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Colorado Could Become First State to Regulate & Tax Medical Marijuana
Tweet Share on Facebook November 23, 2009 Comment (27)By Laura Chapin, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
DENVER—There was an old hippy saying in the '60s: "If the government figured out a way to tax it, marijuana would become legal." As of last week, Colorado has apparently crossed that Rubicon—at least for the prescribed version.
John Suthers, the state's Republican attorney general, issued an opinion on Nov. 16 that yes, the state of Colorado does have the authority to tax medical marijuana. The opinion was in response to a request for legal clarification from Colorado's Democratic Governor (and former Denver District Attorney) Bill Ritter. The governor's office hasn't indicated whether they support taxing medical marijuana, they simply wanted an official opinion on the state's authority to do so.
Still, Conservatives clapped their hands over a new revenue stream. Liberals are happy that people who are sick and need help will get it. And a cash-strapped state may have found a way to relieve a bit of its budget crunch.
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Anti-Abortion Democrats Should Mind Their Own Business on Healthcare Reform
Tweet Share on Facebook November 4, 2009 Comment (41)By Laura Chapin, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
The Congressional Busybody Caucus has struck again. On Monday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told the Washington Post that leadership was negotiating feverishly with a group of Democrats threatening to deep-six healthcare reform over the issue of abortion. Joined by a larger block of anti-choice Republicans, this group is afraid that a woman who receives federally-funded healthcare coverage might therefore be able to buy private health insurance coverage that includes abortion.
With all respect due to members of Congress, this officially falls into the None of Your Damn Business category. Like it or not, abortion is a legal medical procedure and is included in private health insurance plans just like any other legal medical procedure. Would this contingent have a problem with federal funds going to subsidize a kidney transplant?
