Congress Watch

THIS IS YOUR NEXT PRESIDENT ON DRUGS!
Voting matters. The US Presidential election is on November 4, 2008. There will be a Democratic candidate, a Republican candidate, and perhaps others, but essentially the next President will be either a Republican or a Democrat. To sort out who will be those candidates, all 50 states have a weeding out process called the primaries. Each state holds a vote where the voter - that's YOU - chooses whom among all the possible Democratic or Republican Presidential candidates gets your endorsement.
The top one or two vote getters in each state's primary get to have "delegates" attend a big Presidential Nomination Convention in late summer, where 2,439 delegates select a winner by a series of ballots until one candidate gets 1,220 votes or more, or a majority. The primary voting is held as early as January in New Hampshire, Iowa, Florida, South Carolina and Nevada. Fifteen states hold their primary vote on what is called Super Tuesday, February 5, including influential states like California and New York. Twenty-five states hold their primary between February 9 and June 3, 2008.
You must register to vote and you may have to affiliate with either the Republican Party in order to vote in the Republican primary, or affiliate Democratic to vote in the Democratic Party primary. A very easy way to do this is to visit www.rockthevote.com and type in your information. Some states have an open primary, which means you don't have to affiliate with any party to get a party ballot and vote. Find out what is required where you live!
There is one outstanding Republican and two excellent Democratic candidates that we believe are worth voting for.
In our opinion, Republican Ron Paul is the best Presidential candidate to emerge from either party in 50 years. If George Bush has you rightly disgusted for his drug war, his Iraq War, for letting neo-cons usurp the US government, then Ron Paul is the anti-Bush. Ron Paul has been a Congressman for 20 years, and votes on every occasion with 100 percent consistency against the drug war, against the drug czar's office, and in favor of medical marijuana; he's also chief sponsor of the 2007 Industrial Hemp Act. Ron Paul is the only one of all the Republican Presidential candidates to continually oppose the Iraq War in Congress, since before the first vote in 2002. Ron Paul voted against The Patriot Act, and against regulating the Internet.
Ron Paul believes this: "While recognizing the harm that drug abuse causes society, we also recognize that government drug policy has been ineffective and has led to frightening abuses of the Bill of Rights which could affect the personal freedom of any American. We, therefore, support alternatives to the War on Drugs. Per the tenth amendment to the US Constitution: matters such as drugs should be handled at the state or personal level. All laws, which give license to violate the Bill of Rights, should be repealed." (Republican Liberty Caucus Position Statement 00-RLC13 on Dec. 8, 2000.)
Ron Paul promised in the Detroit Free Press on September 21, 2007 that he would pardon non-violent drug offenders, also saying "mandated life sentences are insane. I'd release them. I'd pardon them." As I wrote in the Letter From the Editor of CC #66, I believe Ron Paul would have his Attorney General rescind the extradition request for myself, Michelle Rainey, and Greg Williams. Ron Paul - whom the mainstream media has, until recently, largely ignored - is the true Champion of the Constitution. He is the #1 defender of your civil liberties in the US Congress. You can see many outstanding speeches and debates with Ron Paul at Youtube.com. Google Ron Paul and listen to or read any of his major speeches; you will be amazed.
Find out what Ron Paul is about 24 hours a day by listening to www.ronpaulradio.com . My wife and I have a show on Ron Paul radio, the most recent episode called "A Ron Paul Presidency and Prohibition". If, after investigating Ron Paul yourself, you are convinced to support him in your state primary, you must affiliate Republican on your voter registration form available at www.rockthevote.com .
There are two candidates in the Democratic Party who have very positive cannabis reform platforms. In our opinion, the best Democratic candidate is US Congressman Dennis Kucinich (pronounced Koo-SIN-ich). In a survey of 435 Congressmen in the US House of Representatives done in CC #62 in September 2006, US Rep Kucinich was rated #3 best Congressman in the entire House based on his voting record on issues of the drug war, Iraq war, the war on terror and civil liberties. (The #1 Congressman in the CC survey was Ron Paul! US Rep Barney Frank was #2.)
Dennis Kucinich as Presidential candidate has called for an end to jail for marijuana possession and distribution. His voting record is excellent: voted NO on military border patrols to battle drugs and terrorism; NO on prohibiting needle exchange and medical marijuana in DC; NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests; was rated A by Vote Hemp, indicating a pro-hemp voting record; is sponsor of the 2007 Industrial Hemp Act; consistently voted in favor of the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, which would bar the DEA from spending any money to raid or arrest medical marijuana patients and caregivers in the states that allow the medical use of marijuana - and in 2007, voted in favor of the amendment for the fifth year in a row; voted No to the Iraq War from inception; voted No to Plan Colombia; voted No to the Patriot Act; and voted No to Homeland Security. Dennis Kucinich is the only one of all the Democratic Presidential candidates to oppose the Iraq War in Congress from the first vote in 2002.
Mike Gravel, a former senator from Alaska (1969-1981) is a candidate who wants to legalize possession of marijuana, decriminalize hard drugs and treat addiction, and end the Iraq War immediately. Gravel was a maverick Senator in his 12 years, introducing the Pentagon Papers into the public record and filibustering against funding the Vietnam War in 1973. Gravel has no voting record to back up his current-day rhetoric though, having been out of public office for 26 years, so I recommend Kucinich or Paul.
Democratic Candidates On Drugs
A Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) group called Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana (GSMM) has been in New Hampshire during this year grilling all Presidential candidates who come campaigning. They record all speeches and always get close enough to ask each candidate where they stand on DEA raids of medical users and what they would do as President. Senators Joe Biden, Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd, and John Edwards all claim they would end the raids on medical patients in med-pot states, but I am unconvinced. All five voted for the Iraq War in 2002, or in Obama's case (because he was elected to the Senate in 2004) voted to fund the war without interruption, yet all five now claim to be against the war!
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson also supported the Iraq War in 2002. However, in 2007 Richardson did do excellent work securing passage of a New Mexico state medical marijuana law. Following a DEA raid on New Mexico med-pot patient Leonard French shortly after the law passed, Richardson challenged President Bush in a televised war of words. "We're going to fight the Bush people. This is a matter of state sovereignty."
