Well, it's a case of one party rule in the city and county of Milwaukee. There's incompetence and neglegence, cronyism and corruption in the workforce and elected officials. The others look the other way, so nothing changes, and they get the government they deserve. But never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence alone. I imagine it's much the same in south Florida.
Did the LDS "support" any other ballot initiatives this go around?
Hummm, someone could make a case that they are going beyond their tax exempt status. Of course, they could just start and fund a SuperPAC and stay in the shadows...
But no matter, good for Utah!!
First time we've had a race close enough to see this. Mia Love is suing to stop counting votes in the county she's losing (badly) in. But go ahead and keep counting where she's winning.
https://fox13now.com/2018/11/14/utahs-medical-marijuana-initiative-is-about-to-get-swapped-out-with-a-compromise-bill-in-the-legislature/
https://fox13now.com/2018/11/14/utahs-medical-marijuana-initiative-is-about-to-get-swapped-out-with-a-compromise-bill-in-the-legislature/
I'm being censored by Fox.
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SALT LAKE CITY -- On Utah's Capitol Hill, lawmakers are finalizing a bill that would replace Proposition 2, the medical marijuana ballot initiative approved by voters last week.
Thursday morning, Fox 13 News learned TRUCE and others have retained attorney Rocky Anderson and are threatening a lawsuit over the involvement The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had with the Utah Legislature regarding that bill.
Sponsors of Prop. 2 were meeting with opponents and legislative leadership on Wednesday night to hammer out some final language ahead of a Dec. 3 special session. A final "compromise" bill is expected to be made public next week, said Connor Boyack, the president of the Libertas Institute, who has been involved in the closed-door negotiations.
"What the public is going to see in the final special session is, from our perspective, about 90% of what was in Proposition 2. There’s some stuff we don’t like. There’s some stuff we’ve compromised on, but there’s some ways it’s better for patients. We’ve taken advantage of these negotiations to improve the proposal," he told FOX 13.
Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, who vigorously opposed Prop. 2, also believes the bill will be better for Utahns than what voters passed.
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Utah Department of Health prepares to start distributing medical marijuana, expanding Medicaid
"I feel like we are honoring the will of the voters and doing it in a way that’s responsible and also protects those who need to be protected," he said.
The compromise bill came about as a result of Prop. 2 going on the November ballot. Supporters and opponents were gearing up for vicious campaigns when House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, brought together the Utah Patients Coalition (Prop. 2's sponsor), Libertas Institute, the Utah Medical Association, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others to craft an agreement to give Utah a medical cannabis program, regardless of whether the initiative passed or failed.
Supporters of Prop. 2 still urged voters to approve it to send a message to lawmakers. It passed with about 53% of the vote.
"We understand as a group there are some minor changes that need to be made [to Prop. 2], but not the wholesale slaughter of this that it appears the opposition has compromised on," said Doug Rice, the community liaison for Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education (TRUCE) which pushed medical marijuana legislation.
TRUCE has vocally opposed the compromise bill and pressed lawmakers to simply enact what voters approved in Prop. 2.
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Utah’s medical marijuana initiative could also test the LDS Church’s political clout
Boyack said Prop. 2 sponsors had no choice but to negotiate.
"If we would just say 'Proposition 2 or die,' the legislature -- as it’s probably going to do with some of the other initiatives -- was going to start monkeying with it and not in a good way for patients," he said.
Still, some lawmakers are uneasy with overriding a ballot initiative. At the House Minority Caucus luncheon on Wednesday, Democratic lawmakers quizzed legislative lawyers on the compromise bill being proposed. Rep. Karen Kwan, D-Taylorsville, said she was troubled that a final bill hasn't really been released for her or the public to see.
"I think voters were already upset with the legislature and that’s why they wrote this, they signed this, they came to vote this in. The thing is, it passed," Rep. Kwan told FOX 13.
RELATED STORY
Utah’s medical marijuana ballot initiative will pass
House Republicans also were briefed on the bill in the Majority Caucus. Rep. Daw said he believed they have the votes to pass the compromise legislation.
"At the end of the day, it needs to pass. I think it will pass," he said. "It is a much better bill than Prop. 2. And at this point, it’s better than doing nothing. It will pass."
The bill is still being tweaked, but Boyack said there were some key differences:
"Grow your own" if you don't live within 100 miles of a dispensary is gone.
The list of disorders and patient conditions has been modified slightly and the definition of "pain" is expanded.
