General Commentary Archives - FLORIDA MEDIATION PRACTICE

Bill Wohlsifer Will Remove Cannabis from Schedule I

General Commentary / October 17, 2014

by Matt Wright

We have been living in an outdated society. The norms of yesterday should no longer be held as the standard today. Unfortunately, the leaders of this country are more concerned with special interest groups, and lobbyists who want to keep Cannabis out of the hands of patients across the country. Historically there has not been a leader who would stand up to these entities and tell them their time is over. There needs to be a person who is willing to go to bat for their constituents and allow them the control to make decisions regarding their medical and personal freedoms. Until now.

Bill Wohlsifer is the Libertarian candidate for Attorney General in Florida. He is making waves in the political world by breaking the mold of the leaders in this country by wanting to put the power of the control back in the hands of the people instead of federally funded bureaucrats who claim to know more about what is best for each individual, rather than the individual themselves. Mr. Wohlsifer believes we, as people, should be able to make decisions on our health freedoms ourselves, without the fear of government or police intervention in our most personal and private decisions.

As evidence of the fact that Mr. Wohlsifer wants to give the freedom to choose back to the people of Florida he has outlined a plan that should be making news across the country, but due to a media blackout on third party candidates he hasn’t been able to get his message out to the people he believes matters most…the voters. His plan would remove the plant of the genus Cannabis completely from Schedule I of the Florida’s Controlled Substance List. This would be an unprecedented action, that would change the way Florida looks at almost every factor of their state.

Mr. Wohlsifer has stated that Cannabis with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level of greater than 0.8 percent would be removed from Schedule I and moved to Schedule II. Any Cannabis with a THC level of .8 percent to 0.3 percent would be moved to Schedule III and Cannabis with a level lower than 0.3 percent would be removed from Florida’s Controlled Substance List. This would redefine all levels of Cannabis and change the way the world views the medicinal value of this plant.

Once Cannabis has been removed from Schedule I a doctor would legally be able to recommend the plant for medical purposes, without the need of a Florida Constitutional Amendment. Also, by removing Cannabis with THC levels of .3 percent and lower would effectively remove hemp from the controlled substance list, allowing for industrial hemp to be grown and produced in Florida. Mr. Wohlsifer has already outlined his plan for industrial hemp on the website Hemp4Water.com.

This is the type of leadership we need in Florida, as well as the rest of the country. We need leadership not being handcuffed by special interest groups, and back room policy deals. It is time we elect officials who are willing to stand up for what they believe, especially if they believe in giving rights and freedoms back to the voters, as opposed to big government groups whose main goal is to approve the medicines produced by the highest donors.

Matt Wright is a writer and political activist living in south Florida. He has a BS in communications and is currently working for the Bill Wohlsifer for Attorney General campaign. To hear more from Matt you can follow him on Twitter at @mrwright79 or like him on Facebook.

Bill Wohlsifer Will Remove Cannabis from Schedule I Read More »

End the War on Drugs

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / October 9, 2014

by Matt Wright

The War on Drugs has failed. There is simply no other way to put it. America has been dealing with over 70 years of prohibition and all that has truly been achieved is the increased influx of children illegally crossing America’s southernmost borders, and increased funding for excessively militarized police forces through federal grants. It is time that America calls an end to the drug war, and instead changes their approach for the betterment of society.

As the fascination for drugs has grown in America the business side of the industry has grown. People see the movies and TV shows focusing on narcotics and they see a life filled with opportunity. They see possibility. They see an industry with unwavering growth potential. They see a true free market in it’s purest form. This is a market that has only one regulation: drugs are illegal. The reward has grown greater than the risk, as people continue to search for control over their socio-economic future.

This $100 billion annual industry continues to grow, and cartels in other countries grow in numbers, power and strength, forcing the youth of these countries to search for safer pastures in other countries. America’s leaders continue to throw more money at the problem without attempting to solve the issue, which is to end prohibition on drugs. This would essentially end the illegal drug trade, and we could begin using the excess funds to increase public education and drug treatment.

Former Vice Presidential Candidate Judge Jim Gray stated that “Drug Prohibition has resulted in a greater loss of civil liberties than anything else in the history of our country.” He is correct. America leads in incarceration rates, most of which are due to non-violent drug offenses. He also points out that even though studies have proven that people of all races use drugs at basically the same rate, people of color are incarcerated at an exceptionally higher rate than those of Anglo decent.

