Amendment 2 and the Democratic Party

The Amendment 2 debate is heating up and even within the ranks of the Democratic Party dissent is surfacing. According to an article published in yesterdays Miami Herald U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz expressed her concerns that the proposed constitutional amendment “is written too broadly and stops short of ensuring strong regulatory oversight from state officials.”“Other states have shown that lax oversight and ease of access to prescriptions can lead to abuse, fraud, and accidents,” said her statement, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times. “Also, given Florida’s recent history in combating the epidemic of ‘pill mills’ and dubious distinction as having among the highest incidents of fraud, I do not believe we should make it easier for those seeking to abuse the drug to have easy access to it.” Wasserman Schultz, pointing out that she’s a “cancer survivor, mother and lawmaker,” said that she’s “acutely empathetic to the suffering of people with terminal illnesses and chronic pain. My view is that approval of the use of marijuana as a medical treatment should be handled responsibly and in a regulated manner that ensures its approval does not do more harm than good.” Her concerns expressed were immediately sharply criticized by a John Morgan, a trial lawyer and a major Democratic donor, who blasted the national party’s chair, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as an “irritant” who is becoming “irrelevant” after she voiced concerns about a medical marijuana proposal he helped put on Florida’s ballot this November. I applaud Rep. Wasserman Schultz for her principled stance on this issue and to remind us that common sense should prevail. Yours Bernd

Wasserman Schulz and Amendment 2

The Amendment 2 debate is heating up and even within the ranks of the Democratic Party dissent is surfacing. According to an article published in yesterdays Miami Herald U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz expressed her concerns that the proposed constitutional amendment “is written too broadly and stops short of ensuring strong regulatory oversight from state officials.”“Other states have shown that lax oversight and ease of access to prescriptions can lead to abuse, fraud, and accidents,” said her statement, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times. “Also, given Florida’s recent history in combating the epidemic of ‘pill mills’ and dubious distinction as having among the highest incidents of fraud, I do not believe we should make it easier for those seeking to abuse the drug to have easy access to it.” Wasserman Schultz, pointing out that she’s a “cancer survivor, mother and lawmaker,” said that she’s “acutely empathetic to the suffering of people with terminal illnesses and chronic pain. My view is that approval of the use of marijuana as a medical treatment should be handled responsibly and in a regulated manner that ensures its approval does not do more harm than good.” Her concerns expressed were immediately sharply criticized by a John Morgan, a trial lawyer and a major Democratic donor, who blasted the national party’s chair, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as an “irritant” who is becoming “irrelevant” after she voiced concerns about a medical marijuana proposal he helped put on Florida’s ballot this November. I applaud Rep. Wasserman Schultz for her principled stance on this issue and to remind us that common sense should prevail. Yours Bernd