Chris Christie on drug abuse

[John Connor]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdYMx7sycW4

Watch Chris Christie's plea to New Hampshire voters that America reevaluate it's approach to drugs.

Pretty powerful.

 

[glenn1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdYMx7sycW4

Pretty powerful.

I hope every other candidate in the race from both parties were listening to that and takes it to heart.

 

[sportage]

Raised my respect for Christie. But sadly, he's IS a republican so you can't trust him.
Despite acknowledging help is warranted for these people and their problems, in office as president he'd probably cut funding to the bone.
Or eliminate funding altogether.
You can't go by what they say, you must judge by what they actually do.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I thought johnny wanted to jail all drug offenders, zero tolerance, etc...

 

[Sonikku]

No pot for you!

 

[mizzou]

One of the most difficult parts of dealing with addicts is that you often can't fix their addictive personality.

To successfully stop a negative addiction, it's incredibly complex. You need the right personality, environment, support, time, and others. You can't just "go to rehab" and get fixed. You can't just pray it away either.

One of the best things you can do as someone who is associated with an addict is stop enabling the behavior.


Anyway, I've always found Christie as a real likeable straight-shooter kind of guy. I've often wondered how he hasn't been more popular. Perhaps it's got something to do with his Jersey skeletons in his closet or the fact he is overweight

 

[Thanatosis]

Where christie closes one bridge, he has opened another; A bridge to a more understanding and compassionate drug policy.

 

[Attic]

He's spot on there with the implied removal of the stigma of addiction. It's silly to stigmatize it, and lets stop doing that so addicts can get real help.


Addiction is complex, though at the right facility there can be a 25% or greater chance of full recovery. That ought to improve over time.


Christie doesn't need to micro manage how we deal with addiction, nor does the next president. What we really need is someone in office who is going to be upfront and honest about issues, and create that model in government so that real solutions can begin to be found now or down the road.

Right now we have liars and individuals who want to be unequal in government, it causes lots of problems just by having that kind of compromised environment controlling trillions of dollars each year.

 

[ivwshane]

I thought the speech was great but but it highlights one of the biggest issue I have with conservatives.

They have a habit of supporting important issues only when they themselves have been affected directly by an issue or they personally know someone close who has been affected by an issue.

Christie wants drug abuse to be addressed and thinks the government should help because he saw how destructive it can be to a person.
Dick Cheney supports gay marriage because he has a gay daughter.
Rubio supported immigration reform because his family immigrated Cuba.
Donald trump wants to get rid of big money in elections because he's seen first hand how it is used to buy politicians because it's what he did.

Etc, etc.

And yet when it comes to other issues it seems like it's almost impossible for a conservative to imagine how a policy could negatively impact someone. Take for example women's rights to certain health care services and how a lack of access can make some women's lives that much harder, voter ID laws and how they negatively impact certain groups of people making it difficult for them to vote, reducing or eliminating safety net programs and how that might affect people who really need them.

So yeah I applaud Christie for bringing this issue to light but he doesn't get extra kudos for taking a stance on an issue that, for most intelligent people, should be a no brainer.

 

[Indus]

Everyone has a friend like that.

Sadly you don't control the drugs, the drugs control you. I know all too well that it alters the victims thought process and all it becomes is a struggle for the next high.

The hardest thing a person has to deal with is his friend/ lover/ spouse or someone they care about prostituting themselves just to get enough money for a drug habit. It kills you inside in so many ways and more than once. The PTSD still remains. There was no help available when that happened, I just had to do it with empathy, compassion and pure will.

And I do feel we need to change our laws and it's good to see a conservative finally see light of day but I still can't vote for him.

Why? The person I got out of their addiction depends on obamacare now and Christie wants to cancel it and where will they end up? Back on drugs most likely.

 

[TechBoyJK]

He's still a bully.

 

[glenn1]

I thought the speech was great but but it highlights one of the biggest issue I have with conservatives.

They have a habit of supporting important issues only when they themselves have been affected directly by an issue or they personally know someone close who has been affected by an issue.

Christie wants drug abuse to be addressed and thinks the government should help because he saw how destructive it can be to a person.
Dick Cheney supports gay marriage because he has a gay daughter.
Rubio supported immigration reform because his family immigrated Cuba.
Donald trump wants to get rid of big money in elections because he's seen first hand how it is used to buy politicians because it's what he did.

Etc, etc.

And yet when it comes to other issues it seems like it's almost impossible for a conservative to imagine how a policy could negatively impact someone. Take for example women's rights to certain health care services and how a lack of access can make some women's lives that much harder, voter ID laws and how they negatively impact certain groups of people making it difficult for them to vote, reducing or eliminating safety net programs and how that might affect people who really need them.

So yeah I applaud Christie for bringing this issue to light but he doesn't get extra kudos for taking a stance on an issue that, for most intelligent people, should be a no brainer.

What, you mean one side of the political spectrum isn't a monolithic block that thinks in complete unison? Say it isn't so. And how they would help is likely vastly different than how progressives would help.

 

[ivwshane]

What, you mean one side of the political spectrum isn't a monolithic block that thinks in complete unison? Say it isn't so. And how they would help is likely vastly different than how progressives would help.

The point is that they won't help, it's not a matter of how.

 

[glenn1]

The point is that they won't help, it's not a matter of how.

If you're defining "help" in the typical progressive fashion of simply trying to remove from sight all those problematic people by giving them checks, then yes they won't "help." This is about getting productive people whole again via defined and temporary help, not enabling stoner high school dropouts to collect SSDI and welfare so they can live their dream to never work again.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Smoke and mirrors. All of it. For example he's still for enforcing federal marijuana laws that put you in jail for having a joint on you, he said so during the last republican debate.

