Pawlenty says he will veto medical marijuana bill

[Cali smoke]

Pawlenty says he will veto medical marijuana bill
By Andy Birkey 5/19/09 4:34 PM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that he will definitely veto a medical marijuana bill that passed the state Legislature on Monday. But, he added, “I have great empathy for the sick.”

Legislators on both sides of the aisle watered down the bill by eliminating the ability for patients to grow their own marijuana, limiting the bill only to patients who are terminally ill and adding a sunset date two years from enactment, but none of those concessions appear to have affected Pawlenty’s opinion of the bill.

Heather Azzi of the Marijuana Policy Project, one of many groups lobbying for the bill, said in an email Tuesday afternoon, “He is going to exercise his power to make sure dying patients, and their family and friends, continue to face arrest and jail for simply trying to alleviate their pain.”

Advocates say that with majority support in the legislature and among Minnesota voters, they will bypass Pawlenty with a Constitutional amendment next year.

 

[astartes]

Who's honestly surprised? Pawlenty and Coleman wil be gone shortly anyways if the Constitutional ammendment doesn't get passed next year. Probably for the best that bastardized version of the bill didn't pass... Very sad for those terminal patients in pain now, but likely better for all in the long run...

a.

 

[yoko]

Well stated astartes. The bill would have only provided compassion(?) for the terminally ill.

It totally ignored the therapeutic benefits that both gardening,and providing for oneself has. So many of these folks are virtual prisoners already. Its just sad.


Yoko

 

[MileHighChic]

I don't know who this Pawlenty fella is..but he sounds like an unsympathetic, ignorant, tight-ass jerk.

Let sick chronic pain sufferers have the right to natural medicine without nasty side effects. It is the humane thing to do. I am soooooo happy I live in Colorado where we can grow legally, sell and obtain marijuana legally and just be a little less paranoid around cops.

It is just so morally wrong for one human being to say you can't grow a wonderful, natural herb that will help alleviate your pain and suffering, but instead you will have to pay a lot of money for man-made substances that make you even sicker and broke. Yeah...all these corrupted politicians want is for us to spend all our money to the pharmaceutical companies and buy their pills. It is propaganda and injustice. My thoughts exactly.... Pawlenty fails as a decent human being and just plain sucks! So do all the dumb asses who are against our rights to legal medicinal marijuana..they just blow. lol!

 

[wellmedicated]

I agree with you two.I watched the house on tv debate the bill and it was ugly.Even if not vetoed it would provide little compassion yet it would still be a step in the right direction....

 

[astartes]

I agree with you, wellmedicated, it would have been a step in the right direction. The problem with steps, is that it's hard to get to the next one. May as well make the first step a larger one to encompass all MMJ patients.

I could easily envision this the bill in current form getting passed and taking years longer to get all MMJ on the books, than rather get all MMJ on the books from the go by waiting a year or two until Pawlenty is out. Bueracracies have a way of dragging their feet. May as well get all the ducks lined up correctly on the first go around...

a.

 

[wellmedicated]

You are right astartes.That was my initial thought alas I am always the optimist.

 

[ReelBusy1]

Like a tight end that tries to run before he catches the ball Gov. Timmy has his eye on a White House run when he can't run his state first.
Gov. Timmy is ignoring his citizens and their majority vote.
Gov. Timmy will veto the bill the legislature and voters want.
Gov. Timmy won't sign off on Al Franken and wants to send that case to the Supreme Court flushing states rights down the drain at the same time.
Gov. Timmy should become a medical MJ patient and chill out.

 

[Kalcu]

It is all just fear, of people sucking when they grow and smoke weed.......or sucking in general and Uncle Sam isn't good at that. The market exists, reasons complicate; hippies saw the future and so it shall remain.

 

[koopa troopa]

first and foremost, let me vouch for pawlenty. he lives down the street from me, literally... dude thinks he's hot shit cuz he's got a matching painted trailer on his driveway with feds posted outside. i speed by there all the time... the whole neighborhood has his back cuz most are conservatives... it's funny cuz my friends live by him too and smoke hella trees. fuck you tim and make sure the door don't smack your hemroids on the way out.

 

[Josey_Wales]

Sorry,
I've read that Pawlenty is a forward thinker, but it's time these idiots started educating themselves on the seemingly limitless benefits of MMJ. I say, get rid of all these ignorant morons and vote other...more compassionate civil servants in their place...ASAP. I mean...they are civil servants who gleen their salaries from Tax payer money..! Hey Pawlenty...Your constituents seem to be educating themselves on the benefits of MMJ as is evident by the polls that show the majority of voters want a MMJ bill passed in every State now. Ignoring your constituents and protecting the lobbyists interests for Corporate America is quickly becoming the fastest track to early retirement for these, "Good ol' Boy" Senators and Congressman who insist on Corporate brown nosing at the expense of their area voters. The Good old Days are gone. We're taking back our Country...one Senator and Congressman at a time.

Fuckin' vote the bastard out..!

Hawke

 

[MagicDro]

another loss - but like some said, maybe better this way for now. pretty sad, that in this day and age, we are still fighting these fools in congress over the same sht for the last 30 or so years..... when will they get it? they have to know the truth by now...

 

[Delta-9 Labs]

Right On MileHighChic! Characters like this Pawlenty sucker most likely do not get laid too often! You would think a little compassion and just simply accept the choices and rights of the people is too much to ask for. Thanks to the younger generation as they will not tolerate these type of people in office.

 

[bass ackwards]

Did he (Pawlenty) really say that? "I have great empathy for the sick". Maybe I'm just slow but I have a hard time understanding how vetoing this bill shows his "empathy".
To begin with the bill is very restrictive. So much so that it is almost a slap in the face of his constituents who pushed for it. It is like saying to those who he emphasizes with " I feel your pain so suffer some more, I may be able to use your pain to my advantage if I decide to pursue higher office".
My symphonies go out to those who could have found relief had he had the nerve to pass the bill.

 

[GreenTrees88]

Once medical marijuana does become legal and makes money, then the industry will have real power -political power. Right now the pharmaceutical companies are paying your governor to veto the bill. Wrong but the truth.
Peace

 

[bigdawg]

I live in his state. when it comes to the medical marijuana issue, he is ignorant. I'm all ready to go when someone does see it straight and add minnesota to the list. of course, it is proven that cannabis is a "smart" persons medicine of choice, so that's why he probably don't get it. I'll be glad when that generation is gone...:rauch08: