One Term Walsh

Recently, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh commented to the Boston Globe, “I just think it would be a mistake to legalize marijuana in Massachusetts,” said Walsh. “I’ve seen too many lives ruined by starting to smoke weed and then, eventually, going to other types of drugs.”

Walsh’s willingness to lead opposition against marijuana legalization is indicative of his attitude towards voter’s opinions. In a state where over 2/3 of the population supports legalization, and after 2 ½ years still cannot function well enough to open a medical dispensary, one would think that a new mayor would want to support his city’s direction.

However, this was not the case last year.

During a Question and Answer session on the popular forum reddit, Marty Walsh commented in regards to marijuana legalization as such: “To be clear: I support the law and the will of the voters. My concern is the applications – there was incorrect information on some of the applications and I simply want to make sure that everything is in order. I know that this is the law and that medical marijuana will eventually come to Boston.”

While Flip-Flopping has become the norm for career politicians, flat out stating you are against the will of the people seems to be something we haven’t had to deal with much in Massachusetts.

Walsh, a recovering alcoholic who looks back fondly on his time of abuse, is “willing to use his political capital to let people know that he is not in favor of it” according to one aide. Viewing cannabis as a gateway drug that leads to death, (a theory that has been disproven many, many times) he also does not see any social issues as being important enough for him to understand. Clearly having no care for the fact that minorities are four times more likely than whites to be arrested for cannabis, he stated “So because of racial disparities we legalize a drug that potentially could kill people, lead to death? I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to do it.”

Well Marty, since cannabis does not lead to death, and we are still arresting people at an alarming rate, maybe it’s time to think about the will and benefit of the people, not your own skewed opinion.

With the Governor Baker staunchly against legalization, and the Senate president Stan Rosenberg in support of the people, do we in the commonwealth have an issue with the powers that be? A mayor and a governor using their political capital to oppose the will of the people and further their own personal ideas, I don’t think that’s what we voted for.

Baker and Walsh are also very supportive of the Olympic bid for the city of Boston in 2024.An idea which has the people of Massachusetts split, with less than half the population in favor. A figure from the Wall Street Journal in April states 36-40% of area residents support the bid. Said Mayor Walsh to the Boston Globe: “Make no mistake, we are in this to win it: to bring the Olympic Games to Boston, along with the immense global investment and community benefits that come with it”

When the people of the state make their positions known, it is the job of politicians to work towards those ends. Not to treat their own prejudice and ideas as law and policy that should be put into place.

Written by Jeffrey Champagne