Pawlenty says he will veto medical marijuana bill

Pawlenty is another elected moron. I hope this veto ruins his career.

Get this fool out of office. This should be voted on by the citizens.

Well, this guy lost my vote. And the votes of every single person i know. If he wins anything ever again in goverment in this state i will be shocked.

Coward, plain and simple. He is probably informed but just playing politics. If he isn’t informed about the truths of marijuana, just the utter lies and propaganda spread by government and law enforcement, then he’s an ignorant coward.

[...] Minnesota Independent. Share and [...]

Disturbing decision by the governer. The conservative christians have priorities backwards. This was obviously a bill pitched with restrictions in place so that it was only granted to those who are in need. Shame on you for your selfish views that directly hurt those who are already suffering. Alcohol is not a problem in your eyes because taxes make the world go around. Marijuana is much less harmful to people and to society. Way to continue to live in the 1930’s. The only positive to come of this situation is the fact that we will fill his seat someday with someone who has the ability to use an open mind.

gov Tim Pawlenty is a dick!

Time to vote Pawlenty out. Any politician who doesn’t understand the truth behind the “War on Drugs”, or who pretends that there is some beneficial reason for it, should be questioned. The fact is, this is not a war on drugs, this is a war on the people of the United States. We need leaders who understand that and who believe in fairness and balance, not in hypocritical views based on 70 years of government lies.

If you are a registered voter in MN, then VOTE PAWLENTY OUT!!!

“i have great empathy for the sick…but no you cannot have any medication” what a load of bs.

“I have great empathy for the sick.”

Yes, but even more empathy for the corporate checks that keep showing up on your desk to keep these prohibitions enacted.

Tim is doing his best to trash the state, so he can show just how “conservative” his is, in his hopes for the GOP nomination for VP in 2012.

Tim “Profits before People” Pawlenty strikes again!

Marijuana prohibition has been a total failure and is perhaps this country’s greatest mistake. Not only has it created criminals out of nearly a third of the country’s populace, it costs our society billions of dollars every year, creates a strain on our prison system, and has little or no effect on marijuana use in the US. In some cases, prosecuting marijuana use has turned non-violent, middle class kids into violent and unpredictable, career criminals. Once a person has a criminal conviction on their record, they are far less likely to find a good job and become a useful member of society. Other countries with more liberal drug laws have much lower rates of drug addiction among their people. I invite you to my web-page devoted to raising awareness on the assault on our civil liberties: http://freethegods.blogspot.com/

Apparently Tis better to pander to the ignorant among the rabid anti-everything absolutist war-on-drugs crusaders than provide reasonable, cost-effective relief for patients who might benefit from marijuana therapy. Thank goodness Mr. Pawlenty prefers political pandering to relief of very real, very deep suffering by citizens. His priorities are very clear.

This honestly makes me sick to my stomach knowing that someone in power in my state could be so heartless and power hungry.. The last moment Amendments to the bills in question leave absolutely NO room for abuse. Pawlenty, I hope you never have to experience first hand the pain and suffering terminally ill patients and their families deal with on a daily basis..

The bill was so cut up and ineffective in the version that passed the legislature, I’m not sure it would have even served the terminally ill effectively. Providing no means for patients to cost-effectively grow their own and limiting the sale to non-profit dispensaries would not have been so bad. Unfortunately, I doubt any non-profits would be established given their customer base would be dying people likely to not make multiple purchases. How does a business survive on one-time dying customers? So even the terminally ill would likely still need to get their cannabis on the streets, as I don’t think any non-profit could establish itself and survive. The intent of the legislation was lost amongst the “compassionate” legislators who were trying to secure their jobs first and foremost, and provide relief as an unintended consequence. “I have empathy for the sick.” Do you really, King Timmy? Just like you have empathy for those without health insurance? The people of Minnesota know what’s right and will vote to end needless suffering in 2010. King Timmy will lose his throne.

Since the governor has decided to quash the watered-down version of the bill specifically designed to address his objections, it’s time for the legislature to put teeth back into the bill and pass it over his veto. It’s shameful that one politician’s irrational bias against marijuana should keep a whole state’s population of sick people in pain

Given approx. 75-80-percent of Americans and the majority of Minnesotans support access to Medical Cannabis, Pawlenty’s stubborn, ill-informed and misguided stance makes no sense whatsoever. Not even the terminally ill? What a frickin’ Neanderthal.

Even though Bob Barr radically changed his position in support of Medical Cannabis over the last few years, he’ll never live down the fact that he almost single-handedly prevented thousands of Washington D.C. residents from having legal access to Medical Cannabis years ago, with his 1998 “Barr Amendment”. People don’t forget when politicians block access to medicine, especially with Cannabis’s rare safety profile.

Let’s hope everybody remembers Pawlenty as the Governor who deprived his people of life-saving medicine, because he was either too ignorant or too corrupt to do the right thing.

Plenty of Democrats voted against this bill too. They don’t deserve a pass any more than Pawlenty does. Get rid of them all.

That piece of work was neutered by the time it reached Pawlenty.

Good riddance; dump the Gov. next!

To keep Cannabis illegal while tobacco and alcohol are dispensed freely is murderously stupid.

http://tinyurl.com/Henningfield-Benowitz
http://www.google.com/search?&q=tashkin

Any questions?

San Jose, California
(glaucoma, physician’s note, 20/20 vision and full intent to keep it that way!)

This veto will indeed destroy his career. PotE should be legal. Mexico just legalized possession of small amounts of all drugs. Switzerland just legalized heroin. Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001 and their experience has been positive. Now if you are caught with a 10 day supply of your drug or less you face an administrative court, not a criminal court, but in practice they are just not arresting people. A group of 10,000 very serious policemen, prosecutors, attorneys and citizens have formed a group to legalize ALL drugs, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (http://leap.cc ) They see what happened when we legalized alcohol in 1932 as a good example of how drug legalization would work. This foolish war on drugs has lasted 37 years and cost us over a TRILLION dollars and we are not an inch closer to stopping drugs. How many millions of Americans are we going to lock up in prison for decades? Mark Montgomery boboberg@nyc.rr.com

If the reports are correct, Thank you Governor! Unbelieveable. A Republican respecting the duties of Federalism and the Seperation of powers. And a politican who won’t bend to mob gossip. The issue is a Federal one and if Pres. Obama & AG Holder stop the duplicity they will address it. If people who believe marijuana has a medicinal value the power to change it and the champions of change are in D.C. If your evidence is so convincing take your case there and stop asking States to make a deal with the devil and endanger the state treasury from dissatisied users and tort lawyers who’ll sue for violation of a federal crime and lack of regulation because the FDA did not approve it.

MORON

Gov. Tim Pawlenty: “I have great empathy for the sick.”

Translation: I hope you really do die you pot smoking hippie.

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano: “Let’s call it what it is,” Emmer said, angrily. “Pot!” … “This is no joke,” Emmer stormed. “Call it what it is. It’s pot.”

Translation: I will hunt you down and shoot you…you pot smoking hippie.

Will of the people, eh?

In a recent KSTP/SurveyUSA poll, 53 percent of Republicans said they wanted marijuana to be legal for medical purposes. Across all political affiliations, 64 percent of respondents supported the legal use of medical marijuana. In fact, Minnesotans have historically supported medical marijuana with polling numbers remaining above 60 percent since 1999.

Government of the people, by the people, and for the rich, powerful, and alcoholic pill poppers who let their personal bias rule the land shall no perish from the earth.

These guys are still fighting that drug war that is suppose to be going away according to the new Drug Czar.

If prohibitionists like the system currently in place then by all means allow the drug gangs to distribute drugs to all and to receive all profits. The only other option is to

LEGALIZE, REGULATE, AND TAX.

Currently children can access drugs because there is no regulation. The government has taken a hands off approach. They only step in to arrest and eradicate which doesn’t seem to be working. The Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol captures nearly 4,500 lbs a DAY. And they readily admit that they only get 5 – 10 %. That’s not what I call winning the drug war.

I am bitter and this is shallow but I hope one day he is denied his medicine as well. What an ass.

The legislators made an error in watering down this bill to make it “acceptable” to this piece of shit “governor”, a stinkin’ bible-banger that doesn’t even belong there. The lawmakers need to go back and vote on the stronger bill, the hell with that creep, Pawlenty. You must understand that these people (Conservatives) are animals and no amount of compromise will make them happy.

[...] Medical marijuana While proclaiming, “I have great empathy for the sick,” Governor Pawlenty nonetheless vowed to veto the medical marijuana bill,reports MnIndy. [...]

This is very regrettable. I like Pawlenty, but I see this a posturing move that has finally alienated me from the Republican party in toto. Republicans blather about freedom, but when actually faced with expanding its blessings (ht to A. Lincoln), are mean-spirited and stingy.

Governor Pawlenty, please reconsider.

Joe Stein – I usually don’t single people out, but you are out of your mind, and, more importantly, constitutional depth. Sure, the FDA can regulate it, but that doesn’t make criminal laws a federal issue. This is the most bizzare argument I’ve ever heard.

I am done with this guy. Apparently he thinks he’s a monarch, and doesn’t have to accept the public will and representation. First, he refuses to negotiate with legislators, forcing them to either accept his budget or he’ll veto theirs and make his own cuts, and now this. His cuts in health and human services will cause deaths; vetoing this bill will cause pain and stress. He must go; he is a cruel, elitist, autocrat who only supports his wealthy benefactors, and he does not represent Minnesotans.

Kudos to Mark Buesgens (R. Jordan) whom I have met before and does genuinely care about people, and thus limiting state power. Shame on Reps. Emmers and Cornish. Again, given a chance to be for freedom (and not incidentally, compassion), you show yourself to be bigoted yahoos.

Let’s see here,
Boehner says CO2 does NOT increase global temperature: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpSRAvBNtfA

McCain told Bob Schieffer that America is NOT accountable to Geneva Conventions… but other countries ARE acountable!
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4969538n%3fsource=search_video

Pawlenty says “I have great empathy for the sick.” Then he takes hope of relief away and puts the ill and chronic pain sufferers behind bars.

One word: CLOWNS

Just another freedom-hating giant-government Republican.

Banning a plant will take a huge, expensive government.

Minnisota, you know what to do with this un-American loser.

If Pawlenty really wanted to fix the hole in our state budget, he would know that this veto is NOT going to help! At least we know what will happen when this vote goes to the people.

For the record, the correct term is Cannabis. In the future, hopefully Minnesotans will elect more officials who know how to read and who respect Medicine and Science. The imbecile who persisted in calling Cannabis “pot” is apparently not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Perhaps he needs some books on tape, to help him catch up to the rest of us. What an Oaf.

Never going back to Minnesota, baby; never go back, hey, hey, hey, hey (sung to the tune “Never Going Back to Georgia, Baby”)…

It is truly terrifying that MN health policy is decided by law enforcement lobbies, instead of medical professionals.

Unconscionable.

What a joke. Lets put it up for vote…..

by the time he leaves office his approval will be lower then his boyfriend cheney,what a coward and possibly just really a person that looks facts,remember what a fact is and just completely ignores everything about it,theres really no other way to look at it.

Interesting that the very people Pawlenty leaned on for their take on this issue- law enforcement, are continually popping up in the headlines for abuses of power. The Minneapolis Gang and Drug task force is now in hot water for “losing” 13 forfeited vehicles, $15K+ in cash, and taking an unapproved trip to Hawaii on forfeited bucks. The playing field was NOT level on the issue of medical marijuana. How can you compete with corrupt officials listening to corrupt special interests of law enforcement? The Drug War continues on the backs of the sick and dying. How cowardly, Governor Pawlenty. “I have great sympathy for the sick.” Right. They make great stepping stones to higher political aspirations and blind party line toeing. This guy has to go. He is no leader, and when pressed on issues like this one, he does not actively participate and leaves legislators, citizens, and everyone else scratching their heads and trying to figure out just what he is willing to compromise on. So far, NOTHING has been compromised and we have no budget and sick and dying people have to suffer. The word “Evil” comes to mind when thinking of Pawlenty. I’m quite sure he’d run over my grandmother if it meant a vote from the ever-shrinking far right.

What a prick. Even though the country is in a recession, he wants to spend millions of dollars on making those who are sick or dying uncomfortable as long as he can. I’m half tempted to go to the cities and start a protest. Who’s with me???

[...] says he will veto medical marijuana bill Pawlenty says he will veto medical marijuana bill By Andy Birkey 5/19/09 4:34 PM Gov. Tim Pawlenty told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that he will [...]

[...] Obvious? Not really. I don’t need to know what they’re talking about to know that Gov. Pawlenty or Dick Cheney are [...]

I’m so bloody sick of ” plenty o’ shit ” pawlenty i cannot even type ..

This first class a-hole is posturing himself for the evangelical conservatives on a national level in hopes of securing higher office.

Abe lincoln… blame abe lincoln!!

had he let the south (today’s bible-nut-jobs) go about their way of life, none of us had to endure this crap and the south would have by now been a place no better than mexico… I would have loved that shit, these religious freaks are not americans, they are better off being Saudi Arabians:

in Saudi Arabia:
1. God rules
2. Oil is cheap and plentiful
3. no1 can talk sh1t
4. men are given more rights than women
5. drugs/alcohol/unmarried sex all nearly automatically result in death sentences (u call yourself tough on crime? hahaha my A*S)
6. u r 8000 miles closer to your number one enemy Iran, set up C&C and go at it and u get closer to your buddies in israel too.
7. abortion? u bet its not happenin
8. in case of jesus’s return u r much closer to his point of return… no prophet has been sent on earth to America and its more likely jesus will return to the land he once guided, NOT America!
9. u won’t have to worry about green, envorinmentalist hippies anymore, since u r just dealing with one big gigantic desert.
10. office holders are not usually voted in, so u can avoid playing the politics of garnering votes, and just stick to your stinkin personal bias… similar to the judge who recently kept a lil 9 y/o married to a 40 y/o man
11. human rights are non-existant… so u dont have to go as far as calling it “advanced interogation techniques” that’s just too long and hard to pronounce, here u can call it “questioning” and u can literally do as u wish with your suspects, no need for fancy and expensive cover ups
12. u guys will get all the SUV’s u want, but hey there’s got to be one downside: ITS FULL OF TOYOTAS… so on that note, u might wanna choose between camry loving america and toyota-filled saudi arabia… mhmmm that sounds like an awfully hard choice to make
13. LIFE IS CHEAPER in SA, that’s right, it is cheaper with cheap asian laborers and a lot of oil dollars
14. u can send your warships to gulf of mexico to monitor Cuba while America reconnects with its old communist neighbor just like she eventually did with Vietnam and China and so will do with N. Korea and Iran. now would that not be cool to play against the liberals and democrats and any1 else who disagrees with u?
15. This is a kingdom, lobbying is on a much much easier and cheaper level here
16. saudi arabia got enough cash on hand that u never have to worry about really hard to understand concepts such as capitalism, socialism, free market, recession, bailout, interest rates, bear & bull markets, and all other over your education terms…

so why don’t we the REAL AMERICANS, hold a vote, a referandum, to see maybe there is enough consensus among us to have these f*cktards exiled to the Saudi kingdom? Who’s with me?!

Imam Gholi has written this article for the first time @ 5:34 AM CST on May 21, 2009. Other digital copies retained. ** Use allowed only on a condition to provide a link to this page and credit to me **

Well..well..well… public safety commissioner Michael Campion, who asserted that the jobs of police would be impossible to carry out if medical marijuana were allowed, is now tasked with making sure that the police are on the “up and up.” How obvious is it that drugs are a cash cow for police with no fiscal oversight and corruption is rampant. 14 missing vehicles and over $18K in forfeited cash just gone, missing, can’t find it. Oops. It was an honest mistake I’m sure. The Minnesota Drug/Gang task force is just one example of police misconduct coming to light.
THESE are the people who have Pawlenty’s ear. Does this frighten anyone else?? The police state is out of control and this is just one example. The sick and dying now get to be subjected to this nonsense. Minnesota’s prison population continues to grow. (We are one of the national leaders in this area as reported by the Minnesota Independent. Hooray!) The only economic growth under Pawlenty seems to be the prison industrial complex.

Campion had to know that the fiscal audits of the MN Gang Taskforce were going on, and yet he still testifies against medical marijuana? Dirty. Dirty. Dirty political games going on, all at the expense of Minnesotans with medical issues. WHEN are we going to stop this insane drug war? It’s obvious it is ripe with corruption and that we cannot allow law enforcement to steer public policy in the interests of padding their bottom line.

This is exactly how heartless,You’re sick and dying and yet you cant smoke a plant because of the government and its leaders,This will change no doubt about that,But palenty puts his other interests in front of the people,you probably dont read papers like this or MPP,maybe you cant read.Anyway if you know the facts, a person will vote one way or the other,its obvious you never even bothered to find them out,yes FACTS.Like the FACT whether you run for governor or the president you will be LAUGHED AT.But you wont care you wont even notice the difference,GOOD RIDDENS

Like above, then you have the gang and drug squad,Now theres a fine outstanding helpful member to the town,its a honest mistake ha ha he he,Sure as hell better going after those fine citizens.

Can this guy be voted out like now

How much drug cash that is confiscated and never accounted for finds its way back to selected political coffers??

