NOTE: The following post is an update regarding the Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment yesterday’s post.
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives defeated the Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment by a vote of 262 to 165. Sponsored by Democratic Congressman Maurice Hinchey and Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, this amendment would have prohibited federal funds for the Justice Department from being used to prevent patients in states that have medical marijuana laws from following those laws.
Below, I’ve laid of the U.S. House roll call vote for the latest Medical Marijuana amendment as well as the roll call votes for the similarly worded amendments from the previous three years:
2007’s Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment:
………………………… AYES………………. NOES………………. NV
Republican…………… 15………………….. 183…………………. 5
Democrat…………… 150…………………… 79…………………. 5
———————————————————————————–
Totals……………….. 165………………….. 262……………….. 10
% of Republicans who supported the amendment: 7.4%
% of Democrats who supported the amendment: 64.1%
% of U.S. House that supported the amendment: 37.8%
2006’s Farr-Rohrabacher Amendment:
………………………… AYES………………. NOES………………. NV
Republican…………… 18………………….. 206…………………. 6
Democrat…………… 144…………………… 53…………………. 4
Independent…………… 1
———————————————————————————–
Totals……………….. 163………………….. 259……………….. 10
% of Republicans who supported the amendment: 7.8%
% of Democrats who supported the amendment: 71.6%
% of U.S. House that supported the amendment: 37.7%
2005’s Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment:
………………………… AYES………………. NOES………………. NV
Republican…………… 15………………….. 210…………………. 5
Democrat…………… 145…………………… 54…………………. 3
Independent…………….1
———————————————————————————–
Totals……………….. 161………………….. 264…………………. 8
% of Republicans who supported the amendment: 6.5%
% of Democrats who supported the amendment: 71.8%
% of U.S. House that supported the amendment: 37.2%
2004’s Farr-Rohrabacher Amendment:
………………………… AYES………………. NOES………………. NV
Republican…………… 19………………….. 202…………………. 6
Democrat…………… 128…………………… 66………………… 11
Independent…………… 1
———————————————————————————–
Totals……………….. 148………………….. 268………………… 17
% of Republicans who supported the amendment: 8.4%
% of Democrats who supported the amendment: 62.4%
% of U.S. House that supported the amendment: 34.2%
From the roll call votes, one can see that the percentage of U.S. House members voting in favor of this amendment has increased for three consecutive years. However, the increase from last year to this year was rather marginal. Apparently, the Democrats taking over congress didn’t do much to increase the prospects for victory as half of the U.S. House’s freshman Democrats voted against the amendment, including Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton, California, who issued the following statement this morning:
I have spoken to many law enforcement officials concerned about the effect of drug use on our communities, particularly in San Joaquin County. The problem is real. Just yesterday, Stockton police announced a successful drug sweep—in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies—that led to 51 arrests and the seizure of over 12 pounds of illegal substances…We are facing a drug crisis with meth and other drug use on the rise. Until we get a handle on the crippling drug use in our society, I cannot support the relaxation of current drug policy.
Unfortunately, in his desire to fight to good fight against the scourge of drugs, McNerney has chosen to distort the basic argument behind this debate. For one thing, comparing marijuana to methamphetamine, a much more dangerous drug, is absurd. His argument would have been tantamount to arguing in the 1920’s that we couldn’t afford to end alcohol prohibition on the basis that heroin trafficking was becoming an increasingly big problem.
Secondly, this piece of legislation doesn’t legalize medical marijuana. It merely defunds the arm of the Justice Department that goes after medical marijuana users in states in which medical marijuana is legal. This amendment would have no legal impact upon states in which medical marijuana remains illegal. In voting against this piece of legislation, he has defied the voters of his own state, who voted in favor of legalizing medical marijuana in a statewide initiative in 1996.
Still, as spineless as the Democrats have been on the War on Drugs, House Republicans have consistently voted (on the order of 90%) in favor of allowing the Justice Department to prosecute medical marijuana users. Yet another issue in which Republicans in congress fail miserably in living up to their pro-Constitution, pro-limited government rhetoric.
Birthplace: San Diego, CA
Birthdate: That’s for me to know
Political Party: Independent
Political Philosophy: Libertarian-liberal