Lansing Mayor Virg Benero |
During the Mackinaw Policy Conference, a new effort to allow
Michiganders the legal right to use Marijuana without arrest, prosecution, and
discrimination was introduced. The group MI
Legalize (www.milegalize.com) is
spearheading an effort to place this issue on the ballot in November 2016. This
Marijuana legalization effort if adopted by the people will allow
municipalities to regulate this industry with 20% of the profits going to the
city or township the provisioning center is located in. The current Michigan Medical Marijuana Act will remain intact.
"Free The Weed for the Jobs We Need" - Richard C. Clement
Michigan residents will have another chance to determine
the direction of the management and regulation of the exploding Marijuana
Industry. Michigan voters have the opportunity to force the reform of the
current system by electing responsible leaders who will do the following:
- Getting a Picture of the Cardholder on the Medical Marijuana Card
- Removing all Marijuana Convictions from citizens who are incarcerated in the legal system
- Use the growing revenue to revitalize blighted properties in Detroit
- Eliminate the requirement of placing Medical Marijuana in the Trunk of your car
- Remove Marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act
- Pot profits for Potholes, School Funding, Retiree Pensions and lowering Co-Pays on Health Insurance with the Affordable Care Act.
Richard Clement and Mrs. Jodie Emery Wife of Marc Scott Emery A Canadian Citizen abused by America's war on Weed. |
Since the Ronald Regan revolution of the 1980, the prison population has
quadrupled to 2.4 million people. Cost per prisoner ranges from $21,000 to
$33,000 per year for each person within the US Prison population. 20% of State
Prisoners and 51% of Federal prisoners are in jail for Drug Charges like
possession of Marijuana. Compared to 4% of the prison population is composed of
robbery and 1% for murder, this is a huge financial commitment to keep people
locked up. Currently, the State of Michigan spends up to $2 billion dollars a
year maintaining their Department of Corrections facilities. On a Federal
level, prison costs are expected to rise to 30 percent of the Department of
Justice's budget by the year 2020.
Davidson Freeway at Oakland Exit |
The ballot proposal by the group MI Legalize will put a major dent
and spur a massive redirection of funds used to prosecute people for Marijuana
crimes. The breakdown of the revenue that will be
generated by this effort will direct 40% of all profits for transportation, 40%
to the school aid fund, and 20% to cities and townships where the business is
located. By
voting in 2016 citizens can elect State of Reps that will introduce legislation
to repeal the law that required people to carry Marijuana in the trunk of their
car like a weapon. This one law is
responsible for many arrests, and convictions of Michigan Citizens was endorsed
by prosecutors and a few mis-guided Michigan State Senators who were “influenced” by Attorney General
Bill Schuette and, the Michigan Sherriff’s Association.
Citizens
can finally force the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (www.michigan.gov/mmp) to place a picture
on the Medical Marijuana card after 6 years of operating the program, calling
an end to the legislative buffoonery when it comes to Information Technology.
While other states like Arizona allow you to upload a passport like picture,
Michigan officials are woefully lacking and intentionally slacking off to sabotage
the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, one of Michigan’s only profit making
programs in State Government.
If
Marijuana is to become legal then, we want our citizens of all races, religions,
spiritual beliefs, political or sexual preference, etc. to have an equal
opportunity to participate in this industry.
Based on population as of 2014, Michigan has 80% more citizens at 9
million residents than Colorado has at 5 million residents. Therefore, Michigan
will make more money than Colorado from the legalization of Marijuana. Schools,
Roads, and Retirees will benefit because a City or County Government can fund
pension programs and defray the cost of their healthcare by diverting the 20%
of profits into the pension system.
This
effort needs 302,400 signatures to be collected by circulators who
are gathering signatures from REGISTERED voters. If you are not registered to vote please do
so ASAP. If you are a felon or know a
felon who is NOT inside of a correctional facility, please inform them that
they are eligible to vote. This
is the non-violent social change that Dr. Martin Luther King was advocating
when he was alive and when people got beat up on a bridge to get the right to
participate in their government.
For
more information about this legalization effort, please visit the www.milegalize.com
website.
For a list of 2016 Presidential Candidates please visit this link:
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