Medical Marijuana Raids Continue, Which Is Fine With Congress

Yesterday the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, aimed at stopping the DEA's medical marijuana raids, attracted 165 votes, the most ever but only two more than last year and 53 votes short of a majority. Neither the Democratic takeover of Congress nor Bob Barr's lobbying seems to have helped much. On the same day the House was debating the amendment, the DEA raided 10 medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles.

Comments

[Ayn_Randian]

When are the governors of states where MMJ is legal going to man up and start defending their people?

Right now, you have a rogue federal agency running roughshod over the 10th Amendment and the rights of the citizens of California to choose for themselves.

Come on, Arnold!

[Anonymo the Anonymous]

When are the governors of states where MMJ is legal going to man up and start defending their people?

I guess what we need is a stoner Orval Faubus. Seriously, I'd love to see Arnold or someone call up the National Guard, order them to defend the medical pot clubs targeted for DEA raids and dare the feds to go through them. Seeing the federal government engage in open combat against Americans for the purpose of taking plants away from sick people would be the perfect image of the War on (Some) Drugs. Might actually open some eyes.

[R C Dean]

So, how's that liberaltarian thing working out, again?

[de stijl]

So, how's that liberaltarian thing working out, again?

Republican: 18 Aye, 206 No
Democrat: 144 Aye, 53 No

[James Ard]

Just heard on C-SPAN that Fred Thomson used to defend marijuana users and paraphenalia dealers back in his lawyering days. Could he be the Republican that opts for federalism over political expediency?

[robc]

de stijl,

When did the GOP win back the house?

[James Ard]

I knew I read something about Thomson and federalism here.
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/119826.html

[robc]

Can anyone provide a bill number or a thomas.gov link to this vote? My searching is failing miserably.

In case any of the mpp.org people are reading this, you should probably put the NAME or NUMBER of the fricking bill in your press releases.

[robc]

Finally found it:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll733.xml

GOP 15-183-5
Dem 150-79-5

[de stijl]

robc,

Here's the link.

I don't understand your earlier question.

[de stijl]

robc,

Yours is the correct link. Mine was on a previous amendment vote from June.

[robc]

I don't understand your earlier question.

The total GOP votes was greater than the total Dem votes. I was being snarky.

[robc]

What we have learned from this vote is that while the democratic majority favors medical marijuana, their leadership doesnt consider it important enough to arm twist over. Come on Pelosi, take away a few million of pork from each of the 79.

[de stijl]

To clarify, the votes I gave earlier and the link I provided were for the 2006 vote, not the 2007 one.

[James Anderson Merritt]

Let the anti-war movement oppose ALL stupid wars, including the War on (some) Drugs. If there was ever a time when a simple litmus test would serve the voting public, it is now, and War is the test.

Defeat all incumbents who continue to support the War in Iraq and the War on Drugs. Elect only those office-seekers who oppose BOTH the War in Iraq and the War on Drugs. Just ending these two Wars won't create a perfect world, far from it. But I think that the world without those wars would definitely be better than the world with them. If you agree, it's time to take a firm stand in the voting booth. The kids in DC have had their fun, but it's time to take away their booze and car keys. Adult supervision is necessary and it's up to you and me to provide it.

[joe]

robc | July 26, 2007, 9:30am | #

What we have learned from this vote is that while the democratic majority favors medical marijuana, their leadership doesnt consider it important enough to arm twist over.

...and also that the Republican minority is strongly opposed to medicinal marijuana.

Conslusion: a large Democratic majority is necessary to pass a bill to stop raids on these dispensaries.

[rm2muv]

Joe

Spot on conclusion.

[BakedPenguin]

Conslusion: a large Democratic majority is necessary to pass a bill to stop raids on these dispensaries.

I'm okay with that, so long as Ron Paul's the president.

[Gene Berkman]

Apparently many of the newly elected Democrats still feel insecure, and are afraid that a vote for allowing states to have medical marijuana will be used against them when they run for re-election.

More libertarians in Congress - elected as Republicans, Independents or Libertarians - are needed to make this less of a partisan issue, so that Democrats from swing districts will be more willing to vote right.

[Warren]

Conslusion: a large Democratic majority is necessary to pass a bill to stop raids on these dispensaries.

