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Brian Dickerson: Schuette Wages War Against The People's Law

ProPlayer420

By ProPlayer420
in Michigan Legislature

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ProPlayer420 Advanced Member

+ProPlayer420

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If there's anything Bill Schuette has established in his first year as Michigan's attorney general -- besides an appetite for media attention rivaling that of Sarah Palin or Geoffrey Fieger -- it's that he won't stand for the federal government to trample on the rights of the people of Michigan.

 

Unless, or course, the right in question is one that Michigan's top law enforcement official never cared for in the first place. In which case any pretext for ignoring, circumventing or violating the state law that guarantees it is welcome.

 

I speak, of course, of Schuette's maniacal campaign to single-handedly repeal the Medical Marijuana Act that Michigan voters adopted in 2008 -- by a considerably wider margin (63%-37%), it should be noted, than Schuette enjoyed in his own victory (53%-42%) over a weak Democratic opponent two years later.

 

Since then, virtually everyone affected by the MMA -- police, state and federal prosecutors, medical marijuana users and prescribing physicians -- has come to understand that the law as written is seriously flawed and requires a legislative overhaul to spell out more clearly the rights and responsibilities of all involved.

 

State lawmakers in Lansing are already at work on such an overhaul. And that's good for everyone -- as long as legislators keep in mind the objective Michigan voters embraced in 2008, which was to authorize the therapeutic use of marijuana by patients suffering from certain medical conditions or symptoms.

Abuse of authority

 

Schuette stands proudly among the minority of Michiganders who opposed the MMA and continue to lobby for its repeal. Nothing wrong with that.

 

But the AG has also exploited his office to target medical marijuana users and providers -- precisely the people Michigan voters sought to protect from criminal prosecution when they adopted the MMA. That's a flagrant abuse of authority -- one that undermines respect for the law in general, not just the statute Schuette seeks to subvert.

 

In his latest initiative, Schuette has opined that police have a legal obligation not to return pot seized from licensed medical marijuana patients because possession of marijuana is still prohibited under federal law. (Never mind that the U.S. Justice Department, which has bigger fish to fry, especially in Detroit, has made clear its lack of interest in prosecuting patients in Michigan and other states that have authorized medical marijuana.)

 

In fact, the AG warned in an opinion issued late last week, officers who return illegally confiscated marijuana (in seeming compliance with a provision of the MMA that specifically bars its seizure from medical users licensed by the state) are themselves risking criminal prosecution as drug dealers.

 

Really? And what sort of prosecutor would file charges against a police officer for that? Even Schuette isn't that deranged.

Uphold the law

 

Schuette's respect for the superiority of federal law, you may be assured, is entirely situational. When the federal law in question is one he opposes -- such as the American Health Care Act of 2009, or EPA rules designed to limit air pollution -- he has been in the vanguard of Republican attorneys general suing to stop it. He's been a ranking member of the executive branch -- that's the one that was established to enforce the law, not to write it -- for almost a year, but he can't stop acting like a legislator.

 

I have no dog in the MMA fight. I don't use marijuana, medically or recreationally. And I share the skepticism of those who worry that the MMA, which depends on a black-market distribution network that bears no resemblance to the one used to distribute every other prescription drug authorized by law, is problematic in its current form.

 

But more than 3 million Michigan residents have made it clear they want licensed patients to be able to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. That's almost twice as many as voted for Schuette in 2010.

 

So Schuette's campaign to emasculate the MMA isn't just unprincipled; it's an affront to democratic rule -- and to the rule of law he took an oath to uphold.

 

Link to articleFreep

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Frank R Advanced Member

Frank R

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.....

So Schuette's campaign to emasculate the MMA isn't just unprincipled; it's an affront to democratic rule -- and to the rule of law he took an oath to uphold.

 

Link to articleFreep

And this from a fella who doesn't even have a horse in the race.

 

Hey, Ho, Billy Schuette's Got To Go!

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Willy Advanced Member

Willy

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I hear we have a recall, I also heard it failed, whats up with that, i hear that a disbarment is being worked on , how is that going. I hear a lot of folks, same as myself, want this man gone. So how come he isn't. There has to be more people out there to help see that this gets this going. How about some updates on what really is going on.. we need to know what is being done, and how we can help. emails to senators seem to get nothing but form letters. with the typical BLAH BLAH BLAH, vote for me next year. I have been to every state protest, and the voting in of the laws, were schitte just said to bad so sad. i wont even listen to you for over 30 seconds. And even refused to listen to some, stating, oh your high.. what a fukin looser.. What more can i do to cull this dicator/tyrant out of the equastion.??

