« Updated Harvest Fest schedule of events | Main | October 3rd, again... »
October 02, 2006
NORML's "Smoke the Vote" rates Wisconsin congressional delegation
Posted by Gary Storck
Monday, October 2, 2006
National NORML has launched their "Smoke the Vote" campaign.
Project VoteSmart rates Members of the House of Representatives on their voting record for several different marijuana-related bills and amendments click here.
The Wisconsin delegation stacks up like this:
Dave Obey- D 30
Tammy Baldwin- D 20
Ron Kind- D 10
Gwen Moore- D 5
Mark Green- R -10
Paul Ryan- R -10
Tom Petri- R -20
Jim Sensenbrenner- R -20
No big surprises here. Tammy Baldwin was edged out by David Obey because he voted against HJ Res. 117 in 1998, before Baldwin took office. If you consider that Tammy has been the sole member of the delegation to cosponsor The States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act year after year, as well as the Truth in Trials Act, then her score would be much higher. Tammy also sponsored medical cannabis legislation in the Wisconsin Assembly before moving up to Congress.
Ron Kind, on the other hand, lost points because he voted for HJ Res. 117, "Expressing the Sense of Congress that Marijuana is a Dangerous and Addictive Drug and Should not be Legalized for Medicinal Use" To his credit, he has supported the Hinchey Amendment, but twice, he broke appointments with Jacki Rickert at his DC office.
Gwen Moore deserved her score of 5. Despite strong support for medical cannabis in her district, she has been unwilling to do anything more than vote for the Hinchey Amendment. Attempts by state medical cannabis supporters to meet with her office in DC have been rebuffed. Despite her supposed progressive pedigree, she has been little better than her all but useless predecessor, Jerry Kleczka, on this issue. Based on her Hinchey votes, she deserves reelection, but she also needs education from her constituents so she can better reflect their overwhelming support of medical marijuana.
Mark Green, the anti-medical cannabis zealot now running for Wisconsin governor, got off with only a -10. His actual score should be much lower, and if elected, would likely veto any medical marijuana legislation, should it reach his desk. His opponent, Gov. Jim Doyle, has been on record since before his election in 2002 as ready to protect patients by signing medical marijuana legislation, should the legislature get it to him.
Paul Ryan also got off easy. Like Green, he is willing to put his opposition to medical cannabis in writing. His votes against the Hinchey Amendment reveal a man very comfortable with laws that put patients in jail for using medical cannabis.
Tom Petri, described by many as a moderate, is clearly no moderate on medical cannabis as evidenced by tying Jim Sensenbrenner for the lowest score.
Posted by Gary at October 2, 2006 07:10 PM
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)