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A diverse contingent of Madison activists including seniors, veterans, medical marijuana patients, students and others along with WTDY talk radio host John "Sly in the Morning" Sylvester - wielding a bullhorn - staged a noisy protest outside a Madison Capitol Square bar on Monday afternoon where a fundraiser was being held for longtime U.S. Congressman Ron Kind (D-La Crosse).
The protesters confronted Rep. Kind and his party as they approached and quickly entered the Brocach Pub, an Irish-themed bar on Main St. across from the State Capitol that is a frequent location for political fundraisers.
View slideshow: Activists target Ron Kind for Congress fundraiser over free trade and war votes
Waving signs and Chinese and American flags, protesters chanted slogans including "No More Jobs for China," and "Free Trade Isn't Free", references to Kind's record of voting for international so-called "free trade" agreements that have sent millions of American jobs overseas. Kind's votes in favor of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were another issue.
Other slogans took Kind to task for taking donations from the billionaire Koch Brothers; "Kind is a Koch Whore", his voting record; "Blue Dog Corporate Democrats" and his affinity for corporate lobbyists; "This is Main Street, You're on K Street".
Lobbyists in suits, some familiar to those protesting, could be seen streaming in as protesters loudly called out slogans. Passing drivers honked in support. Someone who had been inside reported the demonstration was audible in the Brocach.
Activists also called out Kind for a recent vote to continue funding the Obama Administration's raids of medical cannabis providers in states that have legalized it. In May, Kind joined with three Wisconsin Republicans, Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, Paul Ryan and Sean Duffy in voting with most Republicans and 50 Democrats to keep the funding.
Voting to protect state medical cannabis programs were Democratic Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore and surprisingly, two of their Wisconsin GOP colleagues Reps. Reid Ribble and Tom Petri. Both Ribble and Petri's votes were their first-ever vote in favor of medical cannabis.
Unlike his Republican predecessor, Steve Gunderson, Kind had been a solid opponent of medical cannabis, and voted against it several times when it came before him in Congress.
Kind justified his opposition by claiming his experience as a prosecutor convinced him medicinal pot was a bad thing. But thanks to the efforts of medical cannabis activists like his constituent Jacki Rickert, Kind eventually got on the ride side of the issue voting three times from 2005-2007 to defund the same kind of raids he voted to continue in May 2012. It's a fair bet he does not forget how to vote when the issues important to his lobbyist friends come before him.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: About Examiner.com Passionate, local writers | Examiner.com
Website: Madison activists target Ron Kind fundraiser over free trade and war votes - Madison norml | Examiner.com
The protesters confronted Rep. Kind and his party as they approached and quickly entered the Brocach Pub, an Irish-themed bar on Main St. across from the State Capitol that is a frequent location for political fundraisers.
View slideshow: Activists target Ron Kind for Congress fundraiser over free trade and war votes
Waving signs and Chinese and American flags, protesters chanted slogans including "No More Jobs for China," and "Free Trade Isn't Free", references to Kind's record of voting for international so-called "free trade" agreements that have sent millions of American jobs overseas. Kind's votes in favor of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were another issue.
Other slogans took Kind to task for taking donations from the billionaire Koch Brothers; "Kind is a Koch Whore", his voting record; "Blue Dog Corporate Democrats" and his affinity for corporate lobbyists; "This is Main Street, You're on K Street".
Lobbyists in suits, some familiar to those protesting, could be seen streaming in as protesters loudly called out slogans. Passing drivers honked in support. Someone who had been inside reported the demonstration was audible in the Brocach.
Activists also called out Kind for a recent vote to continue funding the Obama Administration's raids of medical cannabis providers in states that have legalized it. In May, Kind joined with three Wisconsin Republicans, Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, Paul Ryan and Sean Duffy in voting with most Republicans and 50 Democrats to keep the funding.
Voting to protect state medical cannabis programs were Democratic Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore and surprisingly, two of their Wisconsin GOP colleagues Reps. Reid Ribble and Tom Petri. Both Ribble and Petri's votes were their first-ever vote in favor of medical cannabis.
Unlike his Republican predecessor, Steve Gunderson, Kind had been a solid opponent of medical cannabis, and voted against it several times when it came before him in Congress.
Kind justified his opposition by claiming his experience as a prosecutor convinced him medicinal pot was a bad thing. But thanks to the efforts of medical cannabis activists like his constituent Jacki Rickert, Kind eventually got on the ride side of the issue voting three times from 2005-2007 to defund the same kind of raids he voted to continue in May 2012. It's a fair bet he does not forget how to vote when the issues important to his lobbyist friends come before him.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: About Examiner.com Passionate, local writers | Examiner.com
Website: Madison activists target Ron Kind fundraiser over free trade and war votes - Madison norml | Examiner.com
