A Profile in Leadership: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson New Mexico, Policy Issues, Presidential Politics

With the Supreme Court ruling in favor of Oregon’s Death with Dignity law earlier this week, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexicohas followed up with his own plan to help seriously ill patients. Citing the desires of “many sick New Mexicans”, Richardson has added medical marijuana to his agenda for the upcoming 30 day legislative session.

The proposed bill would allow patients seriously ill with cancer, AIDS or certain other medical conditions legal access to marijuana.

Patients would be recommended by their doctors to a program overseen by the state Department of Health.

The department would be responsible for developing regulations for licensed producers of medical marijuana within the state and coming up with standards for safety, security and distribution.

Rarely does a contender for the Presidency come out with such a strong position regarding drug policy. Usually elected officials stay away from weighty issues like medical marijuana if they’re running a campaign or preparing to run one. They make statements like “I smoked it but I didn’t inhale” or “I tried it once but didn’t like it”.

What Governor Richardson is doing here is what is known as leadership. Leadership is a quality that is seriously lacking in a lot of politicians at all levels of government across the country. Richardson is taking on a serious issue that affects countless numbers of people who have serious illnesses or are terminally ill, at a time when the federal government is conducting raids on patients’ homes in states that allow medical marijuana. Richardson is standing up for what is right, despite the obstacles the federal government or naysayers in New Mexico will thrown in the way. Bill Richardson is the type of leader we need in Washington, D.C., standing up to the GOP culture of corruption and standing for all of the rest of us.

 

kencamp | January 21, 2006 | Comment on This Post (1 so far) Permalink: A Profile in Leadership: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson New Mexico, Policy Issues, Presidential Politics

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