Bull Fucking Shit. Democrats are in favor of medical marijuana in the same way Republicans are in favor of a balanced budget. It's a fine talking point amongst some constituencies, so long as there's no chance of actually doing something about it. Given that chance, we see them climbing back into their establishment pockets every time.

[Geotpf]

Warren: No, what you are saying is bullshit. Liberal Democrats are going to be pro-pot (espeically medical marijuana); duh. So will Libertarian Democrats. Only the most Libertaraian Republicans will be, though. Conservative Republicans will be fiercely anti-pot.

[Eric Dondero]

So where's all those Libertarian Party partisans who've been claiming for years, that "Dana Rohrabacher is not a real libertarian"?

Rohrabacher has consistently scored in the top 3 of the RLC's Liberty Index for years.

He is largely credited with being the official Founder of the Modern Libertarian Movement, (Head of YAF's "Libertarian Caucus" and Captain of YAF's "Libertarian Laissez Fairies" Flag Football team from 1966-69). And now he's the cosponsor of this Marijuana legalization bill.

Hey Rohrabacher doubters? Anything to say now???

[Isaac Bartram]

Hey Rohrabacher doubters? Anything to say now???

Yeh! BIG FUCKING DEAL!!!

Rohrabacher was one of FIFTEEN Republicans who voted for the bill (as well as being the primary co-sponsor)...

That's FIFTEEN Republicans out of TWO HUNDRED AND THREE Republicans.

So that ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-EIGHT who voted against or didn't bother to vote at all?

What are they, Donderoooooo?

Yep, more than TEN times as many Republicans opposed this amendment as were for it.

Yea! verily Republicans are the true Libertarians. Holy crap, Dondero, I would sure like to be on whatever drugs you're on.

I notice your "libertarian" buddy Ric Keller voted against the amendment. He lives one district over from mine. At least nobody pretends that my representative, John Mica, is any kind of libertarian.

[Eric Dondero]

Don't know Ric Keller.

But I guess you missed the little fact that the newly elected Congressman from Georgia Broun, voted FOR the Medical Marijuana Bill, as his VERY FIRST official act as a United States Congressman.

And typical you completely ignore the purpose of my post: Dana Rohrabacher, and quickly move on to other topics.

Again, I would like to hear from at least one Libertarian Party partisan a mea culpa on the subject of Rohrabacher.

Surely, there's one honest LPer out there who will finally admit that Dana is a libertarian.\

I mean what the fuck does it take for you cynical assholes?

Rohrabacher scores RIGHT BEHIND RON PAUL on the Liberty Index three years in a row. He regularly sponsors bills in Congress to abolish the Draft/Selective Service. He votes 100% Pro-Taxpayer. And now he's the leading Republican voice for Medical Marijuana.

You guys aren't libertarians. You're just a bunch of flaming Anarchists who wouldn't admit that there's such a thing as a "libertarian Republican" to save your lives.

Dana just destroys you cushy little paradigm: "All Republicans bad" doesn't it now?

So all you can do is deflect and avoid, as you Mr. Bartram are doing before our very eyes.

[Eric Dondero]

Oh, and incidentally, the report I saw showed 18 Republicans, not 15, voting in favor of the Medical Marijuana Bill.

Nobody ever said that the Republican Party was the Libertarian Party. All we libertarian Republicans are saying is that there's a home for libertarians in the GOP: a definite wing where we can hang our hats.

18 is pretty damned comfortable if you ask me.

[Isaac Bartram]

Don't know Ric Keller.

Sorry, had him mixed up with Tom Feeney, who according to your website is an elected libertarian in Florida (his district is right next to Keller's). Feeney voted against the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment along with ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-TWO other Republicans.

By the way, Eighteen was the 2006 total. Fifteen is the 2007 total. This essentially means that there are even fewer libertarian Republicans than last year. Uh-huh, libertarians have a real inside track with the elephants, don't they.

Oh, and, Ric Keller is about identical to Tom Feeney, not to bad on tax issues but pretty much a devoted drug warrior. I'd never get either of them confused with libertarians but then I'd never identify you as one either.

[Isaac Bartram]

Oh, and who, exactly, is not giving Dana Rohrabacher his props on fighting this fight?