Legalizing Pot: Political Perspectives
(Guest Viewpoint by Jermain Jones, March 25, 2015)
With the act of failing to compromise becoming the new symbol of detestation in legislative bodies across the country, one thing we should be harmoniously in agreement on is the fact that recreational marijuana usage should be one less tiff to bicker over. To put this into a more transparent perspective; in comparison to the Prohibition of Alcohol opponents of recreational marijuana caviling on about why we shouldn’t legalize marijuana are living in 1932. It is only a matter of time before recreational pots savior-or-President Roosevelt arrives and writes into history this long overdue criminalization of marijuana.
Michiganders must decide should recreational marijuana usage continue to be this skeptical almost taboo issue that we shy away from? Or address it. In the state of Colorado recreational Ganja generated $60m in taxes and licensing fees and saved the state $145m that would have been spent fighting marijuana related crimes -an accolade any fiscally responsible law maker would be proud to claim; cited information by State of Colorado’s Department of Revenue. The $60m revenue itemized take in looked like this, 2.9-percent retail and medical marijuana sales tax; a 10-percent retail marijuana special sales tax; and a 15-percent marijuana excise tax, plus application and license fees for retail and medical marijuana not bad.
Michigan’s Fiscal Champion Governor Snyder should be inspired to take a serious look at the additional $60m in added revenue the state of Colorado benefited. With the impending Michigan road repair issue on the conscious of lawmakers concerned for their constituents pocket books. There is no doubt that millions in revenue would ameliorate the burden facing tax payers. Beside the roads the money could also go towards public school construction funds – Department of Education as well as the municipalities in which the stores (dispensaries) operated.
The bi-partisan passage of recreational marijuana usage is a win for the politicians and the people. By decriminalizing marijuana we enable our law enforcement agents to fight real crimes. Michigan and other states average $1 billion dollars annually fighting marijuana: Pew research. Legalizing the substance also enables us to ensure consumers aren’t getting street products with cutting agents that are unhealthy. In California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey and in a dozen other states medical marijuana can be legally prescribed to patients suffering from epilepsy, Crohn’s disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, and multiple sclerosis. It is a known fact that marijuana is a tangible healing agent and with the decriminalization of marijuana we allow more people to use it for its health benefits.
Democrats and Liberals until recently have been the sole support for the legalization of pot. Now the political right is experiencing a surge of support for the wonder drug. 63% percent of Republican millennials believe marijuana should be legalized- Pew research Group. Throw in Ron Paul libertarians and fiscally responsible conservatives and legal pot slowly begins to make sense. Gradually the reality of the legalization of recreational marijuana slowly becomes more realistic. Let’s legalize the pot!
Jones American Political Consulting
In 2006 Jermain began Jones American Political Consulting Firm *JAPC*. Jermain achieved instant success playing an instrumental role in the victory of his first client’s effort for Michigan State Representative in 2006. 2007 Jermain partnered with the Hubert Yopp for Mayor of Highland Park’s Campaign for another successful political effort resulting in Hubert Yopp winning The city of Highland Park’s Mayoral race. 2009-2010 JAPC along with Team Detroit invested in Rick Snyder’s gubernatorial bid. JAPC played an active role in Rick Snyder’s effort in the city of Detroit and surrounding communities organizing campaign strategies conventional and unconventional. 2013 JAPC joined the MIKE Duggan for Mayor of Detroit Campaign initially working as consultant to the campaign’s Regional Organizer but was most successful in it’s role of assisting organize primary election day responsibilities from the campaign headquarters located in downtown Detroit. Jones American Political Consulting Firm came to the rescue of an undermanned primary election day staff by recruiting 50 people to fill the poll locations. Also in 2013 JAPC secured a position assisting the manager of Marian Meisner McClellan for Mayor of Oak Park re-election campaign. Jermain also gained two other viable accountants in the city of Oak Park’s city council race managing the campaign of Carolyn Burns and directing field operations for Kiesha Speech. All three candidates won their elections.