Iowa Mother Pleads for Her Child: Legalize Med. Marijuana

Here is a video that an Iowa mother posted on YouTube pleading with the state of Iowa to legalize medical marijuana to help her child. Marie la France tells the story of her son Quincy. At 5 months old he began having seizures. He's now 11 and still suffers from severe epilepsy. Doctors have given Quincy everything from morphine to steroids to Zoloft, including drugs that have given him brain damage, in an attempt to control Quincy's seizures. Nothing has worked.

In states that allow medical marijuana, it has been proven to help patients like Quincy. The oil from the plant is extracted and put into a liquid or pill, according to the video. WeedPress (where I first learned of this story) reports that the former chair of the Iowa Epilepsy Foundation testified in support of medical marijuana at the 2009 Iowa Board of Pharmacy medical marijuana hearings.

Knowing that this medicine can help innocent people like Quincy and knowing that far more addictive, dangerous and destructive drugs ARE legal and available from your pharmacist, ask yourself: Does keeping medical marijuana illegal really make any sense?

Please watch this desperate mother's video here:



No doubt anti-cannabis crusaders like IA Rep Clel Baudler won't be moved by things like facts, logic or compassion. Better that many children like Quincy should suffer from lack of medicine if it might keep one other citizen from using marijuana recreationally like a free person.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” —C. S. Lewis

Clel Baudler (R)

IA Libertarian Candidates Oct 2013

The Libertarian Party of Iowa has given their website a much-needed overhaul. Among the information that can now be found on there is the current slate of candidates that the party is running for office.

2013 Elections:

Ajai Dittmar is running for Cedar Rapids City Council District 1.

Dittmar tells me the following about herself: "I am a 42 year old mother of four who is tired of crony capitalism running for public office for the first time. I am a local activist critical of the overreach in our local government. The only way to get the government out of our business and back to the basics is to get in office and bring these policies to the table."

Alan Modracek is running for Cedar Rapids City Council District 3.

Alan is running for Cedar Rapids City Council, District 3. A family man, he has lived and worked in Cedar Rapids all his life except for a brief 6 years in the Navy.

Modracek's Facebook page says: "I am running for Cedar Rapids City Council, District 3, to end the 'tax and spend' mentality of our local government. I will never vote in favor of a tax increase, and will fight tooth and nail to reduce the tax burden suffered by the people of Cedar Rapids. We can still fix our roads, have first class schools, and even flood protection. I want to make Cedar Rapids the most business friendly city in the Mid-West."

Ariel Echevarria is running for Humboldt City Council At-Large as a write-in candidate.

Echevarria described himself to me thusly:

"I'm a 28 year old married man with a degree in Business Administration. I am currently running for Humboldt City Council. I recently moved to Iowa 6 months ago from Klamath Falls, OR. That town was about the size of Fort Dodge but I saw a lot of things that needed to change to make the city better. When I got to Humboldt I noticed some of the same things. For example, lack of business growth and things for young people to participate in. I believe that in order to have a healthy city we have to include the voice of the younger population (18-39 range). I believe city property taxes are very high in comparison to other near by cities and would like to see that change. I also feel like we need to strive to attract more small business in the local area.

"A few weeks ago a young woman wanted to place a cross in memory of her son on roadside property that was owned by a private company but the rights were given to the city for city purposes. She was initially denied her request. I do not believe that she should have been denied right off the bat. If I'm elected I will do everything within my power to make compromises between the city, it's public and the private sector that operates within city limits. I also want to limit and change some of the city ordinances that tread on private residences. I want to see a dedicated dog park built within city limits as well."

Nick Taiber is running for reelection to Cedar Falls City Council At-Large.

Taiber has served as a Councilman since 2010. He lives in the community with his wife and two children.

Says Taiber's website: "Cedar Falls is a great place to live, and keeping it great requires initiative, fresh thinking, and a willingness to be bold. I bring unique perspective, bountiful energy, and careful leadership to Cedar Falls City Council."

2014 Elections:

Jake Porter will seek the nomination to run as the Party's candidate for Iowa Secretary of State in 2014.

Porter resides in Council Bluffs, Iowa and works for a large Internet corporation in Omaha, Nebraska.

Porter's website states: "Jake Porter is the only candidate who has policies that will not increase the size of government. While Porter’s opponent wants to create additional rules and bureaucracy and in the past has suggested bringing economic development into the Secretary of State’s office, Porter understands the importance of having a small but efficient Secretary of State’s office and the need to follow the Iowa Code and Iowa Constitution. [...] Jake wants to keep the Secretary of State’s office non-partisan and make it easy for all Iowans to participate in the election process. [...] Jake believes in keeping government from disenfranchising voters through intimidation and voter suppression tactics."

Elected Libertarians:

 

Roger Fritz-Mayor of Roland

 

Nick Taiber-Cedar Falls City Council At-Large (See above.)