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. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake