MEDICINAL POT POLITICS

Far Left, Right Try To Budge The Middle

Talk about a strange Washington political coalition. Strange, but hard to
dismiss when it comes to its argument about medicinal marijuana, which is
to get the federal narco squads out of the backyards of these patients.

The political coalition is part compassionate, part conservative; part
Democratic, part Republican. Some in it feel for the suffering patient.
Others simply feel Washington has no business meddling in the medical
affairs of their home state. Twelve states so far have legalized marijuana
for medicinal purposes. That's enough states to make noise in Washington,
but not necessarily pass a bill, particularly when it would face a
near-certain veto from an administration that hasn't yet distinguished the
war on drugs from the war on cancer pain.

That bill is HR 2592 by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass. It would create a narrow
exception under the existing blanket ban for marijuana use. It would
decriminalize the patients who are following the rules of their states.
"Let's get over some of the stereotypes and hangovers from the '60s," said
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. He is a Republican from Orange County who supports
Frank's bill. Good for him.

What would you call a solution to the marijuana mess that fits the
philosophies of both these guys? Compassionate conservatism, maybe. Hey,
didn't somebody from Texas run for president under that theme?