Statement From Cpu

[Northern Lab]

You are crazy Northern, but you may be right! lol

 

 

LOL. That's what I heard, you mean it's not true!??!!

 

Does anyone know, is our Email o matic working? Didn't someone say at one point the legislature had blocked emails from us? It would be super cool to fire it up, load it with new stuff or just let people write what they want, and maybe target the Dems?

 

I would say it's a good strategy to pound on the rep from your district and the Dems in your own words.

[ozzrokk]

Maybe a few do Oz, but you are probably closer to the truth than not.

 

One thing they have been very slick about is keeping Bill Schuette under wraps in these house bills. But make no mistake he is involved. He used Stecker and Sauter as his proxy's.

 

 

True that.

[Hayduke]

Hayduke that is what I am saying with that statement. It appears to be impossible if you do not have a trunk. If some of the reps were not happy with ONE testimony of an obvious common citizen who did not articulate his point well or whatever then that shows what kind of people they are (the reps). I mean if they tightened it over that guys testimony that is only further proof that they could really care less about helping us by acting like children and punishing the entire act for ONE persons testimony. I know some here still think the reps intend to help us but truth is they could care less about us.

 

 

Pretty much I agree with you, though speculation about the Reps mindset gets pretty tricky. I don't believe they punish you or me for ones persons testimony. But it does influence them....

 

It was very very frustrating in November 2011 when the Reps staffers, the MSP, PAAM, and even the ACLU said 4834 and easier access to the registry would protect patients. The basis most used over and over, much to our disgust, was Mr. Cain's comments about stopping dogs from being shot, stopping sick people from being thrown to the ground cruelly and the like. Now not for one second do I believe Mr. Cain did this to make it easier for them to rationalize registry access, no way. But his words had the effect of raising the alarm that the police were all behaving like thugs. Every group at the task force except CPU used this excuse that easier access would "help" patients. Now if anyone believes that I have a bridge to sell you....

 

How many dogs have been shot in Michigan re mmj in the last three years?

[mendonesian]

CPU and their new takeover/merger here??

their doin the same thing bb did...censoring anything they don't like said about what they're tryin to do

[Timmahh]

What we have with our current Act, ironically parallels the time when our founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence.

 

Immediately after walking out after Signing. Benjamin Franklin was asked by a female out front, "What have you given us Sir?"

To which Franlin replied "We have given you a Republic my good lady, if you can keep it.

 

 

There are many fronts in this fight. Room for everyone to have a position, and a need. For me, the fight is in saving the Act as we passed it. Thats the good fight I forward, but it is not the only good fight or front we need to defend.

 

Difference is today, we understand how the snake and leeches in government think and work. We have a leg up if we capitalize on it that is.

[Flowergirl]

Whats your deal you just like to be argumentative. It is in pretty plain text the Dr has to follow up your treatment and the affect of using MM. These amendments are in plain language the does harm to the patient denying the Dr the right to be the gatekeeper because of Federal Laws. Prove me wrong,

 

 

DLDO 420,

I am truly not wanting to be arguementative, I just dont view the bills as being as dangerous as some of you do. I hear a lot of blanket statements about how the whole law is about to be destroyed, null and void and then people trying to blame CPU for it all. Like I said earlier I am not a CPU member but I do appreciate the work they have done making these bills less damaging. I never said I wanted the bills to pass or that I support them, just trying to separate fact from fiction as to whether they will destroy the whole law. And no I dont believe for one minute the FEDs are going to sweep through the state and charge all the doctors who are complying with state law. If you would like to agree to disagree with me thats fine but I can have my opinion on this too. Thanks.

[CaveatLector]

What does anyone here know about CPU? And how were they informed? Was it from your own research by reading CPU's positions? If you didn't know, CPU precisely outlines its positions on their website. There is no guessing. It wasn't the joe cain mmma where one week the mmma was for dispensaries then they were against them, then they were neutral, then they were against them, then, since cain was buddies with peanutbutter they tolerated them---all based on what joe cain needed to spin for the day.

 

Has the mmma ever formally outlined its positions? No. Did the cain mmma ever poll the members to make decisions on how they should act? No. Yet cain pounded his drum that the mmma was a democracy.

