Press Release
4/21/2010


[ROTHSCHILD]  While Democrat legislators introduced a last minute "jobs" bill last week which would further add to Wisconsin's red ink, they now find that won't be able to pass health care legislation which wouldn't have cost Wisconsin anything.

While there are still dozens of bills being considered in the Senate and Assembly this week, the bill aimed at legalizing medical marijuana in Wisconsin will not get a vote in the Legislature this spring, according to sponsor Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison.

"We detect a strange stench coming from the capitol and it isn't burning cannabis," complained Jim Maas, Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin. "The Legislature is demonstrating how dysfunctional democracy is today in Wisconsin. The medical marijuana prescription bill was supported by delegates to Democratic Party convention and the governor. Democrats are the majority in both houses and the bill is no longer that controversial, gaining large majority support in opinion polls. Libertarians and Greens also support it. It was a slam-dunk and they blew it."

In arguing against the bill, Rep. Pat Strachota (R-West Bend) noted the state Department of Health Services said 2.6 million state residents - or nearly half of Wisconsin's population - have medical conditions that could qualify them for the state registry. “Representative Strachota thinks that this herb is too helpful,” said Ben Olson, LPWI Chair. “It is hard to come up with a logical response to complaints that a bill would be too helpful. Meanwhile we read that Wisconsin has had a rash of prescription drug deaths, something which would not be a problem with medical marijuana. It is time to move on.”

Libertarians believe that it is also time for the politicians in the two old parties to move over so the citizens of Wisconsin can be represented by new legislators who will respect their opinions.

The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin believes that only actions that infringe on the rights of others can properly be termed "crimes", and favors the repeal of state, and local laws restricting our fundamental freedom to govern our own lives.
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