GREEN'S PERFORMANCE WAS UNIMPRESSIVE

MADISON - Voters in Wisconsin's 8th congressional district certainly chose
a skilled politician on Nov. 5 when they re-elected Rep. Mark Green but
when those political skills include evading the question, changing the
subject and lying, is it really a victory for Green's constituents?

On Nov. 7, Rep. Green was a guest on Kathleen Dunn's show on Wisconsin
Public Radio. I called in and patiently sat on hold until my turn came up
and asked Green the following, "In light of compelling scientific and
anecdotal evidence that marijuana is a safe and effective medicine for many
illnesses, and given polls both in Wisconsin and nationally showing up to
80 percent public support for re-legalizing it, why do you support the
recent brutal raids by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents of
California medical marijuana dispensaries that have been legal under state
law for over six years?"

Green's response was to exclaim, "Wow, what a loaded question," and wrongly
claim that the defeat of drug policy reform initiatives in several states
on Nov. 5 shows where Americans stand on medical marijuana, without ever
answering my question.

The truth is the drug policy reform initiatives that lost had little or no
connection to medical marijuana. In 2002, Wisconsinites were polled twice
on their support for re-legalizing medical marijuana. A February 2002 poll
of 600 state residents found support of over 80 percent; and an October
poll by the Ed Thompson campaign of 1,000 state residents found support at
over 70 percent. Clearly Green is out of touch with his constituents, and
all the evasion in the world cannot hide the fact that Green DOES support
the cruel raids in California where federal agents have terrorized sick and
dying Americans. Is this Green's idea of compassionate conservatism?

Gary Storck