Intelligence The O’Reilly Factor
Intelligence/colorado Bob Kinsey Green Party Candidate for US Senate, Colorado
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his morning I stood in front of the Federal Court House in Denver in support of Christopher Bartkowicz. He was arrested by Federal Officers and charged with the offense of growing medical marijuana. He could be sentenced by a Federal Judge to 60 years if found guilty. I don’t know Christopher. I understand that this is not his first conviction on drug related charges. Personally I don’t use his product but..... But I do know that this trial is certifiably insane. I went back to my blog, page 4, on www.kinseyforsenate.org <http://www. kinseyforsenate.org/> written in March of this year to review what I wrote! I said:
militarized force a blank check to override civil liberties and carry out “missions” that actually make us and innocent people elsewhere less safe. Just the fact that the DEA also carries out a war on the industrial Hemp plant makes this obvious. Here we are eliminating a cash crop from our Agricultural sector that could provide many green products--clothing, paper, and oils that I could even use to fuel my diesel car, decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels from abroad. And as I have pointed out above, the arrest and trial of Christopher Bartkowicz, is using taxpayer money: -To contradict Article 10 of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States, -Destroying a useful product that, used recreationally, is far less harmful than alcohol and certainly produces no violent behavior on the users part, destroying a product grown safely and openly taxed that helps our Colorado economy, (I need only say that the increased revenue Colorado Springs has received --primarily from MMJ Dispensaries --has enabled the city to restore public services cut earlier this year.) -Destroying a product that has been shown to help even people suffering PTSD in that other great war on a noun in Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond, -Possibly adding one more incarcerated person to our prisons already filled at higher percentages than most countries on earth at taxpayer expense, -Destroying respect for the rule of law, as people who believe they need this drug are intimidated by their own government. -Protecting the market share of criminal gangs who import unsafe product from other countries.
“Marijuana has been shown to be a very useful drug that has multiple therapeutic applications. Several States, including our own Colorado, have legalized its use as Medical Marijuana. This is not only beneficial but entirely within the power of the State. The only power the US Constitution gives the Federal government is to regulate interstate commerce. The States have the reserved power to regulate the growing and distribution of drugs created in the State. Or so I maintain. The so called “War on Drugs” has damaged American society and has massively contributed to the national deficit. It has filled our prisons with non violent offenders (mostly young black men) to their detriment and the enrichment of the prison-industrial complex. In its name we have escalated our role as the major arms dealer in the world. This “War” adds to world militarization and raises levels of violence everywhere. It has overridden the Constitutional separation of powers between Federal and State. We must end this bogus war on drugs and federal “law” enforcement interference that threatens the individual states’ As the Green Party candidate for US Senate rights to include the production and use of in Colorado I pledge if elected to submit a bill marijuana as a helpful medical application. requiring that the Government take marijuana Certainly misuse of any chemical is bad for off the list of Schedule I drugs and to legalize the individual and can present costs to any the growing of Hemp throughout the US. society. Tobacco and Alcohol have risks but we have learned that prohibition does not work I am not pandering for your vote. This has and undermines respect for law. They are far been a stand of the Green Party for 20 years. more harmful and have less positive uses than It would take the big “Stupid” sign off our back marijuana but we don’t carry out war against that goes next to the “War Crime” sign with them. They are legal and taxed. Good idea. “ regard to the War on Terror. Dude! Whether its “War on Drugs” or “War on Terror” www.kinseyforsenate.org when you declare “war” on a noun you trod “Unlimited Growth is the down a crazy making path to certifiably insane Ideology of a Cancer Cell behavior. These bogus wars give Federal 303-949-4073
40 • cannabis connoisseur
On “The O’Reilly Factor” Tuesday night, host Bill O’Reilly bet John Stossel $10,000 that Prop 19 won’t pass in California.
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ince O’Reilly is so clueless about cannabis-related issues, this is a good thing; it means Prop 19 is destined to pass. In another poor and puzzling attempt to defend our failed status quo, O’Reilly tried to compare marijuana to tobacco, by saying “marijuana is exactly as addictive as tobacco.” Once again, he’s wrong. From TIME magazine yesterday: “Estimates vary, but compared with tobacco, which hooks about 20% to 30% of smokers, marijuana is much less addictive, coming in at 9% to 10%.” According a 1999 report from the federal government’s Institute of Medicine, “Compared to most other drugs … dependence among marijuana users is relatively rare … [A]lthough few marijuana users develop dependence, some do. But they appear to be less likely to do so than users of other drugs (including alcohol and tobacco), and marijuana dependence appears to be less severe than dependence on other drugs.” Yet another great reason to vote for Prop 19; make Bill O’Reilly cough up $10,000 to the charity of John Stossel’s choice. He would never believe it, but Bill O’Reilly may have just put cannabis legalization in CA over the top.