LEGISLATORS MUST RETHINK MEDICAL MARIJUANA ISSUE

On Wednesday, June 15, Congressman Tom Petri (R-Fond du Lac), joined 263
colleagues including Reps. Mark Green (R-Green Bay), Paul Ryan
(R-Janesville) and F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Elm Grove) in voting again to
OK the use of federal funds to target sick and dying Americans using medical
marijuana in states that have legalized it. Conversely, the state's four
Democratic representatives all voted to protect patients from federal
interference.

Despite the fact that most of the people Petri represents support medical
marijuana and that his biography on his official Web site calls him, "a
persistent foe of government waste," Petri voted to waste federal law
enforcement resources arresting sick people and subverting democratically
passed state laws.

Rather than ensure that these resources be used to protect us from terrorism
or crime, Petri voted to ensure they are used to target people with cancer,
multiple sclerosis, AIDS, glaucoma and numerous other conditions using
marijuana legally under state laws.

Petri's Web site bio also notes, "The 1996 Almanac of American Politics
states that Petri specializes in "thoughtful and original solutions to
problems" which "cut across ideological and party lines." Apparently that
was the old Tom Petri. The new one is neither thoughtful, creative nor
compassionate, but rather a follower who does what party bosses tell him to
do, not his constituents or his conscience.

Gary Storck

Madison