Pubdate: Tue, 8 Jul 2008
Source: Detroit News (MI)
Page: Front Page
Copyright: 2008 The Detroit News
Contact:  http://detnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/126
Author: Charlie Cain, Kim Kozlowski and Gary Heinlein, The Detroit News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

3 HOT-BUTTON ISSUES POISED FOR NOV. VOTE

Medical Marijuana Use, Government Reform, Stem Cells May Mobilize Voters.

Michigan voters will likely decide a red-hot trio of ballot questions 
in November: a massive overhaul of state government, a plan to ease 
restrictions on stem cell research, and another that would allow 
seriously ill people to legally smoke marijuana.

In a normal year, the marijuana proposal would trigger the most 
controversy, experts say. But the other two ballot propositions are 
laced with such high emotion that the pot proposal may turn out to be 
the tamest of all.

"Medical marijuana is the least controversial of the three by far," 
said former state lawmaker Dianne Byrum, the spokeswoman for that 
proposal, as well as the reform proposal, which would trim the size 
of state government, slash the pay and benefits of elected officials 
and cut the size of the Legislature and the state's highest courts.

Backers of the stem cell and government reform proposals filed 
petition signatures with the state Monday. The Board of State 
Canvassers is expected to decide late next month whether organizers 
collected enough valid signatures to win spots on the ballot. Court 
challenges to both proposals are expected. The medical marijuana 
proposal has already won a spot on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The reform proposal, which has been under the political radar and 
caught most elected officials by surprise, will face strong 
opposition from the likes of the Michigan Republican Party, Michigan 
Chamber of Commerce and many lawmakers, some of whom could lose their 
jobs under the far-reaching plan. It has the support of organized 
labor and the Michigan Democratic Party, which sources say were 
instrumental in its drafting.

"The reform proposal, or the stealth proposal as some call it, would 
be the most dramatic organizational change in state government since 
the 1963 constitution," said Craig Ruff, senior fellow at Public 
Sector Consultants, a Lansing-based, nonpartisan public policy think tank.

The debate over the stem cell proposal is expected to be noisy and heated.

"It will have scientific champions and religious opposition, with a 
lot of voters not having a clue what it's about," Ruff said. "I 
imagine it will have a pretty provocative ad campaign on both sides."

While debate over the proposals won't drown out the presidential 
race, it could overshadow state and local races, he said.

"From the standpoint of what voters can do to change the direction of 
state government, there is no question the ballot proposals will have 
a far more consequential impact than any election for state and local 
offices," he said.

Bill Ballenger, editor of Inside Michigan Politics, said the ballot 
proposals could draw some people to voting booths who might otherwise 
stay home.

"It might energize small, sliver constituencies," he said. "But if 
you're not motivated to vote for president, why get off the couch for 
medical marijuana? And I can't envision many couch potatoes saying 
they don't care about the race for president, but will be out there 
voting on the stem cell issue."

Ballenger is among those who believe the government measure will be 
struck from the ballot by state courts.

Below is a look at the plans:

Stem Cells

Scientists who use new human embryos for stem cell research can face 
a $10 million fine and up to 10 years in prison.

Under the ballot proposal, the state constitution would be amended to 
allow scientists to derive embryonic stem cells from human embryos 
for medical research.

The proposal would also ban the sale of embryos for research and 
uphold a Michigan law that prohibits human cloning.

Backers of the plan say embryonic stem cell research could lead to 
better therapies and possible cures for diseases. They turned in more 
than 570,000 signatures.

The proposal has bipartisan support, including from the presumptive 
presidential nominees, Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama.

Scientists are seeking access to embryos that are left over from in 
vitro fertilizations, which typically are thrown away.

"The choice that will face Michigan voters is this: Do we take these 
thousands of stem cells and dump them into the trash, or do we devote 
them to the research that can bring cures to serious diseases and 
serious injuries?" said Larry Owen, chair of the Michigan Stem Cell 
Research Ballot Question Committee board.

Opponents, however, argue that doing research on human embryos is 
morally wrong because it destroys life. They are gearing up for an 
intense battle the likes of which hasn't been seen since 1998, when a 
ballot proposal to legalize physician assisted suicide was defeated by voters.

A group formed last week -- Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted 
Science and Experimentation -- says the ballot language is misleading 
and would allow human cloning.

"It's a deceptive proposal that will lead to completely unrestricted 
and unregulated scientific experimentation on human embryos," said 
Dave Doyle, spokesman for the group that includes such political 
powerhouses as the Michigan Catholic Conference and Right to Life of Michigan.

Government Reform

The group Reform Michigan Government Now turned in 487,000 signatures 
for a ballot proposal calling for sweeping state constitutional changes.

"Government's not working for the people -- Michigan's families -- 
and this is a chance for real change," said Byrum, the campaign 
spokeswoman who served for 16 years in the Legislature.

Opponents argue it would drastically change the state constitution in 
one fell swoop, without giving people much time to understand it all.

The grab bag of reforms would:

.  Slash the Senate from 38 to 28 members, the House from 110 to 82 
members, the Supreme Court from seven to five justices and the state 
appeals court from 28 to 21 judges; add 10 judges to lower courts.

. Cut state government from 20 to 18 departments.

. Set up a nine-member commission for legislative redistricting, four 
from each party with a nonpartisan leader. Now, the party in power 
controls the process.

. Allow anyone to vote absentee. Now, you have to be sick, elderly or 
otherwise unable to get to the polls.

. Allow people to vote in primaries without declaring a party affiliation.

. Strengthen a ban against voting by illegal immigrants.

. Cut the salaries of lawmakers, the governor, lieutenant governor, 
attorney general and secretary of state 25 percent, and Supreme Court 
justices and judges 15 percent.

. Limit retirement benefits for all state elected officials to no 
more than what retired state employees get.

. Require legislators, the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney 
general, secretary of state and justices and judges each year to 
report their incomes and assets, as well as those of their spouses.

. Ban lawmakers and top government officials from lobbying for two 
years after they leave office.

Medical Marijuana

Marijuana possession and use are illegal for anyone in Michigan under 
current law.

If voters approve the ballot initiative, people who are terminally 
and seriously ill would be able to legally use marijuana if a doctor 
certified that the drug could ease their suffering.

About 62 million people live in the 12 states that have adopted 
medical marijuana laws since California pioneered the effort in 1996.

Medical marijuana use would remain illegal in the eyes of the federal 
government, although the experience in states with medical marijuana 
laws shows that patients have not been legally hassled by federal drug agents.

Backers of the ballot proposal estimate that as many as 50,000 
Michigan residents would legally qualify for medical marijuana to 
treat a host of "debilitating" medical problems such as cancer, 
HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, Alzheimer's disease, Crohn's disease and 
chronic diseases or their treatments that produce wasting syndrome, 
severe pain, severe nausea, seizures or muscle spasms, such as those 
caused by multiple sclerosis.

Under the proposal, a patient could legally possess 2.5 ounces of 
marijuana or cultivate up to 12 plants in enclosed, locked 
facilities. Patients would still be prohibited from using marijuana 
in public or from operating a car or machinery under the influence of the drug.

The proposal is silent about where a patient would obtain marijuana, 
but the state would not play a role in providing it.

Supporters got a boost earlier this year when the American College of 
Physicians, which represents 124,000 internal medical specialists, 
issued a position paper that calls for expanded research into the 
potential therapeutic role of marijuana and said that doctors and 
patients in states with medical marijuana laws should not be subject 
to federal prosecution.

The Michigan State Medical Society, which represents 15,000 doctors, 
is not supporting the ballot proposal.

Lining up to strongly oppose the measure is law enforcement statewide.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake