{"id":950,"date":"2012-06-21T07:45:34","date_gmt":"2012-06-21T07:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marijuana.net\/?p=17896"},"modified":"2012-06-21T07:45:34","modified_gmt":"2012-06-21T07:45:34","slug":"albany-bickering-stalls-governors-marijuana-reform-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/albany-bickering-stalls-governors-marijuana-reform-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Albany Bickering Stalls Governor\u2019s Marijuana Reform Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0 5px 5px;float:right;height:100px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/albany-bickering-stalls-governors-marijuana-reform-plan\/\" send=\"true\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div><p><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"200\" height=\"235\" src=\"http:\/\/www.marijuana.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/cuomo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"cuomo\" title=\"cuomo\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-17897\" href=\"http:\/\/www.marijuana.net\/news-and-articles\/politics-as-usual-stalls-governor-cuomo%e2%80%99s-much-needed-marijuana-reform-plan\/attachment\/cuomo\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-17897\" title=\"cuomo\" src=\"http:\/\/www.marijuana.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/cuomo-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>New York City is often viewed as the center for progressive politics.\u00a0 However, New York State is much more balanced politically.\u00a0 When a state oversees a city on the level of New York, lawmakers often bicker as they try to represent their own constituencies.<\/p>\n<p>Concerned New York City residents are finding this out the hard way.\u00a0\u00a0 New York has desperately needed a change in it&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nyclu.org\/issues\/racial-justice\/stop-and-frisk-practices\" target=\"_blank\">\u201cStop and Frisk\u201d <\/a>policy.\u00a0 Though possession of less than 25g of cannabis was decriminalized in New York during the 1970s it must not be used or held in public view.\u00a0 \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d offers a loophole for police to demand that individuals empty their pockets, leaving the cannabis in plain site.\u00a0 Families are left to deal with the impact of an unnecessary arrest that could follow their child around for the rest of their lives.\u00a0 As we have mentioned previously, the \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d law seems to unfairly target young Black and Hispanics.\u00a0 New York City residents have lobbied for years to change the controversial practice but have not succeeded.<\/p>\n<p>In a move that made headlines nationally,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.governor.ny.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\"> New York Governor Andrew Cuomo <\/a>attempted to change a failed policy that is costing the state money and incarcerating its youth.\u00a0 While many members of the media pursued the easy story and poked fun at the governor, many were pleased to see what appears to be an evolving view for the governor.\u00a0 The reform will be delayed at best and even perhaps discarded.\u00a0 Some Albany Republicans lashed out against the plan in the usual silly and predictable over the top fashion.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nysenate.gov\/senator\/dean-g-skelos\" target=\"_blank\"> Dean Skelos<\/a> claimed he was worried about a law that allowed people to \u201cwalk around with ten joints in each ear\u201d.\u00a0 However, many who represent law enforcement welcomed a plan to get rid of the low level marijuana arrests.\u00a0 NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out in support of the plan (though he has defended \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d previously).\u00a0 Additionally, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nyc.gov\/html\/nypd\/html\/home\/home.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly <\/a>also wanted to see a change in the law.\u00a0 There will not be enough time during the current legislative session to bring the issue back up.<\/p>\n<p>This is not unusual for Albany lawmakers.\u00a0 Albany reflects the diversity of New York State, complete with lawmakers who are from opposite sides of the aisle and are not always willing to work together.\u00a0 Analysts believe that Republicans are still stinging from a defeat on same sex marriage as New York became one of the few states to recognize the unions. It appears that NY Republicans are ignoring one of their key voting blocks (law enforcement officials) and are attempting to appease a base that is upset with same sex marriage and cares little for New York\u2019s incarcerated youth.<\/p>\n<p>Of course political revenge is not going to satisfy New York City residents who are tired of witnessing dysfunction among Albany politicians .\u00a0 Efforts to eliminate \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d will continue and lawmakers from both parties are going to have to consider the fact that they may have pursued political posturing instead of the pleas of residents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"200\" height=\"235\" src=\"http:\/\/www.marijuana.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/cuomo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"cuomo\" title=\"cuomo\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-17897\" href=\"http:\/\/www.marijuana.net\/news-and-articles\/politics-as-usual-stalls-governor-cuomo%e2%80%99s-much-needed-marijuana-reform-plan\/attachment\/cuomo\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-17897\" title=\"cuomo\" src=\"http:\/\/www.marijuana.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/cuomo-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>New York City is often viewed as the center for progressive politics.\u00a0 However, New York State is much more balanced politically.\u00a0 When a state oversees a city on the level of New York, lawmakers often bicker as they try to represent their own constituencies.<\/p>\n<p>Concerned New York City residents are finding this out the hard way.\u00a0\u00a0 New York has desperately needed a change in it&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nyclu.org\/issues\/racial-justice\/stop-and-frisk-practices\" target=\"_blank\">\u201cStop and Frisk\u201d <\/a>policy.\u00a0 Though possession of less than 25g of cannabis was decriminalized in New York during the 1970s it must not be used or held in public view.\u00a0 \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d offers a loophole for police to demand that individuals empty their pockets, leaving the cannabis in plain site.\u00a0 Families are left to deal with the impact of an unnecessary arrest that could follow their child around for the rest of their lives.\u00a0 As we have mentioned previously, the \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d law seems to unfairly target young Black and Hispanics.\u00a0 New York City residents have lobbied for years to change the controversial practice but have not succeeded.<\/p>\n<p>In a move that made headlines nationally,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.governor.ny.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\"> New York Governor Andrew Cuomo <\/a>attempted to change a failed policy that is costing the state money and incarcerating its youth.\u00a0 While many members of the media pursued the easy story and poked fun at the governor, many were pleased to see what appears to be an evolving view for the governor.\u00a0 The reform will be delayed at best and even perhaps discarded.\u00a0 Some Albany Republicans lashed out against the plan in the usual silly and predictable over the top fashion.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nysenate.gov\/senator\/dean-g-skelos\" target=\"_blank\"> Dean Skelos<\/a> claimed he was worried about a law that allowed people to \u201cwalk around with ten joints in each ear\u201d.\u00a0 However, many who represent law enforcement welcomed a plan to get rid of the low level marijuana arrests.\u00a0 NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out in support of the plan (though he has defended \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d previously).\u00a0 Additionally, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nyc.gov\/html\/nypd\/html\/home\/home.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly <\/a>also wanted to see a change in the law.\u00a0 There will not be enough time during the current legislative session to bring the issue back up.<\/p>\n<p>This is not unusual for Albany lawmakers.\u00a0 Albany reflects the diversity of New York State, complete with lawmakers who are from opposite sides of the aisle and are not always willing to work together.\u00a0 Analysts believe that Republicans are still stinging from a defeat on same sex marriage as New York became one of the few states to recognize the unions. It appears that NY Republicans are ignoring one of their key voting blocks (law enforcement officials) and are attempting to appease a base that is upset with same sex marriage and cares little for New York\u2019s incarcerated youth.<\/p>\n<p>Of course political revenge is not going to satisfy New York City residents who are tired of witnessing dysfunction among Albany politicians .\u00a0 Efforts to eliminate \u201cStop and Frisk\u201d will continue and lawmakers from both parties are going to have to consider the fact that they may have pursued political posturing instead of the pleas of residents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[52,862,119,391,863,56,9,392,670,51,864,70,227,394,1,3,61],"tags":[2632,3435,2697,2969,3436,2636,2970,3243,2631,3437,5,2805,2972,6],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/950"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=950"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/950\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}