"Buds" are allowed, but will be dispensed in blister packs with dosage limits.
No edibles or candies, but a cube-shaped gummy or a lozenge.
Oils, tinctures, topicals and vaping are OK.
State-run "pharmacies" to dispense cannabis product. There will also be some limited private dispensaries allowed.
On Dec. 1, "affirmative defense" takes effect, meaning an eligible medical cannabis patient would not likely be prosecuted for marijuana possession, even if it was bought illegally.
State agencies are preparing to figure out how to dispense medical cannabis. Utah Agriculture and Food Commissioner LuAnn Adams met with lawmakers on Wednesday to discuss their concerns. Under both, the agency has been tasked with "growing" marijuana (but in reality, they will contract with state licensed cultivators).
Commissioner Adams raised concerns about transporting it and what happens if some of the medical cannabis were to wind up on the streets.
"Make sure that doesn’t get on the black market," she said. "We just want to make sure it’s safe for the public."
TRUCE was urging its supporters to call their lawmakers and Governor Gary Herbert's office to push for Prop. 2 to be implemented instead of the compromise bill. TRUCE was also not ruling out a lawsuit.
"The gamut is available to us. Any of our options are being considered including litigation," Rice told FOX 13.
A public hearing on the compromise bill is scheduled for Nov. 26. You can read the latest draft of the bill here.
UPDATE: FOX 13 obtained a "preservation letter" Thursday morning sent by TRUCE that calls on the legislature and the LDS Church to maintain records relating to the compromise bill in case of a lawsuit.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints welcomed the opportunity to participate in a broad community effort to alleviate pain and suffering,” Marty Stephens, director of community and government relations, said in the statement. “Today the passage of the Utah Medical Cannabis Act once again shows how organizations with diverse interests can come together to resolve difficult issues for the benefit of those who suffer while simultaneously protecting our children.”
Utah Senators voted 22-7 on Monday for SB96, sending to the House a replacement Medicaid expansion plan that initially costs considerably more money to cover fewer people than the voter-approved Proposition 3, and which would automatically repeal itself if the state fails to receive funding waivers from the federal government.
or mildly red with purple outlines...
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it does not support a bill to eliminate 3.2 beer in Utah.
"The Church opposes Senate bill 132 in its current form. We, along with other community groups, oppose legislation which represents a fifty percent increase in alcohol content for beer sold in grocery and convenience stores," Marty Stephens, the LDS Church's Director of Government Relations, said in a statement to FOX 13.
The Church's statement did not surprise the bill's sponsor, or groups who support Senate Bill 132.
"I don’t believe there’s any way they can support that bill," said Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton. "And, in fact, I doubt there’s a way they can stay neutral."
The LDS Church is a powerful presence on Utah's Capitol Hill and the faith's positions on alcohol policy are well known.
"They are, of course, a significant factor," said Kate Bradshaw of the Responsible Beer Choice Coalition, which supports SB132. "Ninety percent of the Utah State Legislature adheres to their faith so it does make them a significant player and a factor. We hope to just appeal to the reasonableness of what we’re putting forward. It’s a small modest change. It’s respectful of Utah’s unique culture. It’s respectful of public safety concerns, but it does address the significant market pressures of being the last significant 3.2 beer market."
As a result of bigger beer states ditching 3.2 beer, Utah is left with dwindling product on store shelves. SB132 raises the legal definition from 3.2 to 4.8% alcohol by weight.
See the list of beer brands disappearing from store shelves here
Local brewers have opposed SB132, wanting to raise the alcohol content even higher. They have argued the bill benefits only "mega-brewers" like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors.
During the Senate Business and Labor Committee's hearing last week, lawmakers questioned whether increasing the alcohol content truly represented a 50% increase. The bill passed unanimously.
Sen. Stevenson said the LDS Church's position won't change him running his bill. He believed there are enough votes to pass the Utah State Senate, but was not sure about the House of Representatives.
"I’ve looked at this for three years now. There’s momentum building, has been for quite a while now and I don’t just think it’s a retailer-sponsored bill now. This is real. There will be active constituents if we don’t look at doing something," he said, suggesting beer drinkers would be angry at a lack of choice on store shelves.
SB132 could come up for a vote in the Utah State Senate later this week. Previously, supporters of the legislation have told FOX 13 they would not rule out a 2020 ballot initiative for beer (and wine) in grocery and convenience stores.
"I would say nothing is off the table at this point," Bradshaw said.
https://www.ksl.com/article/46485207/gov-herbert-signs-prop-3-medicaid-expansion-replacement-into-law (https://www.ksl.com/article/46485207/gov-herbert-signs-prop-3-medicaid-expansion-replacement-into-law)
Maybe some free proxy server would help. There are some online.
I was old enough to see his campaign happening, but young enough to not fully understand or pay attention to the details. Couldn't vote and politics is forbidden in the parents house, but I always felt a 3rd party was a good idea in general.I feel that if the Libertarians didn't put so much emphasis on the drug thing, that a lot of Republicans (and maybe a few Dems, too) would join them and make it a real party. Thing is, they aren't getting any of the Federal Election fund (you know, that one dollar that you opt in to play every year, when you do your taxes) due to the fact that they need to hit a threshold of (IIRC) 5% of the popular vote in the General Election to qualify for i(That and part of the free airtime that they could get). That would make a big difference in getting their message out.
Not likely to happen until the US Military is curtailed…
If its there, its gonna be used.
I feel that if the Libertarians didn't put so much emphasis on the drug thing, that a lot of Republicans (and maybe a few Dems, too) would join them and make it a real party. Thing is, they aren't getting any of the Federal Election fund (you know, that one dollar that you opt in to play every year, when you do your taxes) due to the fact that they need to hit a threshold of (IIRC) 5% of the popular vote in the General Election to qualify for i(That and part of the free airtime that they could get). That would make a big difference in getting their message out.I feel, and I said so when the election came out wrong, that the small-government conservatives ought to go Libertarian en mass, take over that party, and end their unnatural partnership with the Big Government social conservatives. Those two things do not belong together, even when they're in the same person.
I've always considered them to be Republican Light...
So, we've had the investigation, the report, and now the hearings about the report. Plenty of rhetoric as well. If the Democrats don't start impeachment hearings now it implies two possibilities-
1) They got nothing in the way of evidence of a crime.
2) All they care about is political power, not ethics, rule of law or The Constitution, same as the Republicans.
I suspect it's #2, but plenty of voters will think it's #1. Maybe they'll surprise me and do their duty regardless of consequences.
No, I'm not interested in playing spot the individual error of fact, when my concern is about a much bigger meta-issue; I came to call bull on the constant right-wing cheap-shots that sound like every single conservatroll on the net - and I find you don't know, not even who the enemy of freedom and the American Way is, but you don't have any idea, if your remarks are as honest as you want me to believe, WHO the Democrats are. There is no interesting dialogue to be had going down the rabbit hole of thrashing out every single thing you say of them that turns out not to be the case for in excess of 90% -a butt-pull number, I admit, but a very generous one- of people on the left.
Arguments on the internet are for stubborn fools, and I do try to suppress my weakness for stubborn foolery, and sometimes fail, as now - but conversations between people who disagree -there is a difference- are possible, and can be productive. It's all a matter of attitude, which is really what I wish to challenge you on. Pointing at the pretty black lady in the head-hanky isn't exactly taking personal responsibility...
COMPLETELY unacceptable - like, oughta be a felony. I'm serious. That's the worst sort of bossman bullying, telling you what to do off the job, EVER - and especially when it comes to tampering with the American system.
Government decisions play an important role in the operations of our business, and governmental regulations have a direct impact on our bottom line. We, as a company, need to be involved in the legislative decision-making process to encourage the election of candidates supportive of our lines of business and to ensure proper representation of our priorities and values. We established the [snip] Political Action Committee (PAC) with this premise in mind.
Regardless of your participation in the political process, decisions are being made every day that affect your job and our company. Making your voice heard is important. (insert link to PAC)
Are you serious? They are willing to offer their money to the company? For no return at all?
Are you serious? They are willing to offer their money to the company? For no return at all?
Not no return, to ensure you have a job. Gotta remember most of the folks I work with will be voting for [Sleezebag] again as well because Fox News says democrats are the devil.
Say, Momma asked me a couple weeks ago what the Euros were saying about the Pig. I could only answer "Not much".
Geo, you're pretty much it for dirty foreigners among our regulars these days - what's the buzz over in those parts on the Dirtbag in White House?
What is the Republican Party coming to?
The one thing I can say about Sanders is he is remarkably consistent. One has to at least respect that. Something I can't say for most politicians.