By ending the so-called “War on Drugs” and releasing all criminals who have been incarcerated for committing non-violent crime we could free up jail space, and save tax payer money who are paying for the room and board of essentially an alcohol purveyor in the 1920s. The need for SWAT teams, which are essentially federally funded, would be reduced drastically saving federal dollars.

Once the War on Drugs in America ends the cartels no longer have the golden goose of American dollars funding their operations. This would then, in-turn, cut many terrorist organizations off at the knees.

Drug cartels are one of the greatest supporters of terrorist organizations. If America ends the drug war, cutting off the financial backing from American citizens to these cartels they will not be able to fund terrorist organizations. Essentially, by America ending the drug war, they will end the unintended American funding of terrorism across the globe.

This is obviously not something that will happen overnight. It will take time and in order for it to eventually happen, the right leaders have to be in place. It is important to elect the leaders who have the right vision in mind.

Bill Wohlsifer is a leader who has the right vision. He will begin by working to give clemency to all non-violent criminals currently imprisoned in Florida jails. Which will save the tax-payers of Florida money, and give new hope to people who previously had no vision for a future that was filled with anything other than a life of crime. With leaders like Mr. Wohlsifer America can finally end the War on Drugs, allowing families to be together, permitting free markets to grow, slowing down illegal immigration, and ultimately crippling terrorist organizations.

–

End the War on Drugs Read More »

Equality and the League of Women Voters

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / September 23, 2014

Voters used to care if candidates received equal billing at election time, but those days seem long passed. We the people have fallen into a disastrous pattern of a two party system, where even the people who clamor on about wanting equality fail to demand equality. In fact, they even defend inequality and have loaded voters with an arsenal of excuses on why they must vote for one of the two establishment parties.

“The other candidates aren’t polling well.” “I don’t really like either one, but unfortunately they are the only options I have been given to choose from.” “She believes this, and he believes that.” “I don’t really like either one, but unfortunately they are the only options I have been given to choose from. I must pick one.”

In most elections it ends up the equivalent of picking a vacation in the Bog of Eternal Stench or the Fire Swamp.

The problem we have in this country is that many of the groups out there working to inform the citizens of their options in the political process have become so inundated with the duopoly of the system they have forgotten the true nature of their purpose; to inform voters of their options. There are options out there other than the Republicans and the Democrats. The average voter, though, doesn’t know about these options because they are not being informed by the people they have been instructed to trust with this information.

When a group, such as the League of Women Voters, puts out a voters guide and it fails to provide information on all qualified candidates in the race it just proves they have fallen victim to the duopoly in this country they say they are striving to rise above. When the country is faced with a future oligarchy, taking the choice out of the voters’ hands and placing it in the hands of a select few who make deals in back rooms while holding back the citizens who lay wanting for freedoms, one would think equality between the candidates would be at the forefront of the activists groups who strive for equality.

Groups such as these use phrases such as nonpartisan, which is a blatant lie, because they show themselves to be partisan in many different fashions. Yes, they have worked hard to find equality for their core demographic, but shouldn’t the end goal be equality for all those in America? Doesn’t their blatant disregard for any political party that doesn’t begin with an “R” or a “D” show their intrinsic bias toward any candidate who may stand for a more universal equality than the options they allow their followers to learn about?

If these groups actually stood for, and believed in, equality, they wouldn’t disregard candidates who were qualified and give childish excuses for their actions. Instead, they would place these names on the voter guides next to the candidates names of who they have been programmed to educate the voters.

Equality and the League of Women Voters Read More »

Kava and Kratom:New Options for Florida’s Health Freedom

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / September 19, 2014

There has been a new fad that has been sweeping the nation in recent years. This is the recent fad of kava bars opening up in cities nationwide, many of them to great fanfare and with a base of regulars already waiting at the wings. What is it about this new trend that has so many people jumping at the chance to drink what could possibly be just the next in a line of short-lived trends that never seem to grab hold of the general public, like oxygen-bars, or nap-pods?

First, to understand the appeal, one must understand exactly what these bars serve, which is primarily drinks made out of Kava root and kratom leaves. These drinks come with different benefits, according to those who serve them up, such as Hailey B, who is a local purveyor of kava and kratom at Low Tide Lounge in Pinellas County, FL.

image78-150x150 — Kratom is a plant from South East Asia and the South Pacific, and a derivative of the coffee tree.

Kratom is the leaf of the kratom tree, a relative of the coffee tree, that comes from South East Asia, and the South Pacific, and has more anti-oxidants than green tea. It has been known to help with pain relief, lowering blood pressure, increasing sexual performance and desire, as well as aiding in opiate and alcohol withdrawal. It also promotes overall happiness and increases a positive work ethic.

