The Oregonian, Letters to the Editor

March 14, 1999

DEMOCRACY OVERRULED

Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, does not think the voters of Oregon know what they are doing, or at least that is what his office told me. It seems the Medical Marijuana Act is in danger of being nullified.

After my conversation with Mannix's office, I called the office of House Speaker Lynn Snodgrass. I was told that, yes, the will of the voters can be thwarted by the Legislature. Lawmakers can overrule the voters, and it will cost the people the price and effort of another initiative signature gathering, another campaign and another vote, to repeat what they have said once.

We can short-circuit this by phoning our representatives and Snodgrass. Whether or not you agree with the Medical Marijuana Act, you should be outraged that the will of the voters can be nullified so easily.

Jayson R. Jones

Junction City, OR