 

He slandered CPU members for meeting with state reps. What he didn't tell you was that there were already groups meeting wih state reps. Groups on the anti side such as the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAMM), the Michigan State Police, Michigan Sheriff's Association, Michigan Municipal League, Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan, and on and on and on. So the representatives were continuously getting an earful or what these groups thought was wrong with the law and the reps were constatnly lobbied to change the law. In the face of ALL of that lobbying where was the cain mmma? No where to be found, that's where. His "no negotiations" platform meant one thing, the reps got an earful from the anti crowd without hearing opposition. CPU stepped in to fill that void. Without CPU the vacuum would've continued. CPU went to work trying to protect patients.

 

When the reps had 20 people telling them all of the problems with the law the reps, of course, drew up bills that were "fixes" for the problems the anti crowd brought to the reps' attention. CPU fought that but in the end CPU saying, "Don't change the law" would have fallen on deaf ears when the reps were overwhelmed by the naysayers. So what did CPU do? They opposed the bills but tried to negotiate changes to the bills to soften the language and make them less harsh. So the battle plan was drawn. One stakeholder opposing the bills constantly was not going to stop the bills from being written when numerous other stakeholders wanted their perceived problems addressed. So CPU opposed the bills but when they were written CPU lobbied to soften them. And guess what, it worked. Many of the bills were significantly softened. So CPU did a fine job. The 2nd half of CPU's battle plan is to vigorously oppose the bills on the floor of the house so they are not voted through.

 

cain arguing that CPU was selling patients out was nothing more than political maneuvering. It was tantamount to a US Congressman, who is a democrat, running a mudslinging ad against his Repub. rival and saying that the Repub rival wants children to be killed in the US because he voted against a federal gun control law that keeps guns 100 miles from elementary schools. It's rubbish. Total nonsense.

 

I'm NOT a member of CPU so any members here may feel free to correct anything I've said. But I AM well-informed. I keep abreast of the happenings in the movement and I READ. Therefore I am able to come to my own conclusions rather than buy into cain's world of secret conspiracies and his unnamed "investigators" and "informants."

 

You would be well-advised to remember that cain was divisive in this community. He had his own hidden agenda and he manipulated people and information in an effort to control. When someone posted something on this site that he didn't like he banned and deleted and even changed text in posts. A lot of you don't get that because you may have been his yesmen and had no way of knowing what he was doing behind the scenes. I am not saying he didn't care about the movement. He did, but his motivations were also profit driven. That's why he lied to everyone the whole time and never would admit that he drew a salary fromt he mmma.

 

cain drew from a page out of a totalitarian playbook. He controlled people by controlling the influx of information and by manipulating or lying about information that people did get. He villified everyone outside of his organization so that he could be seen as the fixer. That way when something went the way he wanted it to go he would attribute it to himself and let everyone know how great he was. That's how a dictator gets and keeps power. Look at hitler. (Before you get your panties in a bunch I'm not comparing him to hitler personally only his style of rule). Hitler came to power at a time when there was massive unemployment in Germany. It was really really bad economically. Furthermore, there was a power vacuum. Hitler stepped in to fill that power void and he told the people that the economy sucked because the jews were taking their jobs. He proposed rounding up the Jews and sending them away. He villified the Jewish people. He promised (literally) a small vw car in every driveway. People were at the end of their ropes and were deperate to believe anything and someone with a vision of hope like that was all they needed to rally around. cain did the same thing. He fed off of people's fears. He promised be their savior. Hell, he literally said he would die for them. All he while he was making a nice tidy sum of money on the side that he refused to reveal because it would've taken away the mystique. He wouldn't be able to claim he was this poor, destitute, sick person if you knew the real deal.

 

I could go on but this is long enough. Just be mindful of the fact that someone who was supposedly willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for you, that being his life, for some reason couldn't tell you about the phantom $60k missing. What's wrong with that picture? Basically what he wants you to believe is that he had the fortitude to die for you but didn't have the fortitude to tell the truth. Makes you want to say, "HUH?" doesn't it? People are taken in by cult leaders, some get out. Be one of the people who gets out.