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Timmahh Advanced Member

Timmahh

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Recall effort is NOT Dead as some would like us to believe.

 

Fact is, we have until March 1st 2012, to turn in the required signatures to get BS recall on the 2012 ballot.

 

if you want him out YOU MUST HELP get him out. this is the season. its the xmas season, people will be out in droves trying to spend what money they can to have a decent xmas this year.

 

We need to get folks willing to collect signatures thru out the state. need just over 800,000 signatures. lets send in a million.

 

you can visit the Recall Schuette Recall page on face book here.

this is the staging area for the recall effort. all info and details needed are here.

 

http://www.facebook.com/groups/recallbillschuette/

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Willy Advanced Member

Willy

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shouldn't we get members in all our areas, out on the streets, make a group or forum for us, so each area can get some sigs..we can make a day of it, few from each area can get together, and run the streets, have coffee and see how good we are..there are way more against this man than just us mmj folks. unions, teachers, even some doctors, etc. the problem is its way cold and sick folks don't do well in 80' weather, how good we gonna be in 30'. just a though folks.

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Timmahh Advanced Member

Timmahh

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your correct Willy. this is a bad time of year (winter) to have people in the streets collecting signatures. but it is what it is.

 

the recall schuette facebook page could be used to do just that Willy. join the FB Page. and Rich Montegue will ok you into the group.

 

the petitions need to be printed off on 8x14 legal size paper. signature area on one side, and rules ect on reverse.

 

signatures must be collected without any type of incursion. once a sheet is filled with sigs, they should be sent to Rich Montegue for collection, so all sigs can be submitted appropriately.

 

but absolutly, we can also use the forum here as a staging area utilizing the Victems of the System area, or another area of the forum appropriate for this type of discussion.

using the FB page will alert ALL FB members though.

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Medcnman Advanced Member

Medcnman

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My comment on the story;

 

The law is clear as a bell and should be implemented as written. That is what almost every medical marijuana patient and caregiver believes. Implementation of a voter initiative is not optional. It is constitutionally mandated. Yet three years out the government is defiant in it's refusal to implement as approved by the voters. Schuette must go because he has violated every aspect of the code of professional conduct as established by the Supreme Court. He is a disgrace to his office and the State of Michigan. I dare he think he is above the law. So many have died defending this state and this country.

I totally agree Blueberry!!!

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Silverblue Advanced Member

+Silverblue

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The man who wrote that article made some GLARING mistakes. MM is NOT prescribed, and, what was that comment about us depending on a black market distribution? NO NO NO NONONONONONONONO!!!!

 

SOMEONE PLEASE SET HIM STRAIGHT!!! Those comments are VERY damaging to our community!!!

 

The recall that died is for synder, NOT schuette! :( snyder is a meanace to society, just as much as schuette is, they act like petty dictators, who'd NEVER succeed if it weren't for those who prop them up!!! The PEOPLE DON'T WANT EITHER OF THEM!!!!

 

 

Sb :growl:

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Dizledot Advanced Member

+Dizledot

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Sb,

 

I think the black market comment was the AG's description of our caregiver patient system. It's clear there are those who want this prescribed and dispensed from licensed pharmacies. Believe it or not I actually have tea party support against Schuttes madness. They are asking me for more info...these are older retired party members who realize they could need MM and this dip bunny muffin is trying to do away with our law. We have to appeal to those outside our circle just as he is trying to do.

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Silverblue Advanced Member

+Silverblue

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We have to make the general public aware of what schuette is doing to us. Remember, it's in the greater community where we have much support, they are the ones who voted for this law, many who do not use MM but believe in its medicinal value; many who may or may not ever use it themselves, but who believe in our right to choose the medicine that's best for us.

 

Among the 63% who voted for our law, were many who became pt's and cg's, but that may only be a small percentage in comparison to the rest of the voters.

 

We need to strengthen our efforts to appeal to them. Whatever that comment was about, it will be taken in a bad way, of that I am sure; it will be misinterpreted. Remember, we understand the sutiation because we're directly involved, but many readers do not, they're on the sidelines, may sometimes casually glance at these issues. Many probly feel they did their part in voting for our law, but after that, believe that everything's going well for us. Many have NO idea what's going on, then they might see a propaganda piece claiming we're all abusing the law, they'll wonder "WTF," and, without our input, won't see OUR SIDE.

 

When a writer tries to present an blanced view, but makes inaccurate statements- even ONE, it can cause as much confusion as any propaganda piece.

 

If a paper is willing to print community input, this is our strongest weapon and tool to show our compassionate voters what's really happening.

 

Sincerely, Sb :wub:

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