Yet Richardson, Obama, Clinton, Edwards, Dodd and Biden all favor keeping non-medical marijuana use criminal, and all five Senators voted to authorize The Patriot Act. According to Governor Bill Richardson's 2002 Priorities article on his campaign website, "My philosophy towards drug use is not legalization, but recognition of the dangerous, insidious role drugs play in crime in New Mexico," though he also told GSMM on September 2nd "the drug war is a failure".
From Joe Biden's website Biden.senate.gov: "Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is a leader in Congress on combating drug use and stopping the flow of drugs from reaching our shores. In an effort to curb drug use, Senator Biden wrote the law creating the nation's "Drug Czar" who oversees and coordinates national drug control policy. To further 'protect' our kids from the scourge of drugs, Senator Biden wrote the law that triples penalties for criminals who use kids to sell drugs, toughens penalties for selling drugs near playgrounds and schools, and increases penalties for drug use and drug trafficking in prisons. It also provides millions of dollars to give law enforcement officials the resources they need to combat drug use in communities nationwide, particularly methamphetamine and Ecstasy."
Hilary Clinton's husband, Bill Clinton, was the US president who oversaw marijuana arrests go from 380,689 in 1993 to 734,498 in 2000, the last year of Bill's presidency. In Hilary Clinton's seven years as Senator from New York State, she never once criticized the federal drug war or the New York State Rockefeller laws (mandating extremely long jail sentences for small time distribution). She only recently agreed she would stop federal raids on medical patients as president, but has no credibility on the drug war or the Iraq War - she votes for both.
During a June 8, 2007, town hall meeting in Derry, New Hampshire, Senator John Edwards said: "What I will do as president is, we will not be going in and raiding the use of marijuana for medical purposes in states that have legalized it. I think where democracy has worked, where voters have decided this should be legalized, I will not as president go in and run contrary to the will of the people in those states where it has been legalized. These raids that are being done against patients, I will not do this as president of the United States and would put a stop to it. I really think that we need to put the FDA in charge of this." This is a switch from his position four years ago, when he stated that it would be "irresponsible" to end DEA raids on the ill. Edwards admitted smoking marijuana in university at a Rock The Vote debate in 2003.
Senator Barack Obama has also smoked pot and calls it a mistake but doesn't regret it. He has consistently voted to fund the Iraq War, but says he's against it. On August 21, during a campaign event in Nashua, New Hampshire, Sen. Obama was asked by GSMM volunteer and seriously ill Nashua resident Scott Turner if he would end the federal raids on medical marijuana patients like him. Sen. Obama replied, "I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users. It's not a good use of our resources." But America's great black hope is short on substance in every department. Obama has no plans to alter the drug war and his lukewarm rhetoric on medical cannabis patients is an untrustworthy committal. "Not good use of resources" is the lamest of all explanations for opposing a policy.
Republicans Candidates On Drugs
Senator Sam Brownback, former Governor Mike Huckabee, and US Representative Tom Tancredo all reject evolution science and believe the world was created 6,000 years ago. This discredits their understanding of astronomy, geology (and thus oil), anthropology, and so much more.
Representative Tom Tancredo, however, is a friend of the cannabis culture in one important way: the US Rep from Colorado believes medical marijuana policy is a state's right prerogative under the Constitution (he's right), and has voted for the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment for five years in a row along with Kucinich and Paul. On August 18, in Concord, New Hampshire, a GSMM staffer thanked Rep. Tancredo for consistently voting in favor of ending the federal raids on medical marijuana patients and asked if he would end the federal raids if elected. Rep. Tancredo replied, "Absolutely. This has nothing to do with the federal government. It has absolutely no role in this... it should be left to the states and to the people. To the extent that this experiment goes on throughout the country, I'm all for it. I mean that's exactly what the states are designed for, labs of democracy... it's a big issue with me and I have voted for the amendment every time it has come up. It's not about marijuana; it's about states' rights. The federal government has no right to interfere when a state makes that kind of decision... the federal government should stay the hell out of it."
Alas, Tancredo also promised in a June, 2007 television debate to bomb several Islamic holy cities if another terrorist attack happens on American soil, which is so off-the-wall and sure to cause a worldwide holocaust that one would be insane to vote for Tom Tancredo for President.
Sam Brownback voted to increase penalties for drug offences in 1999, voted for the Iraq War in 2002, voted for The Patriot Act, and still supports the Iraq War. When asked by Granite Staters, Brownback replied, "I do not think that we should legalize marijuana, and I don't think we need to legalize marijuana. I don't agree with that and I don't think we need to for pain or for pain medication. I do not support decriminalization of marijuana for medical use or for any other use."
Mike Huckabee supports the Iraq War, the death penalty, and incarceration for drugs but gets away with painting himself as a compassionate conservative. Here's his convoluted thinking from his book Character Makes a Difference, pages 172-173: "How can we change a drug-addicted culture? Do we say, 'If these people weren't poor, or if they only knew what drugs did, then they wouldn't be doing this'? If so, you'd prepare a bunch of informational videos and explain the danger. And in fact, that is just what much of government has been doing. And has it worked? No. Will it ever work? No. Why not? Because taking drugs appeals to the self-centered, pleasure-seeking people we are by nature. If we're convinced of that selfish nature, we take a different tack: 'If you use drugs, we're going to put you in jail and confiscate your car.' We must come to see that our core problem is not a lack of education but a lack of righteousness. We don't need more information as much as we need new hearts."
In New York City during Mayor David Dinkins' last year in office (1993) there were 9,000 arrests for possession and sales of marijuana. After Rudolph Giuliani was elected Mayor, arrest numbers in his eight-year term of office rocketed upwards: 10,000 (1994), 12,000 (1995), 18,000 (1996), 29,000 (1997), 44,000 (1998), 45,000 (1999), 63,000 (2000), and 48,000 (2001). "Giuliani Time" indeed! What does cannabis culture hater Giuliani say now? "I'm very opposed to any form of legalizing marijuana; I think it's a mistake. I know a lot about this particular area for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is as a prosecutor for more of my life then anything else. You can accomplish everything that you want to accomplish with things other than marijuana, probably better. Meaning, there are pain medications much superior to marijuana. And, marijuana is a very dangerous substance. We'd be much better off telling people the truth; marijuana adds nothing to the array of legal medications and prescription medications that are available for pain relief. And marijuana is a very serious and addictive drug that particularly harms lots and lots of young people. And we should keep it illegal, and I will keep it illegal." If Giuliani becomes President, be very afraid. He wants global war against Islam, a global war against cannabis, and a permanent police state of terror in America.
