Fake news story apparently prompts real legislation in Colorado

[G_j]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/13/1269341/-Fake-news-story-apparently-prompts-real-legislation-in-Colorado

A story from a fake news website has apparently led the Colorado Republican state senator who thinks fried chicken causes black and Latino poverty to file a bill prohibiting the use of food stamps or other government aid at marijuana dispensaries, even to purchase things that could be legally obtained elsewhere with the public assistance. (Food stamps can only be used to buy food, remember.)

Last week, the satirical National Report posted a fake story entitled “Colorado Pot Shop Accepting Food Stamps – Taxpayer Funded Marijuana for Welfare Recipients.” Other stories on the site include equally false items such as “Colorado Pot Shop Attempts To Disarm Citizens With ‘Weed for Guns’ Buyback Program,” “How Obama’s EPA Is Taking Away Your 2nd Amendment,” and “U.S. Caves to Iran In Nuclear Deal. Sharia Law Now to be Taught in U.S. Universities. Qurans to be Placed in Motel Rooms.” A conservative news site picked up the story, apparently duped. The Douglas County Republican Committee, also apparently believing the story real, linked to the report on its Twitter feed last Tuesday.

A day later, [state Sen. Vicki] Marble’s bill was filed in the state Senate. Marble did not immediately respond to a ThinkProgress inquiry about her rationale, but two of her co-sponsors did. Rep. Dan Nordberg (R) observed that while “To my knowledge, there have been no incidences at marijuana establishments in the two weeks they’ve been open,” the bill is “consistent with the intent of Amendment 64, which is to ‘regulate marijuana like alcohol.’” Since the prohibition applies to liquor stores, he notes, it should thus also apply to marijuana vendors.

Regulating marijuana like alcohol is all fine and good—but it's the timing that gets you there, guys. Introduce a bill addressing a fake story your party has been pushing, and it's gonna look a lot like you're legislating according to fake news. The timing gets them, along with the lead involvement of Vicki Marble, who, to emphasize, has some very deep thoughts about the relationship between black life expectancy, poverty, and fried chicken and BBQ. Also the state House co-sponsorship of another legislator who brought a box of Popeye's fried chicken to a committee hearing following Marble's remarks.

..more..

[Octafish]

1. ''I never joke about my work, 007.''

Q, in reply to Bond's observation: "An ejector seat? You must be joking!"



How many people now "understand" that seven people died of THC ODs Jan. 1 in Colorado?

Imagine how far we could progress with honest reporting, let alone a news media with integrity?

[CanonRay]

2. Do you have a link to a story that 7 people have died of THC OD's?

Thanks.

[Octafish]

3. Daily Courant came up with it.

Sorry, 37 died first day:

http://seriouslyforreal.com/more/daily-currant-satirical-report-37-dead-from-marijuana-overdoses/

Seems to have had legs.

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/national/hoax-story-claiming-marijuana-overdoses-kill-37-in-colorado-fools-some-not-all

It bothers me that the truth ends up getting into people's heads second-place, if at all.