Wisconsin AP reports US Senate Candidate Ron Johnson OPPOSES legalizing marijuana

On Wednesday September 15, 2010 the Wisconsin Associated Press reported on Republican US Senate Candidate Ron Johnson.  In the article, it was stated the he (Ron Johnson) does not support legalization of marijuana.

In case you are wondering.  At the time of this report Jay Selthofner had this to say “I never had a chance to meet him, nor has he contacted my office on the matter.  It seems like political suicide not to support marijuana reform of some sort.  In my eyes, if you are concerned about lowering taxes and health care costs, as well as creating jobs, lessen restrictive government regulations, then legalization of marijuana is the correct choice when looking at the science, drug war costs and public support.  With hemp imports of $300million per year into the USA, Wisconsin farmers should capture as much of that market as they can“.  “That market” Selthofner refers to is cultivating the hemp cannabis plant and processing it much like we do with corn.  The plant can be used for food, fuel and fiber which makes it a superior agricultural product.

In all fairness, we do not know if Johnson is speaking about hemp cannabis.  So we asked Selthofner about the prohibition of marijuana and his thoughts on the subject.  Selthofner went on to add “with the recent Mexican Drug Cartels killing so many and now threatening our common lands, this issue is endangering our national security.  In fact, I recently added some video’s to my Official Campaign Youtube Channel that covered the killing of 72 immigrants in Mexico entitled “ANYONE VOTING AGAINST LEGAL MARIJUANA HAS BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS” which details the excelling problems.”

 

Here is the Wisconsin AP article:

Johnson Agrees To 3 October Debates With Feingold

DINESH RAMDE, Associated Press Writer

MEQUON, Wis. (AP) ― Republican Senate challenger Ron Johnson agreed Wednesday to three debates with Sen. Russ Feingold, hours after the Democratic incumbent renewed his call for six debates.

Johnson’s campaign released a statement saying it has agreed to two debates in Milwaukee in mid-October, sandwiched around a third debate in Wausau.

Feingold has portrayed his opponent as heavy on style and light on substance, quick to criticize but unwilling to offer solutions. The veteran senator was hoping Johnson would accept three other debate invitations as well — one on Johnson’s home turf in Oshkosh, and the others in Eau Claire and Madison. Johnson’s statement didn’t mention those events.

“I look forward to debating Sen. Feingold and allowing voters the chance to contrast his record of a career politician next to my own record as a job creator,” Johnson said in the statement.

The Feingold campaign responded with its own statement.

“If Ron Johnson is afraid to fight for himself and his ideas, then voters are right to question whether he has the guts to fight for them in Washington,” said John Kraus, a Feingold campaign spokesman. Earlier Wednesday, Kraus said Johnson has failed to specify exactly how he would create jobs, reduce spending, cut the deficit or address health care concerns.

The first debate will be Oct. 8 in Milwaukee, followed by a second in Wausau three days later. The last will be in Milwaukee on Oct. 22, 11 days before the general election.

Johnson, a businessman who came into the race as an unknown, relied on a heavy dose of television ads to introduce himself to voters. The television spots have positioned Johnson as a concerned citizen who is tired of the “Washington way” and wants to restore America through “discipline, hard work and common sense.”

Kraus said voters deserve to see the candidates side by side, not just in slick TV ads.

Johnson said he has made substantial efforts to meet voters in person. He said he has been traveling around the state to tell people about himself and his background. He has also made himself accessible to the media, he added.

“I’ve been asked an awful lot of questions. I’ve given an awful lot of answers,” he said. “It’s really what does the press choose to highlight and choose to publish.”

Johnson’s comments came shortly after he held a 30-minute question-and-answer session with about 125 students at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon.

During the session he reiterated a number of his regular talking points, including that health care reform needs to be repealed and that Congress needs to impose a cap on government spending.

He also said he opposes legalizing marijuana, and that he supports private education in addition to public education because the free-market principles of a private alternative lead to better education at lower costs.

Johnson declined to elaborate on a number of answers. For example, he responded to a question about the war in Afghanistan by simply calling it a “tough situation.” He also said health care reform should be replaced with “a commonsense solution” but he didn’t follow up with details.

The general election is Nov. 2.

Ron Johnson: http://www.ronjohnsonforsenate.com

Associated Press writer Scott Bauer in Milwaukee contributed to this report.

Link to article on AP website: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/