US Representative Duncan Hunter is wrong on everything. Hunter voted YES on military border patrols to battle drugs and terrorism, on prohibiting a needle exchange and medical marijuana in DC, on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests, on war in Iraq, on making the Patriot Act permanent, on the Drug Czar's budget, and on Plan Colombia. In 2007, Rep. Hunter voted against the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, which would have ended the federal government's raids on patients and caregivers participating in state-approved medical marijuana programs. Rep. Hunter has not supported this legislation in any of the five years it has been voted on. On June 5, 2007, in Manchester, New Hampshire, staff and volunteers from GSMM asked Rep. Hunter if he would end the federal raids on his own constituents. He responded, "I remember, when I was on the select committee on narcotics, everybody who was a heroin addict had first been a marijuana addict, and I would be very careful about pulling back from the outlawing of marijuana. I know many have advocated it, and I've seen the people who weigh 65 pounds as they die, totally addicted to heroin, who started on marijuana. So my answer is, I would not legalize marijuana."
Senator John McCain has expressed the most hawkish positions on drug policy. He wants to increase penalties for selling drugs, supports the death penalty for drug kingpins, and favors tightening security to stop the flow of drugs into the country. McCain has a zero-percent rating from the American Civil Liberties Union, the worst rating (tied with Sam Brownback) of any candidate running for President. McCain voted for the Iraq war and still loves the war. When Sen. McCain gave his official campaign announcement speech on April 25, 2007, at Veteran's Park in Manchester, New Hampshire, GSMM asked if he would end the federal raids on medical marijuana patients. Sen. McCain answered, "I will let states decide that issue." But he later contradicted that position, on August 11, at a house party in Milton, New Hampshire: "I believe that marijuana is a gateway drug. That is my view and thatÕs the view of the federal drug czar and other experts, although that is also a debatable question. I think that there is much more effective ways of relieving pain and suffering than the use of marijuana, and so therefore I view it as something that I do not support. It's interesting to me how this issue comes up at every town hall meeting .... I'll be glad to get your statistics, but my position is I do not support the use of marijuana for medical purposes."
Former Governor Mitt Romney, during a town meeting in Laconia, New Hampshire, on May 29, 2007, said, "I don't want marijuana to be used in our country. I'm not going to legalize marijuana. I'm not talking about arresting sick and dying people, but I am talking about keeping marijuana from being a product on the street and being misused. The drug czar of our nation says it is the gateway drug for people becoming involved with drugs and drugs are a scourge of this country." Later on August 25, Romney added, "I have spoken with doctors and researchers, and the medical marijuana effort is an effort to try and legalize marijuana in this country, and it's a mistake in my opinion to go in the direction of opening up the nation to medical marijuana. The scourge of drugs has a huge cost on our society and our children. I am not in favor of medical marijuana. Other pain relievers are available in this country and I support the use of those other pain relievers. And synthetic marijuana, with the elements that are essential, is available." A video of Mitt Romney being absolutely heartless to a new hampshite medical marijuana patient can be seen here
When in the US Senate, Former Senator Fred Thompson voted to increase penalties for all drugs in 1999 and voted for the Iraq War in 2002. He left after that year to do TV (Law & Order). After declaring his candidacy for president, Thompson was asked by GSMM on September 9, during a town hall event in Nashua, NH, if he would respect states' rights and end the federal raids on medical marijuana patients. Sen. Thompson answered, "Well, you've got federal drug laws. We have federal drugs laws in this country that are involved." Interpret that as a no.
Take part in your elections- it's your duty as an American citizen!
Never forget that on voting day, the people do have real power in their hands!
www.ronpaul2008.com
www.rockthevote.com
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TO SEE ALL OR ANY OF THE 435 US REPRESENTATIVE profiles in order by ZIP CODE GO HERE .
"It's time to get rid of the scumbags in Congress and usher in a sane group of Representatives to end the drug war, stop the Bush Administration, and protect the American Constitution and people."
Thats what needed to be done, and America did the necessary heavy lifting and got it done! BRAVO!
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“BEST FORESEEABLE RESULT POSSIBLE” SAYS MARC EMERY.
I sent out a bulletin in the early hours of November 7 predicting the US Senate would get 49 Democrats & two independent Democrats. I predicted 232 Democrats in the house to 202 Republicans. 9 HOUSE races are still too close to call 24 hours after the polls closed. I'm possibly one or two seats off, but I'm betting DEMS get 232 - 234 seats.
* THE DEMOCRATS, JOE LIEBERMAN & BERNIE SANDERS WIN 51 SEATS TO CONTROL US SENATE. US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEES DEMOCRATS TAKE 30 MORE SEATS THAN REPUBLICANS. POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE OCCURS IN WASHINGTON, DC.
* MARIJUANA INITIATIVES LOSE IN SOUTH DAKOTA, NEVADA AND COLORADO.
* DEMOCRATS FAVORING MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACCESS LAWS INCREASE IN THE US SENATE & HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE PARTICULARS:
ALL 163 US REPS who voted for the Hinchey Amendment to stop the Justice Dept. from undermining state medical marijuana laws were re-elected to the US HOUSE except:
Nancy Johnson – Republican CT-5 – defeated by DEM Chris Murphy
Chris Simmons – Republican CT-2 – defeated by DEM Joe Courtney
Bernie Sanders – Dem(Ind)-VT– ELECTED TO US SENATE
Bob Menendez - Dem NJ-13 - ELECTED TO US SENATE
Sherrod Brown – Dem OH-13 - ELECTED TO US SENATE
Ted Strickland - Dem. OH-6 - ELECTED Governor of OHIO
Butch Otter - Rep. ID-1 - ELECTED Governor IDAHO
Jim Davis - Dem. FL-11 - defeated in run for Governor,
Bob Beauprez - Rep. CO-7 - defeated in run for Governor.