[Hayduke]

a consortium of legal ,health care professionals ...and hope to be club profiteers...with their own agenda ...how did they advance so strongly when we as patients/caregivers were left out of discussions??...the legislature wants to talk about tax and regulate thats why and what kinda money will come to them if they make concessions...if they can hide behind patients rights and get their agenda passed that's where thy are coming from...will they be at the Capitol on the 17?? they don't speak for me I like the law i voted for ...exactly the way i voted for it!...not one they've been negotiating behind closed doors...open only to them...I didn't see them offer me a chance to voice my opinion on what they were proposing as changes...is that democratic??..there is not one voice of the patients...there are many voices that need to be focused as one.....who cares I hope they stand together with the rally in Lansing and try not to subvert the MSG...unity is force inaction....CPU??...they will have a backseat if we can get the patients rights honored...and then they'll have to be in the trenches fighting with the rest of us for their compassion club life!....not sipping coffee in Lansing sucking up to politicos

 

 

You seem very angry. Your observations about CPU are total bs. Your information is corrupt and nonsensical. I am a patient. My primary care physician signed for me. I have MS. No one in our group is a profiteer.

 

I am calling you out on that comment. Prove it or shut up and stop spreading scurrilous lies.

 

We will not be at a rally the 17th. I promise you that. Isn't that the Joe date that he planned? But if the rally is scheduled after the bills get out of the House, and the bills are still objectionable, we would likely participate provided the messaging is in harmony with our group values. I would like to see a parade of patients speaking for a very short time each, explaining how mmj has helped the quality of their life, or gotten them off opiates. I would like it filmed in a close frame, so it could be shown with all it's inherent power, to those in charge of making decisions in Lansing. I will not insult or dog them personally however. Most have come a long way to our positions recognizing mmj does work. They remain afraid about many related topics about mmj. We need to have good honest common sense answers to their objections, not personally verbally assault them using military or fighting words. I did not think there were any trenches in Lansing.

 

And the argument that "we don't speak for you" is fine by me. We never claimed to speak for you. Another bunch of nonsense from Mr. Cain. And rest assured knowing if Mr. Cain had not alienated so many Reps, 3MA may well have been welcome at the table. But it was not CPU's call as to who was included. We were just glad to be there ourselves. And know this too, Mr. Cain also did lobbying work to push his agenda, and he was the recipient of those potential windfalls, not patients.

 

Insults...yawn... come on man, give me some substance so we can have healthy debate, and not just some bitter slogging session....

[cristinew]

I love the kool Aid drinkers here NO FACTS at all just rumors in their heads, Thank You CPU you guys are working hard to protect our rights,,, as to the IDIOT that says CPU hope to be club profiteers.. state your FACTS or shut up.. brain washed for sure,

[CaveatLector]

a consortium of legal ,health care professionals ...and hope to be club profiteers...with their own agenda ...how did they advance so strongly when we as patients/caregivers were left out of discussions??...the legislature wants to talk about tax and regulate thats why and what kinda money will come to them if they make concessions...if they can hide behind patients rights and get their agenda passed that's where thy are coming from...will they be at the Capitol on the 17?? they don't speak for me I like the law i voted for ...exactly the way i voted for it!...not one they've been negotiating behind closed doors...open only to them...I didn't see them offer me a chance to voice my opinion on what they were proposing as changes...is that democratic??..there is not one voice of the patients...there are many voices that need to be focused as one.....who cares I hope they stand together with the rally in Lansing and try not to subvert the MSG...unity is force inaction....CPU??...they will have a backseat if we can get the patients rights honored...and then they'll have to be in the trenches fighting with the rest of us for their compassion club life!....not sipping coffee in Lansing sucking up to politicos

Are you kidding me? Step out of your fog so you can see clearly. CPU was formed because no one else was willing to go to the legislature to protect the law. Ever since the first day that people began to have legal problems with the law, the courts, police, PA's, etc, etc, et al, were yelling at the legislature to "fix the law." No one from MM advocacy groups became a voice in Lansing to stand up for patients. NO ONE. So CPU was created. Anytime any CPU member tried to drop links on this website so patients COULD become members and voice input they were blocked from doing so. You can thank cain for that. His rule was bolstered by the fact that this website is the first to pop up in a google search for MM in Mich. Control the flow of info and you control the people. Think North Korea when recently their "beloved ruler" died and you saw people crying and laying prostrate in the street like you've never seen. They acted as if their 3 year old died. They control the influx of info and therefore lead their people to believe the outside world is evil.