Gabi M., another barista at Low Tide Lounge, turned me on to an article by Barbara Lago at the University of Mississippi, who wrote that through testing Dr. Christopher McCurdy concluded kratom has shown positive benefits for addicts who are searching for alternative methods of rehabilitation. Ms. Lago quotes Dr. McCurdy in the article, stating “kratom has long been used for coughs, diarrhea, muscle aches and pain…and has been used to wean people off (opium).”

Kava also hails from the same region of the planet, and many of the people who enjoy one, often will enjoy the other, although mixing Kava with alcohol is not recommended by those who sell the beverage. Kava has been shown to prevent migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle pain, and for certain cancer prevention. It has also been shown to to relieve anxiety, stress, restlessness, and insomnia.

Kava and kratom appear to be more than just another way for people to achieve a sense of heightened consciousness. Maybe those who drink it regularly are looking toward their futures, as opposed to achieving a buzz for that evening. It could be those who enjoy the muddy-flavored beverages on a regular basis are more concerned with the stabilized euphoric feeling and long term health benefits as opposed to the instant gratification, and long term negative harm, caused by alcohol.

It has been shown to give more energy with a smaller crash than coffee. — It has been shown to give more energy with a less severe crash than coffee.

David DiSalvo, of Forbes Magazine and The Daily Brain website, wrote on his blog about kratom and the effects he noticed he experienced while he was experimenting with different brands. He wrote that he started taking the product in the morning and noticed a burst of energy, much like a “strong cup of coffee,” but he never experienced the caffeine crash that is generally associated with coffee drinkers. He also stated that following the initial burst of energy was a period of relaxation, while falling short of “being sedating.” He also stated he saw no reason to ban the substance if anyone can walk into a Starbucks and buy a large cup of coffee, which he feels is more potent than kratom.

Although, just as with any new fad there are those who feel the need to regulate the industry or to banish the plants entirely. We know of the beneficial aspects of these plants, and while they both cause euphoria-like side effects there is little evidence that has supported any reason to regulate them with anything more than age-limits and labeling laws.

Recently there has been a lot of focus on the health freedoms of the people in Florida. Do they have the right to decide what course of medical treatment they take? While kava and kratom may not be at the forefront of the debate, they are just more examples of naturally-created, medically beneficial options for Floridians who may not want to use synthetic medicines such as Oxycontin, Roxicet, Lortab/Vicodin, or Xanax.

Bill Wohlsifer supports the freedoms of individuals to discover and create new potential markets and products in a free market society, where people have the right to make their own decisions when it comes to their health. He also promises that without quantifiable evidence showing public harm he will not add natural remedies on the controlled substances list.

Mr. Wohlsifer has been quoted as saying, “When it comes to healing or nourishing the body, I endorse holistic, spiritual, dietary, pharmaceutical and surgical treatments. I have personally found value in each.”

For more information about kratom, and its multiple benefits, be sure to check out the video at the link below:

Kava and Kratom:New Options for Florida’s Health Freedom Read More »

Wohlsifer Answers the Call for Help

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / August 5, 2014

With Amendment 2 on the ballot in the upcoming election many people, including Jermaine Ingram, are wondering how the dispensaries will be regulated. Jermaine had spent lots of time doing research and attempting to find out exactly what it is that will be required of him to open, supervise, or just work at one of the dispensing organizations that will be opening in Florida in the next few years.

Unfortunately, Jermaine became concerned about a number of the rules he found, including a rule stating that no felons could work in the industry. This precludes a lot of individuals, including those who have been convicted of non-violent crimes. As many people know, a disproportional percentage of these people are black. Once again the rules were limiting a community that often finds itself being limited.

Jermaine posted on a Facebook group’s wall that focuses on reforming marijuana laws asking for someone to represent these individuals at the upcoming Rules Development Workshop. Bill Wohlsifer saw the post and decided he would go to the workshop on Jermaine’s behalf and speak out against felony disenfranchisement, and a rule that will keep 25% of black Floridians from working in the medical marijuana industry.

Bill went to Tallahassee to sit in on the Rules Development Workshop. He didn’t go there strictly for Jermaine Ingram. Nor did he attend the event for the 25% of black Floridians who, under the current guidelines, will not be allowed to work in the medical marijuana industry. He went there to fight for justice for all Floridians. He wanted to speak for all informed citizens who were unable to attend the event. Mr. Wohlsifer was fighting to make sure justice and freedom prevail in the Sunshine State.