Ed Case - Dem. HA-2 - defeated in primaries
Cynthia McKinney –Dem FL-4 - defeated in primaries
Martin Sabo - Dem MN-8 - retired
Lane Evans - Dem IL-19 - retired
Major Owens - Dem NY-11 – retired
This leaves 149 US REPS in the HOUSE who we can count on for their vote to the Hinchey Amendment to stop the Justice Dept. from undermining state medical marijuana laws. We now have three SENATORS who have previously voted YES to the Hinchey Amendment. Very important! We now have a GOVERNOR of IDAHO and OHIO who have supported in Congress medical marijuana access in the states. Ohio and Idaho would be good places for a medical marijuana initiative or statute. Of the 14 US REPS that moved on, 13 of the seats were filled by Democrats. Only Idaho’s 1st district was won by a Republican, Bill Sali.
Of those 259 who VOTED AGAINST Hinchey Amendment in the 109th Congress, the following 38 were defeated or are no longer in the 110th Congress:
DEFEATED: J.D. HAYWORTH-REPUBLICAN - AZ-5, scored zero points -graded TOXIC/EVIL,
RICHARD POMBO- REPUBLICAN - CA-11, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
MARK FOLEY- REPUBLICAN - FL-16, scored 25 points, an “F” grade, resigned/voted out in disgrace,
E. CLAY SHAW - REPUBLICAN -FL-22, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
CHRIS CHOCOLA- REPUBLICAN -IN-2, scored zero points, a TOXIC/EVIL grade,
JOHN HOSTETTLER- REPUBLICAN - IN-8, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
MIKE SODREL-REPUBLICAN- IN-9, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
JIM RYUN-REPUBLICAN -KS-2, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
ANNE NORTHRUP-REPUBLICAN-KY-3, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
GIL GUTKNECHT-REPUBLICAN-MN-1, scored 25 points, an “F” grade,
JEB BRADLEY-REPUBLICAN-NH-1, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
CHARLES BASS-REPUBLICAN-NH-2, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
SUE KELLY-REPUBLICAN-NY-19, scored 25 points, an “F” grade,
JOHN SWEENEY-REPUBLICAN-NY-20, scored 30 points, an “F” grade,
JIM LEACH-REPUBLICAN-IA-2, scored 60 points, a “D-minus” grade,
MELISSA HART-REPUBLICAN-PA-4, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
CURT WELDON-REPUBLICAN-PA-7, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
MIKE FITZPATRICK-REPUBLICAN-PA-8, scored 15 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
DON SHERWOOD-REPUBLICAN-PA-10, scored 50 points, an “F” grade.
RESIGNED IN SCANDAL
TOM DELAY-REPUBLICAN-TX-22, scored 50 points, an “F” grade, convicted of bribery,
ROBERT NEY- REPUBLICAN-OH-18, scored zero points, TOXIC EVIL grade, convicted of bribery.
ELECTED TO SENATE
BEN CARDIN-DEMOCRAT-MD-3, scored 35 points, an “F” grade.
DEFEATED IN RUN FOR US SENATE
HAROLD FORD, JR.-DEMOCRAT-TN-9, scored 70 points, a “D-plus” grade,
KATHERINE HARRIS-REPUBLICAN-FL-13, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade.
DEFEATED IN RUN FOR GOVERNOR
MARK GREEN-REPUBLICAN-WI-8, scored zero points, a TOXIC EVIL grade,
MARK KENNEDY-REPUBLICAN-MN-6, scored zero points, a TOXIC EVIL grade,
TOM OSBORNE-REPUBLICAN-NE-3, scored zero points, a TOXIC/EVIL grade,
JIM GIBBONS-REPUBLICAN-NV-2, scored zero points, a TOXIC/EVIL grade,
ERNEST ISTOOK-REPUBLICAN-OK-5, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
JIM NUSSLE-REPUBLICAN-IA-1, scored zero points, TOXIC/EVIL grade.
RETIRED FROM POLITICS
MIKE BILIRAKIS-REPUBLICAN-FL-9, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
HENRY HYDE-REPUBLICAN-IL-6, scored 50 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
JOEL HEFLEY-REPUBLICAN-CO-5, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
JIM KOLBE-REPUBLICAN-AZ-8, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
SHERWOOD BOEHLERT-REPUBLICAN-NY-24, scored 50 points, an “F” grade,
JOE SCHWARZ-REPUBLICAN-MI-7, scored 20 points, a Reprehensible Failure grade,
BILL JENKINS-REPUBLICAN-TN-1, scored zero, a TOXIC/EVIL grade.
Those thirty-eight “NO” votes eliminated from the 110th Congress leaves 259 less 38 = 221 US REPS against Hinchey in the new House. With 149 “YES” votes for Hinchey Amendment still in the HOUSE, that’s a 72 vote difference to make-up.
Some observations: FIVE TOXIC/EVIL US REPS ran for Governor and lost! There were only 2 passing grades in those 38 defeated or former US REPS. Almost all were scumbags - DEFEATED! Only one of these 38 failures got elected to anything, Democrat Ben Cardin was elected to the Senate.