 

Did you ever visit the CPU website and try to become a member? I doubt it. Did you ever email one of their members YOUR concerns? I doubt it. So why can you now claim that they didn't want patient input.

[Hayduke]

I am very grateful to Mr. Komorn and Herbert and the mods for allowing me to have this debate. I respect all of you, understand and share many of your concerns, and really really want to have 3MA and CPU on a similar page...

[Timmahh]

I ve spoke with many folks about their thoughts of CPU. Ive read many of their posts on their site and their sites posted opinions.

 

Ive chatted with Mal on more than a few occasions. I feel I have had a general understanding of their Position since the time I joined the 3MA

 

 

overall, both groups (CPU and 3MA) have many of the same ideologies, and a handful of differences.

 

As an activist in this fight, and a realist of the moment, It always bothered me that we, the 3MA were only outside the window Screaming in.

 

Im my mind, as a Patients and Caregivers and in a way Citizens Rights Group (I say citizens, because this Act was passed by the People, For the People to help all of Michigan's Citizens of this State who can benefit from the good effects cannabis has on the human body via our endocannabinoid system every human and many animals have), An Angry (not unruley, but focused and Mad) is only a usefull tool, if you have a voice inside at the table telling them why 10,000 people are outside that window looking in. Other wise, its just a group of angry people.

 

We the People did not pass this law for just the stoners, or as Bill Schuette would have everyone believe, solely for the last 3 weeks of someones life.

[purklize]

So CPU opposed the bills but when they were written CPU lobbied to soften them. And guess what, it worked. Many of the bills were significantly softened. So CPU did a fine job. The 2nd half of CPU's battle plan is to vigorously oppose the bills on the floor of the house so they are not voted through.

 

We can get along then. It's obvious the CPU isn't going to stop lobbying for changes, so we are probably wasting our breath arguing with you guys on that. If we can agree on opposing all of the bills, then we can stand together.

 

We will not be at a rally the 17th. I promise you that.

 

This appears to contradict your assurances that you will oppose the bills - please explain...

[Letterhead954]

A big thanks to the CPU folks and the previously banned folks for coming back and shedding some light on these issues. I've been here awhile, and had no idea of what was going on behind the scenes, or why so many people were gone. I had no idea that Joe was so completely controlling the information we get here. It's refreshing to see how things are changing. So, you guys aren't evil incarnate?

[CaveatLector]

We can get along then. It's obvious the CPU isn't going to stop lobbying for changes, so we are probably wasting our breath arguing with you guys on that. If we can agree on opposing all of the bills, then we can stand together.

 

 

 

 

I would point out that the reason CPU negotiated to soften the bills was because the bills WERE going to be written. The legislature wasn't going to sit there and do nothing with all of that pressure from many many groups telling them that the law needed to be fixed. They WERE going to act. Due to the fact that they planned to take action CPU representated patients and caregivers as much as humanly possible in softening the language in the bills. Again, CPU OPPOSES the bills and will lobby hard against their passage on the house floor.

 

I should again also point out I am not a CPU member so don't assume I speak for them. The info I provided is info I gleaned from Malamute's website as told by CPU members there as well as my own readings of CPU's position papers.

 

I, for one, appreciate your open-mindedness on this issue. Many people believe the incorrect hearsay of cain and assert that CPU is an evil, profit-seeking organization. That has no basic in fact.

 

I would also point out that CPU is dispensary neutral. They do not take an issue in regard to dispensaries from what I understand.

[Mememe]

Please explain how the 500-1000 ft. from a church rule is legal. It stops freedom of religion for religions that incorporate marijuana. How can a state make a rule about what happens in proximity to a church?

[ozzrokk]

I am truly not wanting to be arguementative, I just dont view the bills as being as dangerous as some of you do. I hear a lot of blanket statements about how the whole law is about to be destroyed, null and void and then people trying to blame CPU for it all. Like I said earlier I am not a CPU member but I do appreciate the work they have done making these bills less damaging. I never said I wanted the bills to pass or that I support them, just trying to separate fact from fiction as to whether they will destroy the whole law. And no I dont believe for one minute the FEDs are going to sweep through the state and charge all the doctors who are complying with state law. If you would like to agree to disagree with me thats fine but I can have my opinion on this too. Thanks.