This is the type of leadership Florida needs in their Attorney General. We need someone who will look over the laws we have in place, and work to protect a demographic that has been systematically discriminated against and held back due to such praxis. We need a candidate who will go above and beyond to help the needs of the voters. We deserve someone who will stand up for their constituents and stand up to make a difference.

This November we need Bill Wohlsifer to be elected our Attorney General.

Wohlsifer Answers the Call for Help Read More »

Bill Wohlsifer Will Declare War on Corruption and Cronyism

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / July 31, 2014

Rick Scott may be the Governor of Florida, but it can be questioned whether he acts in the best interest of the voters, or those who have given money to him and his cronies. In a completely in-your-face

governorship, where cronyism runs rampant, it is apparent that being friends, financiers, and former co-workers of Rick Scott is the best position to be in if you are a Floridian.

This is apparent by his recent approval of two nuclear power plants being erected in South Florida, even though the residents of Miami-Dade vehemently opposed the proposal. Even though the voters were against the construction of the two plants, the Governor sided with his friends at Florida Power and Light and green lit the project. It would be good to think that Gov. Scott did this with the best interest of Floridians in mind, but the fact that over the last 18 months FPL has donated a half a million dollars and Duke Energy donated $150,000 to his campaign definitely raises some eyebrows about the decision.

Of course, that could have been a coincidence. Unless of course one were to look at the FPL pipeline deal that was approved by the Republican Governor’s appointees. The Florida Public Service Commission, in which all of the members were appointed by Gov. Scott, approved the construction of the Sabal Trail as the state’s third major natural gas pipeline. Florida Power and Light had a natural gas pipeline they were in control of, which makes sense, being that they are a power company. What does make the rest of the eyebrows raise is that FPL chose Spectra Energy to build and operate the $3 billion project. Unbeknownst to the voters, Governor Scott possessed a stake in Spectra Energy at the time of the deal.

Although, he does claim that it was owned as part of a blind trust and he had no knowledge of the contents of the investment. Maybe we can give him the benefit of the doubt. Although, when one is reminded of the now-defunct Crystal River nuclear plant, and the canceled Levy County nuclear project and how Duke Energy customers are still taking on the $3.2 billion burden of these projects, one should probably question why the burden of failed proposals is still being passed on to the citizens of Florida, at the average cost of $9.00 a month.

One should also remember how he gallantly rejected $2.4 billion in federal dollars to build a railway that would eventually connect Miami, Orlando and Tampa, due to the eventual tax burden it would impose on Floridians. This appeared to be a case that Gov. Scott was looking out for his constituents, until he came out in support of the Orlando to Miami rail system known as All Aboard Florida. Not surprisingly, Scott’s Chief of Staff, Adam Hollingsworth, has ties to one of the companies involved in the project, and when asked if Mr. Hollingsworth had input concerning the project, Scott declined to answer.

It is also impossible to forget how in his first year in office Scott passed a bill requiring all state employees, and cash welfare recipients to pass a drug test. The U.S. Supreme Court recently rejected Scott’s petition to review a ruling that his bill is unconstitutional, but has to wonder whether or not Gov. Scott would have even passed such a bill if he hadn’t recently given his controlling portion of stock in one of the state’s largest drug testing companies over to his wife.

This sort of cronyism and corruption occurs all across Florida every day, Rick Scott just being the easiest of targets. The person elected to keep this kind of corruption in check is the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, who has done nothing to rein in Gov. Scott and his cronies. The state of Florida needs someone in office who will stop this sort of collusion between state officials and the guys with whom they swap locker room tales.

Bill Wohlsifer (LPF) is the candidate for Attorney General who vows to declare war on these highly unethical and potentially illegal actions. He promises to investigate any allegation into corruption in the state government in order to ensure that the “little guys,” or “underdogs” get equal protection under the law. Protect the future of Floridians by making sure that the state government doesn’t become just another hot bed of patronization for the friends of whatever “family” happens to be in charge of the state, vote for Bill Wohlsifer.

Bill Wohlsifer Will Declare War on Corruption and Cronyism Read More »

Against All Odds

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / July 29, 2014

Bill Wohlsifer (LPF), candidate for Attorney General in the state of Florida, knows he is looked at as the quintessential underdog by most Floridians. He is a third party candidate in a political system that has been largely run by the two behemoth parties for basically all of American history.

