Non-bill Bill Aims to Kill Proposition 2 (MMJ)
Members of a secretive group working to kill Proposition 2 deny that they have drafted a bill to replace Utah citizens’ medical marijuana initiative. One small problem is that Salt Lake Tribune Columnist Robert Gehrke possesses a copy of the bill. The one that doesn’t exist. That’s an oopsie.
“No bill.”
“What about THIS bill?”
“Oh, bill! I thought you were asking for William.”
The small group, which includes the lobbyist for the Mormon Church Marty Stephens, Speaker of the House Greg Hughes, and Utah Medical Association lobbyist Michele McOmber, notably does not include a single patient or a single sponsor of Proposition 2. Not one. It is a clown car intended to take a few laps while the riders agree with themselves, pop out, and—walla!—announce to Utah voters, before they vote on the citizens’ initiative, that peace has broken out all over in that great Utah way, the parties came together, (blah, blah, blah), hard-fought battle, worked through their differences, (bullshit, bullshit, bullshit), not everyone got everything they wanted, extremists on both sides unhappy, (I am the eggman), clearly they want recreational marijuana, (They are the eggmen), all hail the “UTAH COMPROMISE,” no need to vote for Proposition 2 (I am the walrus), Governor Herbert, call that special session before the paint dries, (Goo goo g’joob)!
So that it won’t look like the church is negotiating entirely with itself, Libertas—a libertarian think tank that does not represent patients—sits on the “patients” side of the table. Surely you’ve heard of Libertas. It is a household name in Utah, a political juggernaut, equal to both the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Utah Medical Association. No? Hmm. You need to get out more, because Libertas is the little—as in very little; no, tiny; well, to be candid, insignificant—organization that is carrying the mantel of the 60+% of Utahns who want medical marijuana over the opposition of the Utah Legislature and the most powerful individuals and organizations in Utah, that have all assembled to kill Proposition 2 or, after it passes, gut it. You heard it here first: Libertas. The power brokers of Utah are going toe-to-toe, in two-fisted slobber-knocking negotiations, with Libertas™. Li-ber-tas, accent on the second or third syllable.
The Utah Bee will run follow-up articles on this circus. But for now, one thing is clear: “negotiations” without patients and sponsors of Proposition 2 aren’t negotiations. They are a joke. More importantly, now is not the time for negotiations. The Legislature, at the direction of the Mormon Church, did nothing on medical marijuana for 4 years. It should keep that up for one more month, until it gets its clear marching orders on medical marijuana from Utah voters. These current efforts are not legitimately aimed at meaningful “compromise.” They are cynically aimed at a press release and yet another assemblage of the Utah establishment that opposes Proposition 2 (and Libertas!) telling voters that everything has been worked out and wrapped up in a pretty bow.
This is government at its worst. Vote for Proposition 2. And, Governor Herbert, walk away, please; this nonsense does not a Special Session make
.The Utah Bee seeks to share both sides of a debate. If anyone who opposes Proposition 2 wants to submit a piece with their views, we will gladly accept it.