Thomas Suddes is a former legislative reporter with The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and writes from Ohio University. [email protected]
[Thursday 3:42 PM] Robinson, Amelia
Almost 2.2 million Ohio voters passed a law last month legalizing marijuana in their state — or what’s supposed to be their state. But some of the 26 Republicans in Ohio’s Senate actually considered telling those millions of Ohioans to go pound salt by crimping marijuana legalization.
Still, the underlying theme was that the people can’t be trusted to govern themselves, can they? Better that a mostly white, mostly male, and often small-town clique of Senate Republicans, think for voters, yes?
Ohio votes to legalize recreational marijuana
Ohio voters vote to join 23 other states as the latest to legalize recreational marijuana.
More:Ohio senators want to make major changes to marijuana law OK’d by voters, ax home grow
Were there ever a more brazen example of Statehouse arrogance, it’s hard to recall what was, because public opinion is crystal-clear on the subject of marijuana legalization.
Now, in fairness, had the 2.2 million Ohioans who voted for legalization instead sent plump checks to the Statehouse’s caucus campaign committees, and hired properly connected wire-pullers (lobbyists), legalization might not be such a … challenge … for certain legislators.
On Capitol Square, for example, if you spend $60 million to pass House Bill 6, the sweetheart deal for FirstEnergy Corp., you’re talking…
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