 

 

To be honest with you my statement about the treatment being a problem was more about the fuel the drs and medical organizations would use, as if they dont have enough, to not sign even more certifications. As to whether the feds would sweep along and arrest all the doctors, I too agree probably wouldnt happen but the bill just may give them that tool. I sure do hope I am wrong but who knows.

 

 

But hey thats just my opinion.

[Flowergirl]

Please explain how the 500-1000 ft. from a church rule is legal. It stops freedom of religion for religions that incorporate marijuana. How can a state make a rule about what happens in proximity to a church?

 

 

Hi MEMEME,

 

Can you tell me where you are finding that rule? I keep hearing people talk about it but I dont see it in any of the bills anywhere. As far as local municipalities zoning nonresidential businesses I think they have every right to do that no matter what kind of business it is. Im sure you were not asking me to answer that question but Ive seen it talked about a lot so Im just wondering where that is coming from.

[Hayduke]

Hi MEMEME,

 

Can you tell me where you are finding that rule? I keep hearing people talk about it but I dont see it in any of the bills anywhere. As far as local municipalities zoning nonresidential businesses I think they have every right to do that no matter what kind of business it is. Im sure you were not asking me to answer that question but Ive seen it talked about a lot so Im just wondering where that is coming from.

 

 

Thank you Flowergirl. That rule is not in any of the House bills. Was it put up in the Senate? I dunno.... I believe there are requirements like that in the dispensary bill, but I am not even sure of that without looking....

[purklize]

Flowergirl, here's the bill about growing near a church, school, or daycare center.

 

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/%28S%285zuju545kj03m2qiu1ps0oer%29%29/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=2011-SB-0504

[cristinew]

the bill about the church it not being voted on OK

[Hayduke]

Purl,

 

we are not going to be lock step with 3MA. We are separate organizations. There just is no consensus on enough to have us/you give up our respective autonomy.

 

the 17th is a bad day as they are not back from Easter break until the next day. Plus that is Mr. Cain's date, and I assure you I will not support him. Period...

 

It is very hard to be inside lobbying and then outside protesting. It would damage our ability to work in harmony (even if we disagree with the Reps) if we are outside rallying and also inside asking for help.

 

If the bills pass and they are not further improved then that is a different issue. But I will not put the cart in front of the horse on that one.

[purklize]

If the bills pass the house it's too late to do anything... the senate will be a breeze and you can be sure Snyder will rubber stamp anything that hits his desk.

 

All protesting does is draw attention to what's going on - puts the media spotlight on them, so they don't feel like they can get away with ramming something through when no one's watching. Look what Obama did with the NDAA, which legalized the abduction, torture, and killing of US citizens without charge or trial; he signed it right around the ball drop on New Year's Eve - when the media isn't covering their actions, bad things happen.

 

Also, if the community can agree that the 17th is a good day to protest then it is a good day to protest. Like it or not, he was not wrong on everything, and it very well may be the best day to show. Denying this possibility just makes you look stubborn and unreasonable and proves nothing to anyone. Showing up to protest is not "supporting Joe Cain," it is supporting patients throughout Michigan, and if you allow your quarrel with Joe to come before patients it doesn't leave you looking too great.

[Flowergirl]

Flowergirl, here's the bill about growing near a church, school, or daycare center.

 

http://www.legislatu...me=2011-SB-0504

 

 

 

I see its a Jones bill in the Senate. Um I am personally not really that concerned considering this concept has allready been removed in the house.

[purklize]

I didn't mean to suggest either the MMMA or the CPU should give up autonomy... I meant that we should agree on a united plan of action for these next 10 days, namely, lots of letters, emails, phone calls, etc. urging "no" votes, contacting the media (letters to the editor, etc.) and a protest a day or two before the vote to shine a spotlight on their actions.

 

Last fall they were saying they planned on getting everything done by November. Then there was the huge protest on September 7th, and remember what happened after that? Nothing. No votes, no bills moving forward, it scared them straight. To not protest because you are afraid you would irritate them is pure capitulation, and impotent, pitiful, "whipped" begging for our basic rights as human beings.