2008-08-25T13:58:05Z opencongress.org tag:opencongress.org,2007:/bill/comments/50131 2008-08-25T13:58:05Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-08-25:/comment/38226 Anonymous I would hope that this bill would pass but reality has shattered my hopes for such a rational bill and cost saving bill. Today I called up Barney Frank’s office and was told that they are very hopeful of the bill but doubted it had any chance of passing this year. He basically told me, as stated above, that Big Parma, the Oil and Textile Industry, and many other industries have too much to lose for Cannabis/Hemp to be legalized. These industries will do everything they can to make sure this bill never sees the light of day. The representative essentially told me that this bill will surely not pass this year; however it will be reintroduced each year in hope of getting more sponsors. Unfortunately as the number has dropped from 7 to 6 co-sponsors; though this at first glance did not surprise me as House of Representative elections coincide with this bills year of introduction. That was until I looked at the name of who withdraw her name as a Co-Sponsor, as it was Rep Zoe Lofgren California! Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 6/24/2008 Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 4/24/2008 Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 6/25/2008 Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 6/5/2008 Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] - 4/17/2008 Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 5/22/2008(withdrawn - 7/31/2008) The Rep’s advice to me was to let as many of my friends as possible know that with out more Co-Sponsors and backing this bill has absolutely no chance of passing. So I urge please write, call, or email your congressman urging him or her to Co-Sponsor the bill, as well as urging all of your friends to do likewise. If you feel to lazy to write up a convincing yet informing message to your congressman I can recommend the preformatted messages from NORML’s website which sends them to your congressman after entering a bit of information. http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=11280301 You can check the detailed status of the bill at Thomas.gov http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:1:./temp/~c110CDfgHS:: 2008-04-24T20:18:18Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-24:/comment/9647 Anonymous More that 35 years and over a trillion ($1,000.000.000,000.00) dollars spent on a failed "War On Drugs". Even many in law enforcement say it is time for change. Check out LEAP - Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. http://leap.cc/cms/index.php?name=Content&pid=2 2008-04-24T19:12:44Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-04-24:/comment/9634 Anonymous Let's spread the word, and contact our reps! Has marijuana ever killed anybody? Ever? A THC crazed Negro. 2008-08-19T23:31:43Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-08-19:/comment/38073 Anonymous I really hope this bill passes becuase im tired of people saying that its bad and should stay illegal. I really think if it wasnt for weed I wouldnt be alive right now. Going through high school I didnt understand why people smoked pot because I thought it didnt do anything good to your body but when I went into college I figured out that not only does it help people that are ill but that it helped me relieve stress. I got so stressed out when I was in college that if it wasnt for weed I think I wouldnt be here right now. I mean dealing with work, school and coming home to deal with parents was really stressfull. So I gave it a try one day and ever since then when I feel stressed I light one up. I'm not addicted to it I can go days, weeks, even months without it but when im stressed I will smoke pot. I support this bill and I already sent a letter to my congressman and hope others do the same. 2008-08-07T19:26:49Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-08-07:/comment/37610 Anonymous Take Action! go to http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=11280301 2008-08-07T19:00:05Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-08-07:/comment/37608 Anonymous It will pass. 2008-07-31T18:19:46Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-31:/comment/37026 Anonymous This bill is doomed to fail. Despite what all the websites, public service announcements, and propaganda tell you, the vast majority of the people who run this government consider their constituency to be sheep who need to be herded at the behest of whoever pays the best. Writing you congressman won't help; for every letter they get, a lobbyist has a stack of cash waving under their nose. Big Pharma won't allow it, some moronic Christians are already claiming this bill is a sign of the "end days", along with the Anti-Christ to be, Barack Obama, and while this certainly isn't a "moral" issue, the opposition will have no trouble turning it into one. I applaud Frank and all of the supporters of this bill for having some common sense, but I doubt it will even make it to the House floor for debate. 2008-07-31T15:18:42Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-31:/comment/37006 Anonymous lets also try sending the messages that the plant itself is useful in other ways than just getting high. we can use it to make bed sheets for every prisoner in the united states, we can make their uniforms, shoes , pillowcases and pillows. all these things we as taxpayer pay for. make all the violent prisoners that should be there work and grow the plants and then make them process the plants and make it into hemp and THEEN make them turn that hemp into the above mentioned items and oh by the way let them smoke it mellow out and stop killing themselves and harming the men and women we pay to watch over them. SUPPORT N.O.R.M.L. brought to you by a member of the armed forces who does not smoke at this time but will upon retirement and I dont want to spend it in jail 2008-07-21T11:19:01Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-21:/comment/35425 ShuckyDarns I totally agree with this bill. I'm from the state of Wisconsin. I am 26 years of age and a marijuana smoker. I use it mostly from pain my body endures. When I was 15 years old I was hit by a semi-truck on a bicycle, the accident has left me with constant pain in my lower and upper back, as well as pain and minimal movement in my right knee at times also. So having no medical insurance, and the forsaken prices of doctor's and meds without it is just crazy. Literally crazy. So, I find remedy and whatnot through cannabis. Which is alot more useful anyways then some narcotic pain pill thats gonna cost me alot more to buy and keep buying, as opposed to just be able to cultivate for my own use. I'm glad to see this bill. I believe responsible adults should have the right to smoke and grow marijuana for personal non-profit use. Here in Wisconsin the marijuana