Everyone and their mother now recognizes that industrial hemp could be a major crop in Kentucky. Even the USDA thinks so. Just take a look at the state study findings. Data are from 1998-2000.
But this past weekend Daniel Mongiardo appeared on Issues & Answers spouting facts that we’re not sure are legit.
Take a look:
He says that marijuana and industrial hemp are indistinguishable. It’s true that the plants look similar in early stages of the growing process. But if you take the time to read any of the documentation on the USDA link above or anywhere on the Google machine (like here, where Kentucky is also a focus), you quickly discover that marijuana and hemp are grown quite differently. And here you learn that the plants are easily distinguishable by those familiar with them. Also helps that marijuana plants are grown short and close together while industrial hemp is grown further apart and taller for longer fibers. And you discover that hemp kills marijuana’s THC potency in just a couple growing generations.
So maybe someone should ask Daniel Mongiardo a question or two again about industrial hemp. Maybe he can do a bit more research before speaking emphatically and pretending that he’s merely waiting on a University of Kentucky study.
(And, let’s get real. Hemp wouldn’t be a problem because it’d only be grown with a license. A farm boy from Appalachia should know things like that.)
14 responses so far ↓
1 E // Jul 9, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Do politicians (even the sucky ones) go to school to learn how to NOT answer a simple yes or no question?
Dan…the answer is;
“YES”…”I would support permitting industrial hemp to be grown and processed in the state of Kentucky…I would go so far as to allow for generous tax breaks in an effort to stimulate the production and processing of hemp related products such as bio-fuels in impoverished regions such as Appalachia.”
Try again Doc.
2 Taylor // Jul 9, 2009 at 12:51 pm
are we surprised?
shorter Lt. Dan: “if it ain’t coal or ATVs, the mountains don’t want it”
3 Ed Springston // Jul 9, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Well said E. This is what is wrong with people like Mongiardo and most politicians. They would rather dance and spin. You kow open their mouth and remove all doubt of how stupid they really are.
It fascinates me so many times when our so called leaders like Mongiardo speak we see just how sad a leader they are.
time for new blood.
4 Derby City Espresso // Jul 9, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Dan is a dumb idiot. No way will this jerkoff ever get my vote. Even if he wins the primary I won’t vote for him in the general.
5 Thunder Storm // Jul 9, 2009 at 2:45 pm
How can you say that? He is a doctor now less so he is far from “a dumb idiot”
What has he done to piss you off so bad. If you will never vote for him, you’ll vote for Mitch or Bunning? Would you vote for David Williams, Stumbo or any of the other entrenched politicians that keep Kentucky in the bottom 5 of every national category. Do you want to keep voting for who the “Kentucky machine” wants you to vote for.
Look at who has endorsed Conway, every political powerhouse person in Kentucky, all party machine people. The same people that keep Kentucky in the bottom 5 of national categories.
Have you ever voted for someone who will help Kentucky even if it doesn’t help you personally?
Its time we go against the norm and not vote for the popular candidate or the one that raises the most money or the most handsome or prettiest. Don’t vote because of one issue or cause, vote for the total package.
Everyone says they don’t vote for the incumbent of machine choice but somehow they keep getting elected. I’m ready to throw all the bums out and start over
6 Lyndon Combs // Jul 9, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Not everyone in the moutains of Eastern Kentucky are against the growing of industrial hemp, just as not everyone in rural Kentucky are racist, and ignorant. This could be a big boost to the economy of the region,and the state.
Dr, Dan is too busy with pushing medical records on computers so that Mongiardo Enterprises can make money buidling the web sites to see that we need a strong cash crop in Kentucky.
7 E // Jul 9, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Well said Thunder…
8 Taylor // Jul 9, 2009 at 3:45 pm
T-Storm- First of all, plenty of doctors can (and are) idiots. Lt. Dan falls in that camp. Second of all, are you really that oblivious? Lt. Dan pissed people off by sponsoring a constitutional amendment to disenfranchise a significant portion of our state’s population in order to serve his own needs, which still didn’t work out for him so well back in ‘04.
Mongiardo is one of our state’s top proponents of a single industry economy in this state, which isn’t so different than the “entrenched politicians that keep Kentucky in the bottom 5 of every national category” - in fact, a majority of Lt. Dan’s positions are significantly more similar to the GOP than to the Democratic party. For examples see: labor, energy/environmental policy and health care, arguably three issues that mark some of the greatest differences between the two major parties.
I’m not sure how voting for a candidate who would prefer to keep KY in the stone age to benefit his major donors (big coal) will help KY, as I believe you are implying. I’m also not quite sure how the endorsement of the governor is less ‘machine politics’ than the endorsement of the state’s true progressive representative in Congress, who is in no way a career politician. Lt. Dan is part of the problem that Beshear, McConnell, Bunning and the 4 shitty GOP congressman have been creating around here for awhile. Jack Conway isn’t Jesus, but he sure is part of the solution.
9 Just me // Jul 9, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Isn’t Dan our Lieutenant Governor?? Doesn’t that make him part of ‘the machine’??
10 Taylor // Jul 9, 2009 at 4:19 pm
also, I apologize for the omission of the word “be” in the first sentence of my above comment. When the old lady is hassling you to go get a prescription picked up, you just can’t proofread like normal.
Also, just me, you’re 100% correct. Lt. Dan with all of his ‘experience’ as a State Senator and Lt. Gov, is certainly just as much a part of the machine as anyone else.
11 Thunder Storm // Jul 9, 2009 at 10:42 pm
“Plenty” of doctors are idiots, I bet you hope you never get sick.
Obviously Mongiardo is no longer part of the machine, if he ever was. Conway worked with all the people supporing him during the Patton Administration.
The people supporting Conway are the same ones who will be looking to continue their non merit careers at the expense of Kentucky’s citizens.
Compare Beshears roster of non merit staff and its remarkable how many decades these people have held non merit positions even through the Fletcher administration but Kentucky has never improved.
Its time we quit supporting “the machine”
12 jake // Jul 9, 2009 at 10:45 pm
You people are fucking insane for trying to spin this. Daniel Mongiardo IS the machine.
He’s been in state government for years. He’s played the game. He’s playing it now.
Stop kidding yourselves.
13 James R. // Jul 10, 2009 at 12:29 am
Most GOOD Doctors support Clean Water for people. Mongardio has no problem supporting Mountaintop Removal Mining which pollutes the well water and streams of Eastern Kentucky.
Any Docctor who does that does not deserve my vote. I would simply rather vote Republican than hypocrite.
14 brian mathews // Jul 10, 2009 at 2:29 am
“I bet you hope you never get sick.”
Who the fuck would hope they get sick?
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