cannabisnews.com: Rider Blocking D.C. Pot Legalization on the Table
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Rider Blocking D.C. Pot Legalization on the Table
Posted by CN Staff on December 04, 2014 at 05:41:36 PT
By Bridget Bowman
Source: Roll Call 
Washington, D.C. -- An amendment blocking the legalization of marijuana in the District of Columbia is on the table as appropriators negotiate bills and policy riders to incorporate in the year-end spending package.“It seems like the marijuana issue has been kicked up to the ‘big four.’ So that’ll get settled,” Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., said Tuesday, referring to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Appropriations committees who are negotiating the spending package. Crenshaw heads the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over District funding.
The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., prohibits federal funds from being used to legalize or reduce penalties for marijuana possession, use and distribution. Harris’ amendment was included in the spending bill that passed the House in June, but was not included in the Senate version.If enacted, the amendment would reverse the decriminalization of marijuana, which took effect this summer, and block an attempt to legalize the drug in the District. In November, D.C. voters overwhelmingly voted for the legalization measure.Crenshaw said the top members of the House and Senate Financial Services subcommittees met before Thanksgiving to resolve discrepancies between their bills, but they could not come to an agreement on the marijuana issue, as well as a handful of others, so the provision was sent to the “big four.”As Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., chairwoman of the Senate committee, and their ranking members debate bills to fund the government, they are also debating the marijuana rider.“We can’t discuss details because they’re in negotiations,” Rogers said Wednesday when asked about the marijuana rider. “Everything’s on the table because we’re meeting with the Senate on all issues.”Jennifer Hing, Rogers’ spokeswoman, wrote in an email, “We are fighting to include all House riders.”Though Rogers is pushing for the amendment to be included in the final bill, he faces a staunch opponent in Mikulski. According to a Senate appropriations aide, Mikulski opposes the amendment and worked to make sure it was not included in the Senate version.Proponents for legalization in the District have been preparing for this scenario and are confident that the issue is not make-or-break for Republicans, and will therefore not be included in the final spending bill.“I don’t think it’s true that Republican leadership will fight for this. I think that is not accurate. I think it’s possible that Mr. Rogers is pushing this issue. I think Mr. Harris, who owns the amendment, wants this to be included, but beyond that nobody is interested,” said Michael Collins, policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance in a phone interview. “The omnibus negotiations are not going to break down over disagreement over the D.C. initiative.”Collins has been the point person on the Hill for ensuring that Congress does not block marijuana legalization in D.C. Though he has not met with Rogers or Republican leadership himself, he said conversations with rank-and-file Republicans — and leadership’s reluctance to take a hard-line stance on legalization in the past — indicate GOP leaders will not push for the rider to be included.“This is a very small number. One or two Republicans are pushing this issue,” said Collins. “So in that sense, I’m hopeful the push-back and support that we have had, the push-back that will come from Senate Democrats, will be what wins out in the end.”The Senate appropriations aide said the fate of the marijuana rider will be clear at the end of this week, when the spending package is expected to be complete.But even if Senate Democrats successfully block the amendment in the appropriations negotiations, Harris has said he will work to block legalization in the next Congress. Harris said Tuesday, “I’m sure if we don’t get something good this time, we’ll try something next year.”Source: Roll Call (DC) Author: Bridget Bowman Published: December 3, 2014Copyright: 2014 Roll Call Inc. Contact: letters rollcall.com Website: http://www.rollcall.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/o0knNcs4CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
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Comment #15 posted by Hope on December 05, 2014 at 17:19:35 PT
The GCW
She did, indeed!I love this: “When it becomes common for persons of good character to willingly and knowingly conduct themselves in violation of a law, which is widely seen to be unwarranted or unjust or unfair, this should cause those who enact our laws and who are tasked with enforcing or upholding the law to give serious consideration to the repeal or amendment of that law to bring it into accord with modern social values”.Well said.
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Comment #14 posted by The GCW on December 05, 2014 at 16:03:20 PT
Hope, 
Da judge really hit the target.
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Comment #13 posted by Hope on December 05, 2014 at 12:57:03 PT
D. C. Rights... Oregon Live
Marijuana legalization: Congress considering whether to block D.C. law approved by votershttp://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2014/12/marijuana_legalization_congres.html
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on December 05, 2014 at 10:48:03 PT
Indeed. Say it again.
