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| Lege will quarrel this fall over 5 grams |
Is
our governor some sort of expert in the scientific propensities of pot? Does he
comprehend the effects of “Mary Jane” in ways that we mere mortals do not? Is
he protecting us from our worst instincts?
OR
IS RAUNER merely being contrarian, saying “no” because he can?
I’m
inclined to think the latter, mostly because he seems to want to keep elements
of the mentality that marijuana is some serious criminal offense – rather than
just an addictive substance that weak people can let get the best of
themselves.
Just
like alcohol, if you want to know the truth. But while the majority of society
realizes that “prohibition” was an absurd mistake our society engaged in nearly
a century ago, there are those of us who seem determined to want to think of
pot as a crime.
Something
that ought to be punished by locking people up for as long as possible!
Personally, I think it is because there are those in our society who want to
think of marijuana as a “hippie” drug – and they want to punish the image to keep the "hard hats" and "flat-tops" happy.
THAT
MENTALITY REALLY does nothing but clutter our prisons, jails and court systems
with people who ought not to have to face such charges.
Which
is what inspired the Illinois General Assembly to approve a bill that lessened
penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Possession of that
single joint or two wouldn’t be a criminal offense in and of itself.
But
Rauner issued the amendatory veto, suggesting changes that are meant to make
the measure more restrictive.
The
Legislature’s version called for anyone caught with under 15 grams of marijuana
to merely pay a fine without having to go to court. Fines would top out at
$125.
RAUNER,
HOWEVER, CLAIMS he thinks the standard should be 10 grams, and that the fines
ought to go as high as $200.
Does
anyone seriously believe there’s a significant difference? That the additional
5 grams (which could be enough “grass” for about six or seven hand-made
pot-stuffed cigarettes) is somehow a difference that makes it worth the time
and effort for police and prosecutors to lock someone up and clutter up the
court system with more and more of these cheap cases – all to create an image
of “law and order” that really doesn’t do a thing to make our society any more
safe?
Rauner
may have made his millions that could allow him to buy a more sympathetic
General Assembly in coming years. But that doesn’t make him an expert in the
law, or in narcotics.
It
will be interesting to see how this situation resolves itself. Will Rauner’s changes
be permitted to stand? Or will the General Assembly feel compelled to take
their original version they approved earlier his year and ram them down the
governor’s throat?
I
WOULDN’T BE surprised to see if it turns out to be the latter. This is a
veto-proof majority for Democrats in both chambers of the Illinois Legislature.
Over-riding the governor on this seems like a rather mild gesture of rebellion
by them against all the hostile rhetoric related to the failure of the sides to
agree on a state budget.
And
in the end, it probably wouldn’t make much of a difference in the way police
handle the people they encounter who are a little too toasted to comprehend what
is happening around them.
Although
if we’re going to make a point of toughening up laws that are meant to acknowledge
that the current drug laws are a bit too tough, then perhaps another Rauner
action on Friday is timely – the governor signed into law a measure that declares
pumpkin pie to be the Official State Pie of Illinois.
Something
to satisfy that craving for junk food one might sense if they smoke that extra
5 grams of pot that Rauner thinks elevates the offense to a higher standard of
crime!
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