Wednesday night a measure in the U.S. House of Representatives that would have cut off federal funding for the ongoing medical marijuana crackdown failed. It lost by a vote of 262 to 163 with only 29 Republicans voting yes.

Since 2009 the Obama Administration has conducted over 170 SWAT-style raids on medical marijuana operators in states where medical cannabis is legal. With the recent addition of Connecticut there are now 17 states with some form of medical marijuana patient protection.

Which of course means every operator and caregiver in the country must brace for a raid at any moment. Not the most pleasant way to live and run a business, especially for those who are operating legally under state law.

"If states' rights aren't a good enough reason to pass this amendment, do it because of compassion. Compassion demands it," said Sam Farr (D-CA), one of the co-sponsors of the bill, on the House floor Wednesday night. "We offer this amendment for terminal cancer patients, for AIDS victims, for persons who suffer chronic pain. We offer this amendment not only to protect those people, but we offer this amendment to protect the states that are progressive enough to provide alternative medical options to those who need it."

But that’s just it. To politicians who get campaign money from Big Pharma, “alternative medical options” are a bad thing.

You can even expect the Justice Department to be emboldened by the recent House vote and step up the threats and raids. And after all, who is going to stop them?

This is why it’s so important to vote for freedom-supporting politicians. Without a supporting White House there are few options for getting the federal government to back off of the states. One of those ways is to cut off funding, which Congress can do.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com