cannabisnews.com: Democracy Loses Out on Marijuana Vote Democracy Loses Out on Marijuana Vote Posted by CN Staff on May 12, 2004 at 14:49:52 PT Editorial Board Source: Hamden Journal We Americans like to think of ourselves as living in a representative democracy, where we elect leaders who vote to determine the course of our laws and society. When a vote succeeds, we believe, then that bill is passed. This is not always the case. In fact, in the hallowed halls of the state capitol, democracy is sometimes hard to find.Take the medical marijuana bill that Rep. James Abrams (D-83) reintroduced this year, after it failed in the House by 12 votes in 2003. The bill would allow patients suffering from such diseases as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis to cultivate marijuana legally for medicinal purposes. The drug reportedly eases pain, stimulates appetite and controls nausea.Put aside whether you believe marijuana should be legal for medicinal use. Let's focus instead on the process by which it might become legal, or be denied such legitimacy.This session, Abrams' bill faced scrutiny from three committees - Judiciary, Appropriations and Public Health - and all three approve the bill. So it went to the House floor for a vote.Normally, a bill approved on the House floor is then sent to the Senate for its approval; or, if the Senate approves the bill first, it travels to the governor's office for his signature.Those of us who believe we live in a democracy rely on such a straightforward system. But the system is an illusion.The medical marijuana bill passed the House vote. A majority approved the bill, which should have meant it went to the Senate. The House approved the bill less than a week before the session was scheduled to end, so time was of the essence.That fact clearly was not lost on Democratic House Majority Leader James Amann (D-118). Amann was one of the few Democrats who voted against the medical marijuana bill, but it won anyway.So what did the House leader do next? Did he accept defeat and forward the bill to his colleagues in the Senate, as he should have?No. Amann flew in the face of democracy and sent the bill instead to a fourth committee, Finance, knowing full well that there was very little time for that committee to act on the bill and return it for a House vote in time to send it to the Senate before the session ended.Amann killed the bill because he disagreed with it. His action was a slap in the face to the democratic system - though it is a slap that resounds in Hartford again and again, as legislators regularly use the committee system to kill bills they oppose, rather than let the Legislature vote and live with the results.The Finance Committee actually passed the medical marijuana bill, but House leaders refused to return it to the floor for another vote before the session ended. Thus a bill that the majority of our elected representatives voted to approve - a bill that could help assuage the suffering of terminally ill residents - did not become law.That is not democracy. Source: Hamden Journal (CT)Published: May 12, 2004 Copyright: 2004 Hamden Journal Contact: hamdenjournal add-inc.comWebsite: http://www.hamdenjournal.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmLawmakers Debate Medical Marijuana Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18804.shtmlMedical Pot Bill Advanceshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18754.shtmlMedical Use Of Marijuana Supportedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18752.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by billos on May 13, 2004 at 04:03:20 PT: Connecticut is one of...... the most corrupt states in the nation. The past few years have produced a few bad mayors in big towns, a couple of them doing federal time now, and the governor has been in the hot seat for a year now with talk of impeachment. What eventually happens???? Not a GD thing except that they spend millions to hem and haw about it and then it just goes away. Lot's of sheeple here in CT. most of whom are too busy chasing the almighty buck to worry about what their state government is up to. Let alone the feds. This government in CT is power hungry and they do just about what they feel like...and no one says Boo... [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Jose Melendez on May 12, 2004 at 19:36:45 PT founder, United World Independent Nations Do we need flash peace mobs?http://www.wordspy.com/words/flashmob.asphttp://www.flashmob.com/ - - -Liberal: http://usliberals.about.com/cs/liberalblogs/Progressive: http://www.thehill.com/news/042004/kerry.aspxConservative: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/04/01/185105.phpExtremist: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/mahatma_ghandi.htmPeacemonger: http://rxpot.com/sayNoWay/vs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Dankdude on May 12, 2004 at 17:38:31 PT That is not democracy. That is not democracy?First let us look at the Latin origins of the word.Demo pronounced Damo - meaning Mobcrasi meaning RuleSo that the literal meaning of the word is Mob Rule... Seems appropriate to me.The United States was meant to be a Constitutional Republic.They get away with making their own rules because they have created a Republican Democracy- which doesn’t work. Nor would a Democratic Republic.Either way a Democratic Republic or a Republican Democracy makes up their own rules along the way against the will of the people.A Constitutional Republic has to follow the rules laid down in the constitution. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by global_warming on May 12, 2004 at 16:12:25 PT The Beggining This is how Rome Fell, with little minded greedy people, serving their own interests and not the whole, the people, the people, that will someday come to hang you from whatever trees remain.You pitiful and wretched excuses for human beings, there is no cross big enough to sway you from your addiction to power and money, and all the money in this vast universe, cannot satisfy your lusts.But try to remember this, when your time comes, to enter into death, you will be alone, for you do not know for certain, that God and his Host will dismiss your cries for mercy, you do not know of dark places, of corrupted places, where the cages have been crafted through eternity. The strangeness of this unknown universe should awaken you, perverse and wanton souls, beware your youthfull and pridefull indulgences, for the time of the unknown is slowly approaching, and you will not only answer to your conscience, but also the conscience of every living sentient creature that you did wrong.Do the correct thing... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment