cannabisnews.com: Saginaw Attorney's Marijuana Push Falls Short Saginaw Attorney's Marijuana Push Falls Short Posted by FoM on July 11, 2000 at 08:44:25 PT By Barrie Barber, The Saginaw News Source: Michigan Live Gregory C. Schmid's dream went up in smoke.The Saginaw lawyer's band of 3,000 grass roots volunteers collected about half of the 302,711 signatures they needed by Monday to put the decriminalization of marijuana on the November statewide ballot."The miracle didn't happen," Schmid said. "We ran out of daylight, as they say. "With a little more time and a little more money we could have pulled off the miracle of the century."After spending $10,000 out of his own pocket, coupled with a few thousand dollars more in contributions, the state coordinator of the National Organization of the Reform of Marijuana Laws says he'll try again before the 2002 general election."We're starting right away," he said, vowing to create a chapter of the pro-marijuana law reform organization in all 83 Michigan counties. "With a little luck and $75,000, we should be able to successfully pull it off."Michigan drug czar Darnell Jackson, director of the Office of Drug Control Policy, is glad Schmid's ballot attempt failed.The failure, Jackson said, is indicative of most Michiganians' attitudes toward marijuana use: Just say no."People realize there are other ways to deal with issues (than) a one-size-fits-all approach," said Jackson, a former Saginaw deputy police chief and assistant prosecutor.Schmid contended that a Detroit radio station's recent poll that concluded 83 per cent of those who called in supported the proposed Personal Responsibility Act shows it could pass.But Jackson dismisses Schmid's logic."It depends on who you ask and what's their opinion of the day," he said.If the act had become law, it would have legalized the use, and possession, of up to three ounces of marijuana, and sent drug forfeiture money to voluntary education and treatment programs.-Call Barrie Barber at 776-9725.Published: Tuesday, July 11, 2000Copyright 2000 Michigan Live Inc. The Personal Responsibility Amendment is at: http://www.ballot2000.net/ Related Articles: Marijuana Backers Fail To File http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6352.shtmlGrass-Rooters' Deadline http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6334.shtmlMan Says Tally Close on Pot Petition Drive http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6307.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by observer on July 11, 2000 at 09:20:16 PT The Purpose of the Signature Requirements It is not that the governments simply wants you to vote the right way: they want to restrict the choices you have. This is a case in point. The purpose of the signature requirements is to make it as hard and expensive as possible for the people to have a direct say in the government. Each time the Libertarians run a national candidate, for example, they have to get a similar amount of signatures just to get on the ballot. That's where their meager resources go: getting signatires just to get on the ballot. (The Republocrat party did not vote to encumber itself with signature requirements.) And people are nasty. They don't want others even to have the choice. Lawmakers know that most people don't want to be bothered signing a petition, especially if it is not something they prefer. Such small minded persons think, "Well, I don't like X, so I don't think others should be even allowed to decide for themselves." [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: