This article isn’t about cannabis per se, rather about the reaction to the ballot initiative whose popularity is apparently really bothering some legislators.
These sage heads seem to feel threatened by the notion that the people (who elect them, but often to token or no opposition) have the right to overrule them when their exclusive club refuses to listen to a clear majority of the people holding a very rational, informed view for years.
Imagine that.
“Rep. Brad Daw is considering legislation [to] address ‘concerns about what we’re seeing’ with the recent proliferation of initiative campaigns in Utah.”
He’s also concerned the number of initiatives which may be on the ballot, but cannabis – and others effecting their club’s rules to allow more democracy in the primary process for example – is clearly what has their teeth edge.
It’s not certain Daw will get his statewide bill into this session, but he has introduced a hugely complex bill to make local initiatives nearly impossible to mount – HB225 (http://ift.tt/2EpifMB – a doozy to read) – which appeals to exactly no one any of us know.
About the cannabis initiative, though, the representative makes a case which would be hilarious if it wasn’t tragic for patients:
“Daw is troubled that the campaigns are taking advantage of what was ‘designed to be a grass-roots process’ and are ‘morphing into something (they) were never intended to be.’
‘…We’re seeing something we’ve never seen before…’
The lawmaker believes big money has allowed at least some of the initiative campaigns to put on the misleading aura of a populist grass-roots effort in their endeavors to persuade Utah voters.
‘The people running the (Utah Patients Coalition medicinal cannabis) initiative seem to have a whole boatload of money to spend on PR, signature gatherers and all that stuff,’ he lamented last month to the Deseret News. ‘I’ve got me and the Utah Medical Association (in opposition). We’re not rolling in cash’.”
Yes, TRUCE readers, you read that right.
According to this gadfly, the small group of amateurs running the initiative on whatever funds they can scramble up (which took years to raise) is some well-polished Goliath… …while the state legislator with staff and offices, unlimited access to media, and who has the support of the powerful UMA, Sutherland Foundation, Eagle Forum, law enforcement groups, and tacit support from many more powerful Utah and national organizations is… …puny David.
Excuse us for not shedding a tear for Mr. Daw…
…and PS: TRUCE, a volunteer organization of patients, CERTAINLY doesn’t have a “kyackload” of money, let alone a “boatload” lolol… …anyway, that’s your moment of zen for the day and excuse us while our chauffeur brings up our Rolls… ?
The rest of the article is well worth reading as well.
#MMJ #Initiative #UTleg #UTpol #HB225 #TRUCE
See full article – Lawmaker mulls bill to address Utah ballot initiative ‘concerns’
