Drug Policy

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,513 posts) Wed Dec 10, 2014, 09:30 AM Dec 2014

Congressional Spending Bill Blocks D.C. From Legalizing Marijuana

Congressional Spending Bill Blocks D.C. From Legalizing Marijuana

When we say "no taxation without representation," we mean you. Hooray for small government.

Sarah Anne Hughes in News on Dec 9, 2014 10:25 pm

Because they can, Congress is attempting to block D.C. from legalizing marijuana as part of a $1.1 trillion spending bill, directly ignoring the will of 65 percent of local voters.

"None of the funds contained in this Act may be used to enact any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, Controlled Substances Act or any tetrahydrocannabinols derivative for recreational purposes," the spending bill states. That language comes from Maryland Rep. Andy Harris, who previous attempted to defund D.C.'s marijuana decriminalization law. Decriminalization is not specifically mentioned in the spending bill, but a press release from the House Appropriations Committee makes this clear: The bill "prohibits both federal and local funds from being used to implement a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana use in the District."

The riders don't stop there. The bill also includes a provision that would force the D.C. Council to add a so-called "conscience clause" allowing health insurance providers to not cover contraception.

Nothing in this Act may be construed to prevent the Council or Mayor of the District of Columbia from addressing the issue of the provision of contraceptive coverage by health insurance plans, but it is the intent of Congress that any legislation enacted on such issue should include a ‘‘conscience clause’’ which provides exceptions for religious beliefs and moral convictions.

....
But perhaps nothing — nothing! — can top the absurdity of the following rider, which has been included before:

None of the Federal funds contained in this Act may be used by the District of Columbia Attorney General or any other officer or entity of the District government to provide assistance for any petition drive or civil action which seeks to require Congress to provide for voting representation in Congress for the District of Columbia.

The last colony, indeed.

11 replies

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Congressional Spending Bill Blocks D.C. From Legalizing Marijuana (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2014 OP

DC is always and has always been regulated by pipoman Dec 2014 #1

YOU might not....but the people living there VanillaRhapsody Dec 2014 #3

I get that pipoman Dec 2014 #4

NO you don't get that VanillaRhapsody Dec 2014 #5

No, you apparently don't get it pipoman Dec 2014 #6

I live in the area and I do get it.. VanillaRhapsody Dec 2014 #7

Do you know what a slave is? pipoman Dec 2014 #8

The cost of keeping MJ criminal is much higher than de-crim. GreatGazoo Dec 2014 #2

D.C. scrambles to preserve pot legalization law gutted by Congress mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2014 #9

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2015 #10

Why the fear? Luxadvector Feb 2015 #11

pipoman

(16,038 posts)

1. DC is always and has always been regulated by

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 09:45 AM

Dec 2014

Congress. It is regulated by Congress because it is the nation's capital. It is bigger than the residents, and every resident knows this and knew it when they decided to live there. I'm not sure i really want DC to be among the first places to legalize pot for recreation. If this movement among the states continues, legalization will come soon enough.

VanillaRhapsody

(21,115 posts)

3. YOU might not....but the people living there

Reply to pipoman (Reply #1)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 09:51 AM

Dec 2014

Overwhelmingly disagree with you...

pipoman

(16,038 posts)

4. I get that

Reply to VanillaRhapsody (Reply #3)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 10:07 AM

Dec 2014

It doesn't belong to the residents of the city, it belongs to the citizens of the US. It is why DC isn't in a state. Every resident of DC knew this when they decided to live there instead of Virginia or Maryland. I have no problem at all with states legalizing. ..in fact I believe it is overdue.

VanillaRhapsody

(21,115 posts)

5. NO you don't get that

Reply to pipoman (Reply #4)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 10:08 AM

Dec 2014

Are these citizens your slaves? You own their lives because of where they live?

pipoman

(16,038 posts)

6. No, you apparently don't get it

Reply to VanillaRhapsody (Reply #5)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 10:19 AM

Dec 2014

The residents of DC chose to live within 68 square miles out of 3.8 million square miles that belongs to all of the citizens of the US. This is nothing new.

VanillaRhapsody

(21,115 posts)

7. I live in the area and I do get it..

Reply to pipoman (Reply #6)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 10:21 AM

Dec 2014

You I am not so sure about..these are Americans I might remind you. .you don't own them because they were mostly BORN there...

pipoman

(16,038 posts)

8. Do you know what a slave is?

Reply to VanillaRhapsody (Reply #7)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 10:50 AM

Dec 2014

GreatGazoo

(3,937 posts)

2. The cost of keeping MJ criminal is much higher than de-crim.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Dec 10, 2014, 09:48 AM

Dec 2014

What if they privately fund the de-crim? as in by getting funding from future sellers/outlets.

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,513 posts)

9. D.C. scrambles to preserve pot legalization law gutted by Congress

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Dec 12, 2014, 01:27 PM

Dec 2014

No taxation without representation.*

* Some conditions may apply. See store for details.

Warning: clicking on links to the Washington Times brings on pop-up ads for cures for erectile dysfunction.

D.C. scrambles to preserve pot legalization law gutted by Congress

By Andrea Noble - The Washington Times - Wednesday, December 10, 2014

The congressional architect of an amendment in a massive federal spending bill that rolled back new D.C. marijuana laws says the bill will block the city’s voter-approved referendum legalizing recreational use of the drug, despite assertions from local leaders that the initiative could stand.

The addition of the “rider” in the $1.1 trillion budget measure released Tuesday sent D.C. lawmakers and activists scrambling Wednesday to determine the extent of the damage the amendment could cause as well as to lobby to have it removed.
....

Andrea Noble is a crime and public safety reporter for The Washington Times. She can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.

Response to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Name removed Message auto-removed

Luxadvector

(18 posts)

11. Why the fear?

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Thu Feb 5, 2015, 03:19 AM

Feb 2015

Crime rates have dropped and the budget is surplus (!); why aren't people happy to have it de-criminalized, sold and taxed like we did here in Colorado?

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