>Republicans Listen to Medical Marijuana
Ryan reviewed his experiences
as a member of the Republican Central Committee.� Supporting medical marijuana did not hurt Republican Bob Ehrlich
in his successful race for Governor of Maryland. As a congressman Ehrlich
supported medical marijuana bills in Washington DC.� Ryan was an early supporter of Ehrlich in his gubernatorial race
against Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.�
Townsend, a democratic drug warrior, tangled with Ryan when she came to
the Eastern Shore of Maryland.� Ryan
authored a medical marijuana resolution while in the Maryland Republican
Central Committee. Michael Steele was the party chairman and supported Ryan's
resolution for medical marijuana. Michael Steele currently serves as Maryland's
Lt. Governor.
Ryan spoke of his
experiences with Ohio Democrats on the issue of medical marijuana.� �They are spineless� he said.� He recalled an event earlier in the year
when the Ohio Democratic Party attempted to have him banned from the Columbus
Renaissance Hotel when he raised the issue of medical marijuana.� After an embarrassing standoff for the
Democratic party, Senator Mark Mallory came to Ryan�s aid and was allowed back
into the Democratic event. Ryan was there on the behalf of the Ohio Patient
Network, attempting to sway democratic support for a medical marijuana bill in
the Ohio Senate.� Ryan warned the young
Republican group that Ohio Democrats may someday find some backbone on this issue
and advised that supporting Medical Marijuana does not hurt politically.
Ryan demonstrated the
magnitude of the public support in several ways. He reviewed the political
results of recent elections where Medical Marijuana ballots initiatives
received far more votes than presidential candidates such as Clinton, Dole,
Gore, or Bush.� Even in solid Republican
state like Montana, medical marijuana bill received far more votes than Bush.
He provided printed material from the Ohio Patient Network that contained supporting
polling and ballot data on medical marijuana.
Ryan was warmly
received by the group and was asked if he could help the young republicans get
Michael Steele to come to Cincinnati.�
Bennett could face a young Republican group that might now have a
different view than Bennett�s radical views on the medical marijuana issue when
he finally comes to Cincinnati.
Web References
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