laws are just non-sense. You can walk around with a loaded handgun in your pocket and its just a misdemeanor if your caught with it, but say if you get caught twice with only $10 of marijuana its a felony. How's that? I think it's time to stop and remove these laws they are tasteless and we don't need them. It's time that we spend these dollars otherwise, like on poverty, healthcare, and food for the less fortunate. Not spending these monies locking up an individual for smoking reefer. I think America needs to reset its priorities. Finally a free America? I guess we will have to wait and see. 2008-07-30T14:53:00Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-30:/comment/36906 Anonymous agreed. the best way to get something passed is to write your congressman. you can get the address at your states official website. indiana marijuana smoker 2008-07-30T13:32:01Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-30:/comment/36898 Anonymous If we keep sounding off in favor of this bill, how can it fail. Maraijuana users must make their voices heard. We are not criminals, we are not alcoholics out driving drunk running people down, we are everyday citizens (not criminals) and we should have an individual right to use marijuana if we so choose. It is not only used by minorities, it is used by American citizens and as citizens of the Free World we should have that right. The marijuana law was passed in a storm of racial hatred against blacks and hispanics; however, that time if racial hatred should dissipate from our laws. 2008-07-30T12:59:20Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-30:/comment/36894 Anonymous It won't pass. 95% of Americans could be for it (which they aren't) and it wouldn't pass. Don't hold your breath, Mrs. Raegan was very successful in her WoD and there's a healthy chunk of the population willing and ready to fight this tooth and nail. Regardless of the fact that if we stopped arresting and started fining and taxing the plant we'd save ourselves (and make) a whole bunch of money. 2008-07-30T09:50:41Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-30:/comment/36887 Anonymous Pay attention to the opposition to this bill. You will find that the biggest opponents are the ones that stand the most to lose. Pfizer, and other major U.S. drug manufacturers will throw whatever money is necessary at this issue to make it go away. As much as I'd like to see this bill pass, I don't think it has a snowballs chance in hell of passing. 8 years and an executive office that has far too much power later, we're talking about an issue that really could have been resolved. Thanks once again to the idiot Bush supporters, My government gets to keep on telling me what I can and can't do with my own body. Fortunately for me, I live in a state (CA) and county (Santa Cruz) that doesn't have its head stuffed up its ass, and essentially allows me to smoke if I want.( Until I'm priced out of my own birthplace, but that is another issue) It's decriminalized here and most of the time the Cops will look the other way in case of a minor possession. Very forward thinking. But what about states like Florida where posession of 20 grams OR LESS (that is less than an ounce of a natural growing plant for you mouth breathing republicans) is a MANDATORY 1 year in jail and a 1000 dollar fine. Connecticut has similar laws. 2008-07-18T13:49:32Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-18:/comment/34838 Anonymous I am a strong supporter of this bill, but have to point out the fact that people speaking absurdly (like the above profanity laced rant) are probably the largest reason this will never pass. You can not act as if there is nothing wrong with bud, if you talk like a fool. Play the game of life, prosper individually, and push for a better society. Screaming 'motherfuckers" only helps the people in charge keep things like bud illegal. 2008-07-15T14:00:30Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-15:/comment/34184 Anonymous Write your congressman and urge them to support this bill! 2008-07-14T09:55:15Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-14:/comment/33941 Anonymous i believe wut u sed cuz da same thing happened 2 me n freshman year a $372 fine and a weeks suspension nd disciplinary probation until i graduate for less than a fuckin half a gram fuck this war on drugs dis is just bullshit 2 lock motherfuckers up the gov't wants everyones $ bcuz they sell physically addicting substances (caffefine, tobacco, alcohol) as well as something that can kill you as well fuck dese niggaz 2008-07-21T11:19:49Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-07-21:/comment/35426 ShuckyDarns You are very ignorant. 2008-06-29T23:25:04Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-06-29:/comment/30703 Anonymous I don't get it. Isn't Congress SUPPOSED to vote representing the people. If 70% of the people are in favor of decriminalizing personal, responsible cannabis use, then why does Congress vote against it? It seems to be the congress men and women are voting for what THEY believe rather than doing their job and voting how WE believe. To me that should be considered illegal. We don't vote them into office to make decisions for us, we vote them in to make stand up for what we believe in and should vote accordingly even if in disagreement with their personal opinions because that is how our government was designed. Again, anything other than that should be illegal and these congress people should be penalized and removed from office. 2008-06-29T14:20:28Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-06-29:/comment/30630 stopthepuppetgov I have a friend who was in school getting As n because of a break in next door the office came to his house for help getting information. the next thing you know he his being sent to jail like he was a harden criminal. Smoking cannabis never causes the violence or acts of crime(break in occurred after a party) and is good way to relax. Now he is kicked out of school and has trouble getting a good job. his only job is workin with actual harden criminals. This prohibition is very troubling because it turns decent citizens into criminals. The Government needs to stop giving the organized crime a way gain money(most of their money comes from the sale of cannabis) and causing violence in our streets. It is not the gov. job tell us no but rather protect our liberities. What is the point of the war on terror when the liberities we are fighting for are being denied by our own gov. 2008-06-03T11:02:41Z tag:opencongress.org,2008-06-03:/comment/18961 mikelate39 I would love for this to pass, but for some reason it is an issue that Congress seems to be way behind the public. On the documentary on Show time recently stated up to 70% of people support medical marijuana. I just don't get it. I am pretty new to this site and the processes of Congress, does anyone have an approximation on when the House will vote on this?