Romney confronted on medical marijuana: "Will you arrest me or my doctors?"

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: October 8, 2007
Romney confronted with medical marijuana issue

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was confronted head-on Saturday over the issue of medical marijuana. Following a campaign appearance in Dover, New Hampshire, a member of the audience, Clayton Holton, told Romney he has muscular dystrophy and said five of his doctors say he is "living proof medical marijuana works."

"I am completely against legalizing it for everyone, but there is medical purposes for it," Holton told Romney. Romney pointed out that there is synthetic marijuana as well as other pain medications available. "It makes me sick. I have tried it, and it makes me throw up," Holton said. "My question for you is will you arrest me or my doctors if I get medical marijuana."

"I am not in favor of medical marijuana being legal in the country," Romney said as he moved on to greet other people. Holton continued, "Excuse me, will you please answer my question?"

"I think I have. I am not in favor of legalizing medical marijuana," the Massachusetts Republican said.

Video at link: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/10/08/romney-confronted-with-medical-marijuana-issue/

[LeftyMom]

1. Well fuck him. Putting the stupid Drug War ahead of sick people is deplorable.

And he doesn't even have the guts to own up to it and say "Yes, I'd throw your sick ass in jail."

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. fuck you, you silly git.

This man is a menace

[Vickers]

3. Wow Willard, that Repuke compassion just shines right through, huh?

I'll bet Willard would be whistling a different tune if one of Willard's FIVE HEALTHY MILITARY-AGE SONS came down with MD.

[acmavm]

7. My first thought EXACTLY. Old Mitt needs to drop out now. He's

more of an embarrassment by the day.

I certainly hold an everlasting grudge against anyone connected with the republican party, past OR present for making my poor country look like a nation of sick, selfish, amoral thugs.

[shain from kane]

4. Maybe Romney's got a magic rock that cures muscular dystrophy.

[tridim]

5. What a dick.

Anyone know the number of Americans who support medical MJ? I think it's in the 70% range now.

Mitten's position boils down to, "It's more important that drug companies make massive profits than to see patients get real relief". "Culture of life" my ASS.

Edit: Is being a cannabis Nazi a "Massachusetts value"? :eyes:

[Rhythm and Blue]

8. Culture of life, not culture of health.

Yeah, it's pretty consistently in the 70s, I think.

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3392

From NORML via Google, but the sources they link to are legitimate enough.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. he's a law & order pissant.

& he's a fool if he thinks they are going to run him.

[maui9002]

9. I'm happy question was asked

Same approach should work for progressive candidates on abortion. It's easy for the pro life crowd to equate abortion with murder, but none that I've spoken with want to put women who have them in jail. In fact, there was a article by Anna Quindlen in a recent Newsweek entitled "How Much Jail Time" (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20010696/site/newsweek/) that referred the reader to a video on YouTube (type in "Libertyville Abortion Demonstration); the video showed how most people, when asked the question, have never really thought through the consequences of their positions and actions. Same with medical marijuana; most people (conservative politicians excluded) would empathize with the gentlemen who asked the question and understand that taking a hard ass position on medical marijuana means people who use the drug to ease their suffering are subject to prosecution (particularly by right wing prosecutors looking to make a political point) and/or having their access to the drug cut off. If you're compassionate, it's easy to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which is why the proposition on medical marijuana passed overwhelmingly in Arizona despite its conservative leanings.

[Mz Pip]

10. Exactly

Who should be sitting on death row for the murder of that fetus? The woman? The Dr.?

It's real easy to throw around slogans like "Abortion is Murder!" of "Lock up all drug users!" But in reality, do we really want to lock up all doctors who perform abortions? Or all sick people who smoke marijuana? Is this really how we want to spend our tax dollars?

In California, we voted overwhelmingly to allow medical marijuana, but the SCOTUS didn't buy the state's rights argument and decided Federal Law trumped State Law in this case.

I think the SCOTUS sort of cherry picks it's uses of states rights issues.

Mz Pip
:dem: