Spokesperson for Liberty: Krystal Martinez served as the State-wide petition organizer and treasurer of the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care. In this role, she traveled the state to organize regional petitioners. The petition effort involved the training and employment of professional petitioners. To successfully put the initiative on the November 2008 ballot, the MCCC had to produce a minimum of 304,101 valid signatures within a span of six months. With Ms. Martinez's leadership they exceeded this goal by collecting about 496,000 signatures of which almost 378,000 were validated by the state.
The initiative known as proposal 1 passed with almost 2/3 of the votes cast in the November election.
Medical Marijuana is now legal in Michigan. The law permits physician approved use of marijuana by registered patients with debilitating medical conditions including cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, MS and other conditions as may be approved by the Department of Community Health. (details to be worked out by April)
The law permits registered individuals to grow limited amounts of marijuana for qualifying patients in an enclosed, locked facility.
The law requires Department of Community Health to establish an identification card system for patients qualified to use marijuana and individuals qualified to grow marijuana.
The law permits registered and unregistered patients and primary caregivers to assert medical reasons for using marijuana as a defense to any prosecution involving marijuana.
Martinez also serves as campaigns analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project. Since she could not attend Charles Snyder III accepted the award on her behalf.
Spokesperson for Liberty: Leon Drolet is chair of the Michigan Taxpayer's Alliance as well as recently being County Commissioner for Macomb County, Michigan. He was also Treasurer of Michigan Recalls who sought the recalls of several state legislators for their vote in favor of a tax increase during Michigan's spending crisis in 2007.
In 2008 Mr. Drolet spearheaded an effort by the recall Michigan Speaker of the Michigan house Andy Dillon. While Dillon survived November's recall vote, the effort put Michigan's lawmakers on notice. They now know that any tax increase will be noticed, and there will be political consequences.
From 2000 to 2006 Drolet served in the Michigan House of Representatives. Drolet also served as a Macomb County, Michigan county commissioner from 1999-2000.
During his final term in the state legislature, Drolet co-authored a state constitutional amendment that prohibited governments in Michigan from using their power of eminent domain to seize citizens private property and turn it over to new owners for their private use. This proposed amendment was Proposal 4 in the November, 2006 election and was overwhelmingly adopted by voters.
But Mr. Drolet is best known among Libertarians for introducing HB5237 on October 16th, 2001. This bill made it easier for a party to remain on the ballot. Prior law required it to poll the needed number of votes for its candidate who was listed closest to the top of the ballot (president in presidential election years, and governor in mid-term years, are the offices closest to the top of the ballot). The bill now lets a party meet the vote test by the vote for any of its statewide candidates. The bill became law on May 30th 2002.
Promoter of Liberty : David Eisenbacher has shown that an openly Libertarian candidate can get re-elected in one of Michigan's larger cities. He was first elected to the Troy City Council in 2002 and served until 2005.
Prior to being elected to City Council in 2002, David served the City of Troy on the Historic District Commission. In addition, he has served on the Board of Directors for his subdivision, Raintree Village Homeowners Association, taking on the role of President from 2005 to the present time.
Councilman Eisenbacher returned to the Troy city council in 2007 to a term that ends this year. He remains openly Libertarian.
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2008 Defender of Liberty Awards Presentation ( 2 of 2)by michiganlibertarian66 views
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