“When it becomes common for persons of good character to willingly and knowingly conduct themselves in violation of a law, which is widely seen to be unwarranted or unjust or unfair, this should cause those who enact our laws and who are tasked with enforcing or upholding the law to give serious consideration to the repeal or amendment of that law to bring it into accord with modern social values,”
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on December 05, 2014 at 10:34:32 PT
The Honorable Joanne Challenger
“When it becomes common for persons of good character to willingly and knowingly conduct themselves in violation of a law, which is widely seen to be unwarranted or unjust or unfair, this should cause those who enact our laws and who are tasked with enforcing or upholding the law to give serious consideration to the repeal or amendment of that law to bring it into accord with modern social values,”
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on December 05, 2014 at 10:28:28 PT
Why I think "Super hero"...
When my great granddaughter and I were outside walking one day when she was very little... maybe two, she abruptly said, "I'm a super hero". She looked up at me and said, "I save people".I loved it. Still do.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on December 05, 2014 at 09:54:05 PT
Provincial Court Judge Joanne Challenger
 “Even if the only benefit the use of marijuana actually provides is hope, the emotional and, in turn, physical benefits could well be medically significant.”“His conduct was not dangerous or antisocial and recent polls suggest that a majority of Canadians do not believe such conduct should be the subject of criminal sanctions,”Another super hero. 
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on December 05, 2014 at 09:48:39 PT
Comment 7 
That's so miraculous. So beautifulImagine the joy that this defendant and his family and friends felt at the announcement of this verdict.
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Comment #7 posted by The GCW on December 04, 2014 at 18:49:42 PT
Unhappy judge wants cannabis prohibition ended.
It's not enough for this judge to let the guy off, He also bashes cannabis prohibition in the process! And calls on law makers to fix the problem!B.C. judge gives absolute discharge for man caught growing 414 pot plantshttp://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/1228736/b-c-judge-gives-absolute-discharge-for-man-caught-growing-414-pot-plants/
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Comment #6 posted by Sam Adams on December 04, 2014 at 15:48:10 PT
we've come to the End of the road
What do they call it, when an animal is sort of twitching and gasping as it dies? oh yeah, "death throes". That's what this "rider" is, the death throes of the Great Prohibition
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on December 04, 2014 at 12:29:11 PT
I hope Michael Collins is right.
"Though he has not met with Rogers or Republican leadership himself, he said conversations with rank-and-file Republicans — and leadership’s reluctance to take a hard-line stance on legalization in the past — indicate GOP leaders will not push for the rider to be included."Maybe Bob Barr can help this time by making some important phone calls with some experienced advice about downgrading the will of the people. I'd appreciate it if he chose to do that. 
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Comment #4 posted by observer on December 04, 2014 at 11:37:07 PT
Govt Paychecks for Prohibition, not Legalization
re: "The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., prohibits federal funds from being used to legalize or reduce penalties for marijuana possession, use and distribution."That's pretty funny, as there are no federal funds involved in simply not arresting people for pot. However, government - like any thug - can hold anything hostage for anything else. So feds can do things like withhold welfare payments to people in D.C. - and city employee salaries - hostage. Expect quid quo pro government attempts to thwart the will of the people in that manner, because it costs nothing to simply cease arresting people for pot.
http://drugnewsbot.org
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Comment #3 posted by Hope on December 04, 2014 at 10:29:41 PT
They better not.
I just sense it. They better not do it.A lot of people are going to be profoundly angry with them. People they know are even against legalization of cannabis are going to rise up against them if they do this. Do they not understand the preciousness of the vote to voting Americans? There has been death and bloodshed to secure that right and our freedom. The people of Washington voted to stop the harm, the serious harm, of this prohibition. I suggest to these little "Rulers"... that they back off and let them do it."If enacted, the amendment would reverse the decriminalization of marijuana, which took effect this summer, and block an attempt to legalize the drug in the District. In November, D.C. voters overwhelmingly voted for the legalization measure."
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Comment #2 posted by MikeEEEEE on December 04, 2014 at 10:14:26 PT
Crazies 
Some repubicons are lunatics, and a few repubicons look like theyre in shock when they understand this.
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Comment #1 posted by runruff on December 04, 2014 at 07:33:44 PT
Andy Harris
Corporate shill or churchy fanatic?Thinks he knows what is best over 70% of a culture he knows nothing about.That alone of course makes him stark raving!
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