Grow their own? Too much physical exertion for many sick people.
Buy it from the neighborhood dealer? Too much legal exertion, even for people who aren't sick.
Accept a gift of homegrown from a kind friend? Still against the law, although a recent court case has made enforcement more difficult.
The referendum's simple answer is to set up "nonprofit dispensaries," where those with proper identification could obtain a sanctioned supply.
Big argument against it: Dope fiends would somehow gain access to this legal pot. The reality: Dope fiends are too busy breaking into pharmacies to steal opiates.
Finally, there's another initiative that will probably end up on the November ballot that would cut the annual excise tax on cars in half and eliminate the sales tax and three years of excise tax on new vehicles that get at least 40 miles a gallon.
Liberals hate this idea. Me, too.
If it passes, municipalities will lose $70 million a year (supporters' estimate) or $88 million (opponents' guess) in excise taxes. Cities and towns would likely make that up by raising property taxes. Conservatives call this sort of tax scam "shift and shaft."
Wait, did I say conservatives? But if conservatives are against shift and shaft, how come they're for the excise-tax con game? Which comes off like something dreamed up by ...
Liberals?
Like me?
Polite or profane, you can e-mail me at aldiamon@herniahill.net.
