MEDICAL MARIJUANA: NO ONE'S LISTENING

"The government just doesn't care" what the people of California voted for,
or for that matter what those in other states have voted for, or will vote
for.

The issue is medical marijuana, and according to an attorney representing
the U.S. Justice Department, the government just doesn't care.

The Justice Department suffered a setback when a federal judge ruled in
favor of an Oakland medical marijuana dispensary, permitting the
organization to begin distributing marijuana to patients with a doctor's
recommendation.

The DOJ vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court, Barry McCaffrey vowed to
prosecute doctors that even uttered the word marijuana (despite a ruling
that it would be unconstitutional), and threatened to revoke their licenses
if they recommended marijuana to the sick.

Medical marijuana initiatives have passed in five states with an average of
60 per cent of the voters favoring the initiatives. A medical exception was
added to Ohio law some time ago, but was just as quickly removed by our
representatives in the legislature who also "just didn't care." Governor
Taft concurred: The voters are too stupid and Big Brother knows best.

The last time I checked, we lived in a representational democracy, where the
power to govern was derived from the consent of the governed. The only
"czar" in the free world has overstepped his authority, and the DOJ will
facilitate the power grab. And voting the rascals out doesn't apply to
appointed positions.

The Constitution provides for the separation of powers for a very good
reason: Because there comes a time when Big Brother needs a bloody nose to
remind him that "We the people" have the authority in the land of the free.

Jim White, Oregon