There are 52 newly elected US REPS to the House of Representatives. They are:
NH-1 CAROL SHEA- PORTER (DEM) *
NH-2 PAUL HODES (DEM) *
OH-6 CHARLIE WILSON (DEM) *
OH-13 BETTY SUTTON (DEM) *
OK-5 MARY FALLIN (REP)
TN-1 DAVID DAVIS (REP)
TN-9 STEPHEN COHEN (DEM) *
GA-4 HANK JOHNSON (DEM) *
HA-2 MAZIE HIRONO (DEM) *
IL-17 PHILIP HARE (DEM) *
IA-2 DAVE LOEBSACK (DEM)
MD-3 JOHN SARBANES (DEM) *
MI-7 TIM WALBERG (REP)
NE-3 ADRIAN SMITH (REP)
NV-2 DEAN HELLER (REP)
NJ-13 ALBIO SIRES (DEM) *
NY-11 YVETTE CLARK (DEM) *
NY-19 JOHN HALL (DEM) *
NY-20 KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (DEM) *
NY-24 MIKE ARCURI (DEM) *
AZ-5 HARRY MITCHELL (DEM) *
AZ-8 GABRIELLE GIFFORD (DEM) *
CA-11 JERRY McNERNY (DEM) *
CO-7 ED PERLMUTTER (DEM) *
CT-2 JOE COURTNEY (DEM) *
CT-5 CHRIS MURPHY (DEM) *
FL-16 TIM MAHONEY (DEM)
FL-22 RON KLEIN (DEM) *
IN-2 JOSEPH DONNELLY (DEM)
IN-8 BRAD ELLSWORTH (DEM)
IN-9 BARON HILL (DEM) *
IA-1 BRUCE BRALEY (DEM)
KS-2 NANCY BOYDA (DEM)
KY-3 JOHN YARMUTH (DEM) *
MN-1 TIM WALZ (DEM) *
FL-13 VERNON BUCHANAN (REP)
ID-1 BILL SALI (REP)
IL-6 PETER ROSKAM (REP)
MN-6 MICHELLE BACHMAN (REP)
NC-11 JOSEPH SHULER (DEM)
OH-18 ZACH SPACE (DEM)
PA-4 JASON ALTMIRE (DEM)
PA-7 JOE SESTAK (DEM) *
PA-8 PATRICK MURPHY (DEM)
PA-10 CHRISTOPHER CARNEY (DEM) *
TX-22 NICK LAMPSON (DEM)
VT-al PETER WELCH (DEM) *
WI-8 STEVE KAGAN (DEM) *
MN-8 KEITH ELLISON (DEM) *
CO-5 DOUG LAMBORN (REP)
FL-9 GUS BILIRAKIS (REP)
FL-11 KATHERINE CASTOR (DEM)
An asterisk at the end of the newly elected REP indicates our belief that this person NOW is supportive of Hinchey Amendment. There are 29 (*) of the 52 new US REPS I am confident would support & vote YES on Hinchey Amendment. We must convince all 52 to support the Hinchey Amendment by writing these new Congressmen, lobbying them, and re-iterating our concerns as soon as they take office.
The tally in the last Congress was 259 AGAINST to 163 FOR on the Hinchey Amendment.
Right now, in the 110th Congress, we have 221 AGAINST vs. 178 FOR (including new REPS with the asterisk) if all other US REPS remain consistant with the June 15, 2006 vote. However, that leaves a 43 vote difference (down from a 96 vote difference) that we must overcome. We need to convince 22 MORE US REPS to come on board. Considering 23 new US REPS have not indicated where they stand on Hinchey Amendment, there is a great deal of hope here. There are 434 voting members of the House with Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi breaking ties. Speaker Pelosi supports the Hinchey Amendment. There were thirteen US REPS that missed the Hinchey Amendment vote in 2006.
MARIJUANA INITIATIVES:
Marijuana legalization initiatives LOST in:
* COLORADO (60% NO vs. 40% YES)
* NEVADA (56% NO vs. 44% YES)
* SOUTH DAKOTA (52% NO vs. 48% YES)
Wonderful efforts in Colorado and South Dakota may have run into opposition as BANNING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE was also on the ballots in those state. Those religiously-oriented ballot questions attract fundamentalists who likely vote in the majority against marijuana legalization efforts. 600,000 people voted to legalize marijuana in Colorado, 850,000 voted against.
Local Marijuana Initiatives (make marijuana possession the lowest possible priority) were successful in:
* SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA (65% FOR vs. 35% AGAINST)
* SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA (64% FOR vs. 36% AGAINST)
* SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (65% FOR vs. 35% AGAINST)
* MISSOULA COUNTY, MONTANA (53% FOR vs. 47% AGAINST)
* EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS (62% FOR vs. 38% AGAINST)
In ALBANY, CALIFORNIA, voters approved opening a medical marijuana dispensary (53% FOR vs. 47% AGAINST)
In MASSACHUSETTS, voters in certain districts voted to recommend marijuana possession be no more than a civic ordinance violation of $100,
1st Plymouth District, 61% FOR vs. 39% AGAINST
12th Plymouth District, 60% FOR vs. 40% AGAINST
7th Norfolk District, 64% FOR vs. 36% AGAINST
3rd Middlesex District, 67% FOR vs. 33% AGAINST
Victories were had in red states like Arkansas and Montana because universities are situated in those limited districts.
More Good News
Extremists fared badly Tuesday, November 8.
Former Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson (Republican) LOST his bid to become Governor of Arkansas.
Drug-law reform activist & lawyer ROGER GOODMAN was ELECTED to the Washington state Senate.
9 of the 66 US REPS rated TOXIC/EVIL were defeated.
That's 14% of the worst US REPS out of office!
No US REPS with a grade of "B-PLUS" or better were defeated (although one lost in the primaries). All the good guys got re-elected!
9 of the 53 Republicans rated Reprehensible Failure were removed from the Congress (18% of the REPREHENSIBLE FAILURE REPS out of office!)
18 of the 97 Republicans graded FAILURE were removed from Congress (17% of the FAILURES out of office).
The US SENATE is controlled by DEMOCRATS:
49 Democrats plus Lieberman plus Sanders = 51 votes, a slender majority. JIM WEBB will absolutely be SENATOR from VIRGINIA.
10 - 15 Democratic Senators often vote with Republicans however.
The HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES will finally tally at 232 DEMOCRATIC US REPS vs. 203 REPUBLICAN US REPRESENTATIVES. This 29-vote margin should be enough to compensate for 50 Demo-craps who usually vote like Republicans. On average, five Republicans vote with Democrats .. issues like the drug war, Iraq War.
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Below is the material prior to NOVEMBER 8, 2006.
My name is Marc Emery and I publish Cannabis Culture, a 120-page magazine printed every two months and devoted to ending the awful prohibition that hounds and victimizes our people and culture. I have studied all 435 Members of the House of Representatives of the 109th Congress. In particular, I chose 10 key votes taken by the current House in 2005-2006 session. These votes by the Representatives form the basis of our extensive survey and our grading system whereby a Representative was determined to have a FAILING grade (265 Representatives) or a PASSING grade (170 Representatives).
TO SEE ALL OR ANY OF THE 435 US REPRESENTATIVE profiles in order by ZIP CODE GO HERE .
We'll look at my chart of ten votes (described in this profile), and find out if your US Rep is one of the 265 members of the US House who got a failing grade! If so, we'll tell you who to work for to throw that pot-hating, war mongering, big government bastard out!