This does not frighten the man who wants to be the next Attorney General of Florida, though. He understands that even though he is looking at an uphill battle where he is left off of straw polls, and is being all but completely ignored by the media, his message is one that speaks to the people of Florida.

Even with the media brownout, Bill Wohlsifer continues on the campaign trail, spreading a message that deals with the issues Floridians truly care about. This is apparent with recent polls showing Bill receiving between 5 and 7 percent of the vote, even with being left of mock ballots being produced by Supervisors of Elections in counties across the state.

Especially glaring is the fact that these polls also show that roughly 16 percent of the voters are unsure on which of the candidates would best represent them as their Attorney General. Mr. Wohlsifer believes if he can prove to those constituents he is the candidate who cares about their vision for the future of Florida he will be polling at 23 percent, and will only be 10 percent away from a victory in the three way race.

There are many allegories that can be drawn about Bill Wohlsifer and his quest for being elected the next Attorney General of Florida. Some may cite Frank Sinatra, and that ant trying to move a rubber tree plant. Others may cite the biblical tale of David, fighting the massive Goliath. Yet it seems as though the most fitting is the children’s tale of the Little Engine That Could. Even with all of the odds stacked against him, he continues to trudge on, working all day every day to earn every vote, having complete faith that the people of Florida will hear his message.

Whether Mr. Wohlsifer is seen as a brave David, or a confident Little Engine That Could, it is obvious to all who meet him that, even as a first time and third party candidate, he is campaigning for the people of Florida, more so than the candidates from the other two parties.

Against All Odds Read More »

Steering Voters Does Not Lead to Fair and Open Elections

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / July 21, 2014

Real estate is a profession encumbered by countless regulations and rules that must be adhered to in order to assure that no wrong doing or discrimination occurs. One of the many rules that must be followed by agents is that one must not engage in “steering”.

Steering is described as the discriminatory practice of maneuvering an individual away from a home in a neighborhood the real estate agent doesn’t want the individual to consider for whatever reason. Essentially, the agent must show a client every available option on the market, if that option is within the realms of the clients’ criteria. If the agent has committed the act of steering they can be suspended, or lose their license permanently.

This was a law put into place by the Government in order to prevent wrongful discrimination based on a person’s beliefs, race, or creed. Why is it then that individuals and their bought-and-paid-for Government have the ability to steer voters toward certain candidates, while omitting other candidates who meet the same criteria?

Recently, the Collier County Supervisor of Elections was conducting a mock election at a public Candidate Forum at the Golden Gate Community Center. Much like with the responsibilities of a Realtor®, one would assume that all qualifying candidates would be on the mock ballot. In the race for Attorney General there were three names on the ballot, none of which was the name of the qualified Libertarian candidate, Bill Wohlsifer.

When the Supervisor of Elections was asked why his name was left off the ballot even though he had met the same criteria and paid the same fees as the others on the ballot the SOE explained, “The organizers of the event choose who to put on the mock ballot.”

If a candidate has qualified should he, or she, be left off of individually or associational funded election materials presented by the people who oversee the election process, or should they be required to include all qualified candidates on all publicly funded election materials? By allowing these entities paying for the straw polls to leave off any qualified candidate the Government is basically allowing the steering of the public toward the candidates these groups feel the voters should be choosing from.

This is just a form of discrimination that opens the door of opportunity for a corporately funded straw poll to pick and choose any candidates to place on mock ballots, based on what they want the ballot to look like, and pay the Supervisor of Election to put out the ballot. Even the Office of Director, Division of Elections stated in an email that, “There are no specific rules or statutes that govern these types of activities.” If they can leave off any qualified candidate what is to stop them to leaving off all candidates who weren’t the personal choice of the people who have essentially paid the Supervisor of Elections?

By leaving off a candidate with all of the same qualifications as other candidates the Government, and those paying for the straw polls to be conducted, are not allowing the public to make educated choices on who they would like to elect into office. They are restricting the publics’ choice, and by doing so they are committing the punishable act of steering. They are attempting to run our lives by not allowing us to see the full range of options. They are hindering the publics’ knowledge of the candidates and the issues. If we, as a people, do not hold our Government accountable for providing the public with all information they have the ability to control our future by limiting our choices.

We cannot allow the Government to limit our choices, and we need to demand honest and complete consideration by those who run our elections, and not have them dictated by whatever political action committee or lobbying group is willing to put forward the money to stage one of these mock elections. If we don’t run our government, the government will continue to run us, and they will be run by those who pay them to give us our information.

Steering Voters Does Not Lead to Fair and Open Elections Read More »

Pam Bondi’s Views on “Timely Justice Act” Only Valid When Her Schedule Allows

Billy's Blog, General Commentary / June 27, 2014

On the morning of September 8th, 2013, an Ohioan mother who had been dealt the worst blow any parent could have lived through, woke up knowing that her daughter’s murder would finally be vindicated. This knowledge would quickly get dashed though. Soon she would get word that the execution of her daughter’s killer would be stayed for the, now, third time. Heartbroken and confused, she asked what the reason behind the next in a series of postponements, which had only gone on to increase her stress and remind her of the terrible pain she had endured and been living with since she heard the news of her daughter’s vicious murder. Certainly this was another legal issue. Another lawyer had put into question the sanity of the murderer, or something along those lines, just as with the other delays. Not this time, though. This time it was for another reason. This time was for a reason that made less sense than any of the other excuses she had heard leading up to the day. She had no idea what to say when she was told that the Attorney General had requested for the Governor to stay the execution so she could attend a fundraising event meant to fund her reelection campaign…in November of 2014.

This woman, who had supported the so-called “Timely Justice Act” intended to accelerate the death penalty process in Florida, had just added another level stress to the victim’s mother. Not only had she selfishly moved a state event to allow her to attend a personal fundraising event, but she did so at the cost of the tax-payers who had already been burdened with paying for the accused’s room, board, and appeals process. Luckily, she was able to raise over $166,000 at the event. All of this only cost the Florida taxpayers an additional $1,000 to the department of corrections (the amount that it costs the tax-payers in public finance contributions would end up being an additional $200,000).

The $1,000 was a drop in the bucket compared to what Floridian’s had already payed to house and feed a serial rapist, and murderer. After all, they only pushed the execution back 21 days, which was a minute amount of time since his conviction had occurred over two decades prior. It was also 21 extra days the victim’s mother had to live with knowledge that her daughter’s killer was still alive…while her daughter wasn’t. Americans are protected from cruel and unusual punishment. To extend one mother’s uncertainty and stress by any amount of time because one person wanted to add more money to her already over a half a million in savings is the cruelest punishment a government can dole out to someone who had lived through the cruelest punishment the universe can dole out. It is no wonder the victim’s mother’s only response to the news was, “It’s ridiculous.”

Pam Bondi’s Views on “Timely Justice Act” Only Valid When Her Schedule Allows Read More »

Federal Overreach on Consumer Labels

Billy's Blog, Consumer Protection, General Commentary / May 22, 2014

As a Libertarian I sometimes find myself at odds with other members of my political party over certain laws. Take for instance GMO Labeling law. I favor laws that inform us of what we are putting into our bodies. As consumers, we want to make informed free market choices. I am able to read beyond the Madison Ave puffery on food packaging, but I cannot reverse-engineer the commodity inside. I do not want to choose salmon because of the attractiveness of the pinkish food dye it is soaked in, nor because of its larger size from genetic engineering. I would much rather know which waters the fish came from, what it consumed in its lifetime, and if it was genetically engineered before I consume it. Libertarians recognize that not all laws are bad. But we apply strict scrutiny to even the most local ordinance. As candidate for Florida Attorney General my position on GMO Labeling laws is not to regulate an industry, but to provide consumer information and protection. I believe consumer protection is a proper role of government and a high priority for the people’s Attorney General.

Currently, there is a Federal GMO Labeling bill, HR 4432, recently introduced by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.). HR 4432, superficially named the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act” and commonly referred to as “The DARK Act” by anti-GMO activists, intends to prevent any individual state from passing its own GMO Labeling law such as Vermont, Connecticut and Maine have recently done. Proposed HR 4432, if passed, would create an unconstitutional encroachment on the laws of Florida. As candidate for Florida Attorney General I pledge to use the full power of the 9th and 10th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution to shield Florida from such federal overreach. Indeed, section 16.52, Florida Statutes, clearly mandates the Florida Attorney General “to oppose any existing or proposed federal legislative encroachments upon constitutional state powers . . . [and] to pursue that course best calculated to preserve and safeguard the constitutional state powers of the government of this state.” We, as a sovereign state and as responsible individuals, have every right to control what goes on within the borders of our state for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of all Floridians.

Bill Wohlsifer (LPF) Candidate for Attorney General

www.BillW2014.com

Federal Overreach on Consumer Labels Read More »

Call:	(727) 378-3657
Email:	Send an Email