Please keep us informed. I wish Marc Emery success!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by canaman on November 05, 2002 at 11:25:36 PT
Vancouver Municiple Elections Nov.16th
Go Mark Emery! Mark for Mayor!Story:http://www.canada.com/vancouver/features/civicelection/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by Sam Adams on November 05, 2002 at 11:19:49 PT
easy fix
I'll bet if MPP had run their ads in USA Today the tone of this article would be different. MPP should send some business their way.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by DdC on November 05, 2002 at 11:15:38 PT
Billions and Billions and Billions...
Are spent by Wally's D.E.A.th. $20 billion last year alone. Stop DUI by outlawing the safer alternative to boozing behind the wheel? Toking at home requires no wheels. Sick sick sick sheople torturing citizens to protect their made up phony baloney jobs co-depending and ego tripping. How can such unfounded propaganda keep making its way into the national press? When its all said and done we must hold them accountable. The entire cannabis debate. From ganja re-creation to medication to hemp is settled with simple physics. No science backs these reefer mad claims. Rhetoric and big corporate bucks lies, exaggerations and fabrications adulterating science. Cops and busy bodies with billions from D.E.A.th lying to keep their budgets and profits from "treating" the victims of the war on some drugs and plants. Now the people can speak and hopefully open their eyes to the truth of cannabis. The 3 wealthy sponsors of these initiatives are going against the grain. For every 3 pro cannabis wealthy a thousand choose greed and the status quo. For every dollar backing the freedom of the people 100,000 dollars go to caging and forced "treatment" curing the users of happiness? Removing benign safe herbal treatment and forcing the adopted ways of the Alkie-Petro-Pharmaceuticals. Pity the kids of these ignorant selfish D.E.A.th mongers. Its the ignorant who's kids get in trouble. Abortions or drug abuse comes from not having a parent to talk with. The parents agenda's, as head of propaganda group leave the kids out in the cold. To have their own children get "educated" on the streets is the wish of these naive fools. Who believes a pregnant child can talk to a right wing christian parent about their "sins". According to their own parents those who commit these acts are abominations. Same with using cannabis. Does anyone believe these "self appointed righteous" will be believed by kids? Let alone to help a relative with cancer chemo treatment symptoms using the less toxic cannabis. Just let them suffer for the "sake of the kids" is D.E.A.th's answer. What a guilt trip to try and lay on kids! Will they know the difference between schwag and chronic? Or will these parents know anything the kid doesn't want them to know?99% of the Nations cannabis eradications are non-psychoactive ditchweed. 99% of the cops whining about cannabis will spend tax paid time removing rope while crack hits the streets at the price of bubblegum. How many cops need kids to "snitch" and remove their futures obtaining a higher education because of an indiscretion of youth? Cops breed junkies. Cops breed prison populations by inventing crimes that can not be enforced. Just perpetuated. For profit. At the expense of the kids. Who in their right minds can look at the past prohibitions and not see the connection with violence and high profits? Only those blinded by greed. How many victims of bathtub gin or bootleg white powders or St Valentines Day massacres or Rainbow Farm massacres?Its past time to clean the garbage D.E.A.th out of our lives. Time to remove the fascist profits. Time to keep drunks off the street by freeing the cops from busting the sick and responsible adult cannabis users. Create cannabusnesses to employ the unemployed. Time to get real. No more hobgobblins. Grow up America! We really don't need co-dependent addictions ruining the lives of another generation of children caught in the middle. We don't need the tax paid insane D.E.A.th budgets every year, more than some 3rd world countries incomes. The 3 wealthy hero's spending their money wisely is a private matter for them. It's capitalism at its finest, not fascism keeping most of Americans out of the loop with bogeyman fears, lies and force. Not tax money like Wally scams each year. Sandy Heverly should get a life and STOP DUI (Driving Us Insane).Peace, Love and Liberty or the Weirdo D.E.A.th groupies!DdCD.E.A.th Deceptions
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/DEAth.html"Behind Czarist 'Truths' - Deception No Way To Wage Drug War," an editorial published by Daytona Beach News-Journal. http://www.n-jcenter.com/2002/Sep/26/OPN2.htm for the complete editorial.The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the Atmosphere.
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Abigail Adams, 1787"The horrors experienced by many young inmates, particularly those who are convicted of nonviolent offenses, border on the unimaginable. Prison rape not only threatens the lives of those who fall prey to their aggressors, but it is potentially devastating to the human spirit. Shame, depression, and a shattering loss of self-esteem accompany the perpetual terror the victim thereafter must endure." U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun, Farmer v. BrennanSPR - Stop Prisoner Rape http://www.spr.org/"Certain American industrialists had a great deal to do with bringing fascist regimes into being in both Germany and Italy. They extended aid to help Fascism occupy the seat of power, and they are helping to keep it there." - William E. Dodd, U.S. Ambassador to Germany, 1937. Continued... http://www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html
The Electric Emperor
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by observer on November 05, 2002 at 10:56:10 PT
U.S. government funds anti-pot propaganda
Buried later, Leinwand notes: ''Despite their cash, the pro-marijuana groups say they are the underdogs. Their opponent, they say, is not local parent groups but a U.S. government that funds hundreds of anti-drug TV messages.''Got that (at least) right! I can't beleive USA Today let this slip. Of course, they wouldn't want to mention the taxpayer payola money spent by the ONDCP, nor the "private" money groups like PDFA spend in exchange for tax-breaks. We're talking billions here that dwarf whatever the "super-rich" may toss our way.see: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/policy/03budget/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by FoM on November 05, 2002 at 10:05:14 PT
JR Bob Dobbs
I really am not sure. I try to keep news I post to what is happening with cannabis or drug policy news. I do my best to avoid the politics and keep it to just the issues.I can't handle more then the issues or I would become overwhelmed. Mapinc. should do news on issues about politics.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on November 05, 2002 at 09:54:33 PT
Non-USA elections
Now that it's finally voting time in the USA, I'm wondering... when are other elections in the world which have cannabis-related issues or candidates? When are the elections for mayor of Vancouver, for instance?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by krutch on November 05, 2002 at 09:46:57 PT:
Cheers to Mr. Soros,Mr. Sperling, and Mr. Lewis
For putting up the money to fight against the ludicrous and hypocritical war on drugs. This horrendous war has cost the people more misery and money than illegal drugs ever will.Jeers to the anti-drug organizations, who cry poor even though the juggernaut of the federal government is funding their anti-drug efforts with our tax money. This kind of attack shows how anti-freedom they are. They must attack the motives of the good people on the other side of the debate because their arguments are without merit.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment