Pubdate: Wed, 02 Mar 2011
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2011 The Billings Gazette
Contact: http://billingsgazette.com/app/contact/?contact=letter
Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515
Author: Steve Penning

MEDICAL POT REPEAL WOULD BE ABUSE OF POWER

House Bill 161 is against the popular sovereign will of the people. To
vote for this bill is in violation of Article 2, Section 1 of the
Constitution of the state of Montana. Furthermore, to have sponsored
this bill is an abuse of power. Article 5, Section 1, Power and
structure. The legislative power is vested in a legislature consisting
of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The people reserve to
themselves the power of initiative and referendum.

Every senator and representative had a vote on the issue of medical
marijuana when it was voted in. For the Legislature to vote on
repealing medical marijuana is to invalidate every one of our votes
and violate our popular sovereignty. It does not matter if you voted
for or against an initiative, for the Legislature to repeal any
initiative is an abuse of power and unconstitutional. This is one of
the things our forefathers warned us about.

Legislators, think of what you are doing.

Rep. Mike Milburn, R-Cascade, speaker of the house and sponsor of HB
161, should be ashamed of his ignorance of our Constitution and voted
out of office for his arrogance. For Milburn to sponsor a bill to
repeal an initiative is an abuse of power.

The issue is not medical marijuana. The issue is popular sovereignty,
the very cornerstone of our society. The very beginning of our
Constitution. God help us all. If this passes and stands, we have no
rights. The few will have ruled the many.

Steve Penning

Billings
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.