Here's an article describing his hypocritical stance against medical marijuana:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-s-drug-stance-a-study-in-contrasts-1.1393929

I guess he needs a) a friend who got his life ruined because he got caught with a joint in his pocket and b) a friend who has a medical condition where only MJ can help, before he can change his position...

 

[ivwshane]

If you're defining "help" in the typical progressive fashion of simply trying to remove from sight all those problematic people by giving them checks, then yes they won't "help." This is about getting productive people whole again via defined and temporary help, not enabling stoner high school dropouts to collect SSDI and welfare so they can live their dream to never work again.

I gave some pretty clear examples of issues, feel free to show how conservatives offer alternative solutions to the "progressive" way of solving an issue.

 

[sm625]

It is ironic sinch Christie is a drug addict. He is clearly addicted to sugar.

 

[marincounty]

The DARE program. Doughnut Abuse Resistance Education.

 

[glenn1]

I gave some pretty clear examples of issues, feel free to show how conservatives offer alternative solutions to the "progressive" way of solving an issue.

I'm a libertarian and not a conservative, but here's my ideas for alternatives.

Drug abuse: Legalize marijuana for a start. Other drugs should be decriminalized for adults, with "drug war" funds shifted towards treatment. And that needs to be brutally effective treatment with no-holds barred and no politically correct crap.

Gay marriage: government shouldn't be in the marriage business, period. Let churches do marriage and government can enable the current legal rights and privileges we've bestowed upon marriage via simple legal contract. No state deciding who is or isn't legally eligible for whatever stupid reason (gender, familial status, etc.) and no more government forcing you to pay $50 for a piece of paper 'allowing' the natural right you already possess by virtue of being a person.

Immigration: Raise legal immigration quotas, and by a lot. Lifetime ban on citizenship for anyone who committed immigration fraud and is here illegally, and to stay with a green card you need to either: (A) pay a large fine or (B) allow everyone who immigrated via legal channels and followed the rules to punch you in the face or kick you in the balls (their choice).

Big money in elections: End Santa Claus government and the incentive to "buy politicians" goes away or is at least hugely reduced. As it is now an elected official's main job is to pass out taxpayer money I have no problem if it goes to rich people instead of poor people. The government exists to improve the lives of us all, not just the poor people because you want to "stick up for the little guy" or whatever.

 

[Moonbeam]

He's still a bully.

People love bullies because they hate themselves. A bully turns his self hate on others. If he is lucky the other will enjoy the treatment as something they feel they deserve. Things can go south, however, if a bully picks on somebody with a measure of self respect.

 

[DrPizza]

One of the most difficult parts of dealing with addicts is that you often can't fix their addictive personality.

To successfully stop a negative addiction, it's incredibly complex. You need the right personality, environment, support, time, and others. You can't just "go to rehab" and get fixed. You can't just pray it away either.

One of the best things you can do as someone who is associated with an addict is stop enabling the behavior.


Anyway, I've always found Christie as a real likeable straight-shooter kind of guy. I've often wondered how he hasn't been more popular. Perhaps it's got something to do with his Jersey skeletons in his closet or the fact he is overweight

Because he's vindictive.

 

[ivwshane]

Yeah, there is a reason I specifically said conservatives. And if it wasn't clear in my original post, I was also talking about conservatives in the public sphere like those running for president.

Your ideology and position is immaterial to my original statement.

I'm a libertarian and not a conservative, but here's my ideas for alternatives.

Drug abuse: Legalize marijuana for a start. Other drugs should be decriminalized for adults, with "drug war" funds shifted towards treatment. And that needs to be brutally effective treatment with no-holds barred and no politically correct crap.

Gay marriage: government shouldn't be in the marriage business, period. Let churches do marriage and government can enable the current legal rights and privileges we've bestowed upon marriage via simple legal contract. No state deciding who is or isn't legally eligible for whatever stupid reason (gender, familial status, etc.) and no more government forcing you to pay $50 for a piece of paper 'allowing' the natural right you already possess by virtue of being a person.

Immigration: Raise legal immigration quotas, and by a lot. Lifetime ban on citizenship for anyone who committed immigration fraud and is here illegally, and to stay with a green card you need to either: (A) pay a large fine or (B) allow everyone who immigrated via legal channels and followed the rules to punch you in the face or kick you in the balls (their choice).

Big money in elections: End Santa Claus government and the incentive to "buy politicians" goes away or is at least hugely reduced. As it is now an elected official's main job is to pass out taxpayer money I have no problem if it goes to rich people instead of poor people. The government exists to improve the lives of us all, not just the poor people because you want to "stick up for the little guy" or whatever.

 

[dank69]

One of the most difficult parts of dealing with addicts is that you often can't fix their addictive personality.

To successfully stop a negative addiction, it's incredibly complex. You need the right personality, environment, support, time, and others. You can't just "go to rehab" and get fixed. You can't just pray it away either.

One of the best things you can do as someone who is associated with an addict is stop enabling the behavior.


Anyway, I've always found Christie as a real likeable straight-shooter kind of guy. I've often wondered how he hasn't been more popular. Perhaps it's got something to do with his Jersey skeletons in his closet or the fact he is overweight

He's unpopular because he hugged Obama.

 

[Eli]

I agree with and enjoyed his overall message.

The pro-life, gift of god stuff made me cringe though - because I know he's not just being figurative.

 

[Jhhnn]

Drug abuse: Legalize marijuana for a start. Other drugs should be decriminalized for adults, with "drug war" funds shifted towards treatment. And that needs to be brutally effective treatment with no-holds barred and no politically correct crap.

Christie says we should stop judging at which point you offer that we should brutalize the junkies.

Should that be Gitmo detention center style or Clockwork Orange style?