Pubdate: Sun, 15 Jun 2014
Source: Saint Cloud Times (MN)
Copyright: 2014 St. Cloud Times
Contact:  http://www.sctimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2559
Author: Mark Sommerhauser

ON MARIJUANA AND OTHER ISSUES, DENNEY LEANS LIBERTARIAN

Independence Party congressional candidate John Denney wants to
legalize marijuana and has other libertarian views.

It's one of many libertarian stances taken by Denney, a candidate in
Minnesota's 6th Congressional District. Yet Denney says he's more
pragmatic than some other libertarians and takes a different tack on
campaign finance reform, which he champions.

In April, the Independence Party endorsed Denney for the 6th District
seat. He's a 28-year-old law student from Stacy who hasn't held or run
for other elected offices.

But Denney, a St. Cloud State University graduate, says youth and
inexperience won't keep him from mounting a vigorous run in the 6th
District.

Sartell Mayor Joe Perske is the DFL nominee to succeed outgoing Rep.
Michele Bachmann in the 6th District. The 2010 Republican nominee for
governor, Tom Emmer, and Anoka County Board chair Rhonda Sivarajah are
squaring off in a primary to decide the GOP nominee.

Denney is a self-described conservative who says he identifies in some
ways with the libertarian wing of the GOP. He supported former
Congressman Ron Paul's bid for president in 2012.

Many parts of the issues page at Denney's website  (
http://www.johndenneyforcongress.com/)read like a libertarian wish
list. He wants to reduce the federal government's role in education,
curb NSA surveillance, implement a flat income tax and end what he
describes as governmental interference in the free market.

But Denney says there are several reasons he's with the Independence
Party. One is that he feels some libertarians aren't reasonable or
pragmatic enough.

"Sometimes the Democrats have a good idea, and it's OK to support
that," Denney said.

Denney also parts ways with libertarians and Republicans on what he
describes as one of his key issues: campaign finance reform. He
decries recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings in the Citizens United and
McCutcheon cases. The rulings, which effectively struck down limits on
campaign donations, are allowing the ultra-wealthy and large
corporations to hijack the political process, Denney says.

"Unfettered access to funding for our campaigns is creating a
situation where the people are in no way represented," Denney said.

Then there's the issue of marijuana legalization, on which Denney
actually is toeing the party line. Full legalization is part of the
Independence Party platform.

Denney says it should be up to states how to handle marijuana. But if
elected to Congress, he says he'd push to remove the drug from the
Schedule 1 portion of the federal controlled substances act - the part
reserved for drugs deemed to have no medical use.

Denney says it's clear marijuana has medical value for some and isn't
a dangerous drug in general. More than that, he describes marijuana
legalization as a liberty issue.

"The government does not own my body," Denney said. "The drug war has
not lessened the drug abuse at all. We've made no dent in it. It's
about as good as the Democratic war on poverty."
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MAP posted-by: Matt