If your US Rep. was one of the 94 people out of the 435 Reps who got a "B-PLUS" grade or better, then we urge you to work for their re-election.
The big VOTE in on November 7. YOU MUST REGISTER TO VOTE BY OCTOBER 10.
REVIEWS OF ALL 435 CONGRESSMEN and WOMEN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HERE .
Ours is a strategy of integration into the political mainstream to leverage our concerns in the Congress. Pot people are Voters! Pot People are thoughtful, honest people who love the United States and all its potential. We must prove that in the voting process.
Hundreds, possibly thousands of myspace people all over America are participating in the November 7 US election in a co-ordinated program based on the TEN VOTES survey that is described below and appears in expanded form in Cannabis Culture Magazine #62 out on newstands until November 14.
Young drug law reform myspace activists working on the election front lines! After November 7, all myspace activists are expected to keep a close eye on the voting record of the US Representatives and other elected people who can impact upon the marijuana laws and drug laws.
The United States of America has 435 elected members of the US House of Representatives, which is part of the US Congress. All of the 435 Reps face re-election every two years on the first Tuesday of November in the even-numbered years. This important opportunity to elect your US Representative happens on November 7th this year. You will also have other choices for various elected offices, including Mayors, City Councils, Boards of Supervisors, State Governors, US Senators, State Senators, Assemblymen, State Attorney-Generals. Its exciting and fascinating to explore your options. You hold a fair bit of power when you vote and campaign for your favorites. Just talking about a certain candidate to your friends and family can earn another 10 or 15 votes for your pick.
You must be REGISTERED TO VOTE! Get that done NOW!
Go to www.rockthevote.com or pick up a voter registration form and complete it in person at one of the following locations: post offices, the DMV, state offices that provide public assistance, the board of elections office, military recruitment centers, state offices that provide state-funded programs for disabled, and public libraries. Make sure you bring photo ID (like a drivers license) and your address in the form of a piece of mail or secondary ID. You can even call your local county election official or state Secretary of State’s office to ask for a form to be mailed to you. Listings for these offices can be found in the “government pages” of your local phone book. Once you are registered to vote, this is permanent as long as you maintain the same address.
When you register to vote, you will be asked if you want to register an affiliation with any specific party. This allows you to vote in the “Primary” ballot phase, which typically takes place from April to September and is when candidates for a number of elected offices compete to be a Party nominee. Those registered as Republicans could vote for their preferred Republican candidate. Those registered as Democrats choose the Democratic candidate. The Primary vote determines who will represent each party in the November election. After the Primary, one Republican Party candidate and one Democratic Party candidate are on the ballot – for the upcoming General Election of November 7th, 2006.
The next time for Primaries will be in mid-2008, when Representative, Senatorial and the Presidential Primaries take place to sort out whom your choices will be for the Democratic and Republican parties.
Other political parties or independent candidates may be eligible to be on the ballot for the general election, but often these small parties must gather several thousand, or tens of thousands of signatures of registered voters in that district or state to get official ballot status each election. This unfair burden means that Green Party, Libertarian Party and other political voices struggle to get on ballots.
Other political parties compete in Congressional districts throughout the USA, but in this 109th Congress (since 1790), only one person was elected to the House who did not belong to the Democrats or ‘GOP’ (stands for Grand Old Party, a nickname for the Republicans). An “Independent Socialist”, Bernie Sanders was elected the US Representative for Vermont – which, because of its small population, receives only one House member.
But like all other states, Vermont has two Senators in the 100-member US Senate, which is the 2nd part of the US Congress (the 1st is the US House of Representatives). Senators are elected every six years for a six-year term. Each election (every two years) sees 33 of those 100 Senators being elected. Bernie Sanders is now running for US Senator from Vermont as a Democratic Party candidate. I endorse Sanders heartily, and graded him with a score of 110, an "A-MINUS", while he was a US Representative, and we believe he will make a fine Senator. (The explanation of grading and points will be covered shortly.)
There are enemies in the political establishment out to thwart the participation of the cannabis culture. If you have a felony marijuana cultivation or distribution conviction, it’s very possible the Prohibitionists in government have barred you from voting! Take revenge and give money and effort to those who would defeat the people in power who did that to you! In states like Ohio and Florida, it’s thought Republican operatives tried to get African-Americans off the ballot through crooked means – Robert Kennedy Jr. even wrote in Rolling Stone Magazine that Republicans stole the last two elections. This November, 2006 election is so important it requires a militant attitude on the part of every soldier in the cannabis culture army! Voting is a serious responsibility, and we can’t let the tyrants who oppress us steal our ability and right to heave them out of office.
Wherever you are, there is an opportunity to support at least one candidate or campaign that promises freedom and justice for the cannabis people.
In EUREKA, ARKANSAS, there is a Marijuana Initiative on the ballot. There are MARIJUANA INITIATIVES in SANTA BARBARA, SANTA CRUZ and SANTA MONICA on the ballot in these 3 California cities. MISSOULA, MONTANA has a MARIJUANA INITIATIVE! THREE DISTRICTS IN MASSACHUSETTS have marijuana iniatives! MARIJUANA INITIATIVES ARE ON THE STATEWIDE BALLOT IN COLORADO, NEVADA and SOUTH DAKOTA.

There are over 140 drug-law reform activists on ballots throughgout the United States, with at least one activist on the ballot in virtually every state!
There are hundreds of mainstream candidates well worth supporting too and our 435 US HOUSE OF REPRSENTATIVES REVIEW will help you there!
Pick an anti-prohibitionist candidate in your community or in your state and help out. Pitch in. Give money. Work a phone call centre to get people to vote. It’s no joke that our prohibitionist enemies are well funded and well organized. We must commit! Act! Get busy!
If we want the government to change direction significantly this November 7th, the Democrats need to win six additional US Senate seats to “control” the Senate and about 30 more US House seats to effectively control the House. The reason the Democratic Party needs about 30 more seats than the Republicans in the House is because about 30 to 50 Democrats from the south and mid-west vote like Republicans! Most, but not all, of the 50 Democrats with a failing grade come from states adjacent to the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
So 30 more Democrats from California, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona in the House would put it under “liberal” (read: sane defenders of liberty and peace) Democratic control.
What Are The TEN Votes?
Cannabis Culture Magazine judged 434 US Representatives on ten specific votes in the US House from March 2005 to July 2006. The 435th Representative is the Speaker of the House–currently the Republican Dennis Hastert –but has no voting record as he only breaks ties. We awarded points of certain value for different important votes. 30 points were awarded to each Representative for voting the “CC-approved way” on the first three votes largely about cannabis. VOTE 1 is about an increase in government funding for anti-marijuana advertising. VOTE 2 is an amendment to stop The Justice Department from using tax money to undermine state medical marijuana laws. VOTE 3 is to approve funding increases for the White House Drug Czar John Walter’s agency, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
We awarded 20 points each for VOTE 4, an increase in funding to anti-drug task forces; and VOTE 5, a funding cut to the program of US aerial spraying of poisons -Plan Colombia- over the Columbian rainforest. These votes were about the drug war, not just cannabis.
10 points were awarded for VOTE 6, if the Rep. voted against the Patriot Act; and VOTE 7, The War & Occupation of Iraq.
Three votes are given 5 points each.
VOTE 8 is about Homeland Security financing;
VOTE 9 was to increase the Indecency Act fines by TEN times the current dollar amount for controversial broadcasting on TV and radio;
and VOTE 10 was an amendment to close the School of the Americas, a torture school at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Click on our friend SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS WATCH in our top friends below to learn more about this infamous US torture school.
Additionally, there are four bills at various stages of getting to the House floor that are important to the cannabis culture. Since no vote has yet been taken on these bills from August 26, 2006, we awarded 5 points to each sponsor of any of the four bills, noted as upcoming House Resolutions (H.R.) below. Sponsors of the VOTES 1 to 10 below did not receive any points for being sponsors of those bills that have been voted on in the House of Representatives. We mention them in a few instances because they deserve recognition for their work on our behalf.
Each Representative is expected to be in the House on all weekdays to vote on resolutions. However, sometimes as few as five or six Representatives miss a vote, but sometimes up to 50 members miss a vote. Abstentions and no votes are considered zero-point positions for the purposes of this survey. Points are awarded in our grading only when the Representative votes the proper way. No-shows don’t help the cause! Silence implies consent.
VOTE 1
(29-June-2005) 30 points
This was a House Amendment (H.A. 415) to House Resolution (H.R.) 3058 by Representative Mark Souder (Republican-Indiana). This would have increased funding by another $25 million in taxpayer funds for anti-marijuana print and TV ads. CC opposed this amendment by renowned prohibitionist Souder (rated TOXIC/EVIL, the lowest possible grade). Any Representative who voted against this amendment receives 30 points. Sadly, the amendment passed 268-151. The 151 Reps who voted against received 30 points to their score. The 268 anti-marijuana votes receive a zero score.
VOTE 2
(28-June-2006) 30 points
Every year for the last 5 years an amendment has been introduced which would have prohibited the Justice Department from spending any money on enforcement of federal marijuana law on medical marijuana patients in states that had defined med-pot statutes. This would mean that California’s Proposition 215 could be implemented unopposed by DEA, District Attorneys, Anti-Drug Task Forces and any other federal legal body (all part of the Justice Department). This was the most important vote in the House regarding marijuana in the 109th Congress. The 2005 vote (June 15th) saw the amendment sadly rejected by 264 “against” (receiving zero points) vs. 161 “for” (30 points each). This year an identical amendment – The Hinchey Amendment #2 to H.R. 5672 – lost 259 “against” (a drop of five) to 163 “for” (an increase of two). The 2005 vote is used in the chart and this survey, adding the yes votes from 2006 of Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Norm Dicks (D-WA).
VOTE 3
(9-March-2006) 30 points
H.R. 2829 was about the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Act. “For” would fund and give authority to Drug Czar John Walter’s office, “against” would have eliminated the White House Drug Policy branch, and all positions and funding for the ONDCP. John Walters is the leading propagandist against marijuana for the Bush administration, and has used the ONDCP to oppose medical marijuana initiatives in Colorado, Arizona, California, and other states. The ONDCP contributes advice and financing to anti-marijuana advertising, and offers funding to TV and movies to include anti-drug messages. The House voted 399 “for” (receiving zero scores), 5 “against” (receiving 30 points). 28 no-votes receive zero points.
VOTE 4
(14-June-2005) 20 points
An amendment (H.A. 250) to H.R. 2862 – sponsored by Representative Lee Terry (Republican), Nebraska’s 2nd district, rated toxic/evil (zero) in our rankings – would have increased funding for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants by $286 million. The Byrne program provides law enforcement grants to states, usually used for anti-drug task forces. The net effect is to exacerbate racial disparities in targeting suspects, extensive police corruption and over-incarceration. It is preferable, according to the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), that states pay the full cost of their severe incarceration policies. Until then, reform is difficult to implement at the state level. The vote was 252 “against” (receiving 20 points each) to 175 “for” (receiving zero points), so this amendment was properly rejected.
VOTE 5
(28-June-2005) 20 points
This amendment (H.A. 375) to H.R. 3057 put forward by Jim McGovern (Democrat, MA, 3rd district, CC score 140, graded A ) would have cut funding to the Andean Counter-Drug Initiative, also known as Plan Colombia, because the aerial spraying of crops and militarization of the drug war in South America has done more harm than good. The House rejected this amendment 234 “against” (receiving zero points) with 189 “for” (receiving 20 points).
VOTE 6
(14-December-2005) 10 points
H.R. 3199 - USA PATRIOT ACT reauthorization. CC opposed this massive expansion of government size and power. The Patriot Act includes hundreds of arbitrary violations of civil liberties. It empowers greater surveillance over phone calls, e-mails, association, travel, money, banking, and the telecommunications of ordinary Americans, ostensibly to ‘fight terrorism’. It makes Big Brother that much bigger and more intrusive. 251 House members voted “for” (receiving zero points) and 174 voted “against” (receiving 10 points each).