Hmmm…..think about it…..

This perhaps couldnt be playing out in a more perfect way. Next year when the Douche, I mean governor, is out of office they can just pass a better version that will allow for many more illnesses. I personally would love for this to be passed as a constitutional amendment rather than as an empty piece of legislation with ridiculous restrictions. So let the law enforcement lobbies, special interest groups and the this is ruining the moral fabricate of society people slap high fives and think they have won this one. Fact is after they hacked this bill apart it would have pretty much negated the reasons for passing such a bill. So perhaps everybody should write the gov a letter thanking him for vetoing this garbage of a bill. If he had any brains at all he would let this stand as the way it stands there will not be many people using it and there is no room for abuse. This wouldve been the most restrictive medical marijuana bill in the nation. What is baffling is why they are so against this as they already have pretty relaxed posession laws. Correct me if I am wrong but under 42.5 grams isn’t even an arrestable offense.

Well I can’t say I didn’t expect it, the man is a ignorant asshole. Don’t worry Pawlenty, when we replace you with a democrat we’ll get this legalized in no time!

You guys over there voted the moron in, right?

The bill was terrible in the first place! That Emmer guy, what an ignorant pile. Your governor no better.

The bill didn’t even allow patients undergoing chemotherapy, because their treatment wasn’t severe enough.

Hope he never has to deal with cancer and the drugs to counter-react the treatments! Then he might have true sympathy.

Right now, he is just a police-state minded politician.

To Joe Stein:

The U.S. Government has US Patent 6630507 – Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants

Look it up. Educate yourself and don’t be a closed minded

And to your comment:

“…stop asking States to make a deal with the devil and endanger the state treasury from dissatisied users and tort lawyers who’ll sue for violation of a federal crime and lack of regulation because the FDA did not approve it.”

Our current Supreme Court has declined to accept a hearing on Medical Marijuana from San Diego Count, CA. This means exactly what your dumbass thought would happen, but happily to say you’re wrong. That is it now practically near impossible to sue because of Medical Marijuana bills passed in state, much less sue for legalization bills passing in state houses. That is THE TURNING point for marijuana. Sorry to all you misinformed prohibitionists.

And I don’t even smoke marijuana!

Whatever looks good on his conservative resume I guess. Didn’t he get the memo, the Dark Side lost.

[...] Minnesota Independent [...]

To Marcus

Just for the record I didnt vote for Pawlenty as I havent lived in Minnesota for 15 years, thank god.

I sent this to him…and spent time toning it way down from what I initially wrote…

Dear Governer Pawlenty,
In Ref. to Medical Marijuana use bill. I would like to comment and really trying to understand after reading about this bill and your response to I found rather disturbing. . And who would want federal oversight on a something like that anyway, unless it would be taxed and legalized.. that’s a whole other story. Did you do research on this with the other states where it is legal, if so I wish you would have included those findings in your response ,unless you did and I missed it somewhere. It may have helped me and I think others understand more for the veto on this bill. IPersonally I’d rather see someone smoke pot than use alcohol do kill the pain. If looked up you will find; Alcohol is the #1 most dangerous drug there is . Even over tobacco.

Truthfully,

We have a long time to go if it ever gets back there again. Politicians are all the same, each doing it a little differently. Get more outside of the 2-party system in we can see more postive changes.. And get rid of our electoral college(most unfair voting system) in the world abolish it!!!lol freedom of speech I still have..I think..hehe

“truth
Comment posted May 21, 2009 @ 5:37 am

Abe lincoln… blame abe lincoln!!

had he let the south (today’s bible-nut-jobs) go about their way of life, none of us had to endure this crap and the south would have by now been a place no better than mexico… I would have loved that shit, these religious freaks are not americans, they are better off being Saudi Arabians:”

ummm….sounds like you got back on the sauce. Drop the alcohol and take a hit or two. Kicking at someone because of an accident of birth isn’t helping the cause. The fact this is happening in a northern state doesn’t mean that the south is responsible. The situation looks to be self-contained. Pawley is pandering to his own law enforcement and religious constitutes not southerners. Geez, let the civil war go! It’s a new day and a new battle. Southerners are not the enemy.

It’s time to legalize all drugs! How much longer are we tax payers going to allow the government to spend millions of our tax dollars trying to stop drug traffic? This is an exercise in futility, always has been and always will be. Drugs should have been legalized ten years ago, but it is not too late to do it NOW!