VOTE 7
(16-June-2006) 10 points
H.R. 861 - VICTORY IN IRAQ. A resolution endorsing an occupation of Iraq until ‘victory’, pledging support for President Bush’s war policy and rejecting setting a date for the withdrawal of US forces. Cannabis Culture believes this Iraq war and occupation, like the drug war, is catastrophic in costs to the national treasure and in lives lost and injured. Like the drug war, the Iraq War is premised on lies and waged with brutality to no demonstrable positive end. Two US wars against Iraq in 1991 and 2003-2006 have killed over 100,000, caused massive pollution in the region, ruined Iraqi infrastructure, cost the US taxpayer over one trillion dollars ($3,500 for every one of 330 million US citizens), created generations of anti-US guerilla fighters, enriched giant oil and energy corporations with connections to the President. The House voted 256 “for” (receiving no points) to 153 “against” (each receiving 10 points).
VOTE 8
(6-October-2005) 5 points
H.R. 2360 – Homeland Security funding. The House voted to fund this vast new bureaucracy and expansion of government. This is a giant boondoggle that makes the US more vulnerable to domestic natural disasters and genuine security threats. The House voted 347 “for” (receiving no points) and 70 “against” (receiving 5 points each).
VOTE 9
(7-June-2006) 5 points
H.R. 310 of 16-Feb-2005 becomes Senate Bill 193. The Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, which exists to censor and punish content providers in broadcast media (am/fm radio, network television), was amended to increase fines for controversial broadcasts ten-fold, to $350,000 from a previous maximum fine of $35,000. The Howard Stern Show was a frequent victim of these punitive censorship laws. The fines are typically aimed at the regulated corporate media. These media giants restrict your access to risky or controversial expression in response to these onerous fines. The House voted 379 “for” (receiving no points) and 35 “against” (each receiving 5 points.) on the Senate Bill 193, which was the Senate version of the original H.R. 310 of 16-Feb-2005.
VOTE 10
(9-June-2006) 5 points
Amendment 8 to H.R. 5522. This amendment, sponsored again by Jim McGovern (D, MA-3rd district), would cancel funding for the notoriously known School of the Americas ‘torture school’ at Fort Benning, Georgia. This Department of Defense facility is where the US military and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) train foreign soldiers and inquisitors the ways to extract information and confessions from captured ‘insurgents’, peasants, trade-unionists, political activists, and others. Alas, House members voted 218 “against” (receiving no points) and 188 “for” (receiving 5 points each), leaving the torture school intact.
If you wish to learn more about this outrageous School of the Americas, click on SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS WATCH icon in our top friends.
Pending House Resolutions
Following are four pending Resolutions making their way through committees, working toward the House floor for debate and vote.
The first, put forth by the second-best Representative in the entire House, Democrat Barney Frank (MA-4th district) is H.R. 1184 - The Rise Act. This is a bill that would repeal part of the Higher Education Act that prohibits people convicted of drug offences from receiving student financial assistance. Introduced in April 2005, it has floundered in committee. However, important aspects of this bill were incorporated in an omnibus bill in early 2006, so that student aid is available except if a person received a drug conviction while at college or university while receiving assistance. 69 Representatives sponsored this bill and were awarded 5 points each.
The second bill working its way through the House is called The States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana Act. This is a very important bill (H.R. 2087) sponsored by Barney Frank (D, MA-4th) once again. This bill would reclassify marijuana as a schedule 2 drug, allowing states to enact medical marijuana laws without federal interference. It has 37 co-sponsors, each of whom received 5 points.
The third pending bill is H.R. 2620 - No More Tulias: Drug Law Evidentiary Standards Improvement Act. Sponsored by Sheila Jackson-Lee (Democrat, Texas, 18th district, CC rated A , score 140). This bill would prohibit federal grants to anti-drug task forces noted for corruption, use of informers and planted evidence. Would require states to pass laws preventing drug convictions based solely on allegations of informers or undercover agents. The bill has 19 sponsors, awarded 5 points each.
The fourth bill pending and waiting to arrive on the floor of the House is H.R. 4272 - Steve McWilliams Truth in Trials Act. This Sam Farr (D, CA-17th district) sponsored bill will allow an affirmative medical marijuana defense in federal or state courts where such states have a legislated medical marijuana program. The bill has 20 sponsors, each of who receive 5 points.
John Conyers (Democrat, MI-14th, CC score 95, grade B), and Lynn Woolsey(Democrat, CA-6th, score 120, grade A) were the only two Representatives to sponsor all four of the bills pending above.
The Survey ChartYou can find out whom your Representative is at www.house.gov .
There are 66 females Representatives.There are 40 African-American Representatives in the House. All the African-Americans are with the Democratic Party.
The grade awarded by editor Marc Emery to each Representative reflects their voting record for the 10 votes and sponsorships of the four pending bills. A perfect score on all 10 votes is 165, and the most points a person can get for sponsorships of four pending bills is 20. Therefore, the maximum point total for a member of the US House is 185.
Score Chart
145 to 175 ( A-PLUS-PLUS-PLUS )
140 (A-PLUS-PLUS )
125 to 135 (A-PLUS )
115, 120 (A)
110 (A-MINUS)
100, 105 (B-PLUS )
95 (B)
90 (B-MINUS)
85 (C-PLUS )
80 (C)
75 (C-MINUS)
70 (D-PLUS )
65 (D)
60 (D-MINUS)
25 to 55 (F, FAILURE)
5 to 20 (R, REPREHENSIBLE)
0 (Z, ZERO/TOXIC)
A passing grade is 60 points. If a Congressman just voted correctly on two of the three marijuana bills, they would pass even if eight other votes were the ‘wrong’ way. 60 points is a (D-), but it’s a pass. 55 and under is a failing grade. Consider this: 215 of the 231 Republicans in the House of Representatives received a failing grade, as did 50 of the 201 Democrats in the House!
When the US Rep voted the "correct" way, points were awarded. If they voted the wrong way, or did not vote, a zero is indicated. The point value of the vote is indicated 30 points, 20 points, 10 points or 5 points.
After Votes 1 to 10, there is a box for sponsorships of up to four pending bills noted as A, B, C, D. Each one noted is worth 5 points.
In the sidebar Numbers Don’t Lie, our analyses show that African-American female Democrats (11 Representatives) scored an average of 120 points, African-American male Democrats (29) scored an average of 101, female Democrats (42) averaged 101, white male Democrats (130) scor