Obama's pot problem

[bfdd]

http://www.salon.com/2012/07/19/obamas_pot_problem/

President Barack Obama has disappointed drug-reform advocates across the country since taking office as president, and nowhere do they feel more betrayed than in Colorado.

After holding the party convention in Denver and handily carrying this traditionally Republican state in 2008, Obama could be jeopardizing his reelection bid with a dismissive and even hostile approach to marijuana reform, a top issue for tens of thousands of local residents, including many of the activists who powered his last campaign.

Obama inspired hope with early signals on relaxing drug policy, including the October 2009 “Ogden memo” that said the U.S. would not prosecute in states that allow medical marijuana. In the past two years, however, the feds have targeted medical marijuana facilities with a record number of raids, putting Obama on course to surpass the previous high set by George W. Bush. In Colorado alone, 40 dispensaries — all in compliance with state and local law — have already been shut down this year.

The surprising about-face has inspired former supporters in Colorado to try to legalize the drug outright. They managed to get a proposition to that effect on the ballot this November, and while some are (not unreasonably) teasing the possibility that the initiative, Amendment 64, might help the president by bringing a younger, more liberal electorate out to the polls, there are also warning signs that many of these same voters won’t pull the lever for Obama in a crucial swing state.

Ouch. Probably going to hurt the D's in the future with younger voters, but I don't see it exactly hurting Obama(or Romney for that matter) as much as it should. There are people on these forums who don't understand how big this issue is becoming and it's quite a shame. There's a lot of wealth and industry to be created by just ending the drug war.

 

[Saint Nick]

Meh, drug war won't ever end. People need to come to terms with this. America is moving in a downward spiral. I wonder what the end will be like, and when it will. Not pretty.

All of the loonies who support the drug war are backed by big pharma, plain and simple. They are threatened by a plant that can replace hundreds of different types of medications.

 

[techs]

I guess people are just to stupid to see Obama's brilliance. The recent crackdowns have led to this:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics...et-states-decide-on-medical-marijuana/260042/
A Bipartisan Effort to Let States Decide on Medical Marijuana

Sponsored by Ron Paul, Barney Frank, Dana Rohrabacher, and others, the bill would transform the drug war, but is unlikely to pass.


This could possibly be the start of a bipartisan effort that will end the situation where what is legal in one state is illegal under federal law. Up to now there has been no movement on the issue. By prosecuting these cases Obama has lit a fire under Congress.

 

[TheNinja]

The sad thing in California is that Obama and the Democrats really don't care if they piss off the voters. Does anyone really think California is going to end up voting Repulican anyway? With the way the electoral college is setup it doesn't matter if Obama pisses off the pot smokers in California.....as long as he keeps a majority of the voters he and the Dems will still own the state.

 

[bfdd]

The sad thing in California is that Obama and the Democrats really don't care if they piss off the voters. Does anyone really think California is going to end up voting Repulican anyway? With the way the electoral college is setup it doesn't matter if Obama pisses off the pot smokers in California.....as long as he keeps a majority of the voters he and the Dems will still own the state.

Libertarian party really needs to push harder here.

 

[Saint Nick]

Problem is that the Libertarian party can't gain ground anywhere. Too many uninformed people. D/R are influenced by religion so that doesn't help. We had an initiative here in Nebraska to legalize but obviously that failed miserably.

 

[berzerker60]

It's kind of dishonest to say Obama is cracking down on pot, though - he ordered the federal agencies not to prosecute, they ignored him gambling that the first black president wouldn't dare fire DEA and DOJ chiefs for following the law. They're right, and it's definitely fair to call Obama chicken for not following up on his orders and firing them, but it's hard to imagine that wouldn't lead to howls from the Romney camp about TOUGH ON CRIME SAVE ARE KIDS FROM THE BLACK TRYING TO HOOK THEM ON DRUGS.

There's also the confounding variable that California just voted to keep marijuana illegal in a state-wide referendum, which I found really upsetting but is still a legal demonstration of the state's democratically expressed wishes. I'm 100% in the pro-legalization camp, but that really should come from convincing people of that. If the majority of the state votes it should be illegal, and federal law says it's illegal, it's kind of problematic for any president to decide it's de facto legal. It would be a different story if California wanted it legal and was being forced to do otherwise by the feds.

 

[Saint Nick]

The California situation is unfortunate, IMO. The state is run by drug dealers, plain and simple. Sure there are lots of legitimate guys out there, but they voted to keep it illegal for obvious reasons.

 

[cubby1223]

A Bipartisan Effort to Let States Decide on Medical Marijuana

I hate that phrase. I swear, that phrase has become one of the biggest cons in political commentary.

 

[hal2kilo]

Its that the problem he got when he was raised in Hawaii according to (born in communist Cuba) John Sunnunu?

 

[bfdd]

I hate that phrase. I swear, that phrase has become one of the biggest cons in political commentary.

truth

 

[techs]

Obama has no pot problem. The Secret Service keeps him well supplied.

 

[tydas]

Meh, drug war won't ever end. People need to come to terms with this. America is moving in a downward spiral. I wonder what the end will be like, and when it will. Not pretty.

All of the loonies who support the drug war are backed by big pharma, plain and simple. They are threatened by a plant that can replace hundreds of different types of medications.

Have to disagree about big pharma backing the drug war, imo they have little to lose with legalization. Its just a cultural thing and probably won't be legalized until the baby boomers all die out...

 

[Matt1970]

Either fight the drug war properly or legalize it. We were doing good in the mid 80's. It was damn near impossible to score there for a while

 

[Saint Nick]

Have to disagree about big pharma backing the drug war, imo they have little to lose with legalization. Its just a cultural thing and probably won't be legalized until the baby boomers all die out...

I suppose... But I think a lot of people said that 40 years ago, too.

 

[hal2kilo]

Have to disagree about big pharma backing the drug war, imo they have little to lose with legalization. Its just a cultural thing and probably won't be legalized until the baby boomers all die out...

If it wasn't for us baby boomers you wouldn't know what pot is.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Obama has no pot problem. The Secret Service keeps him well supplied.

And he keeps them properly supplied with high quality hookers in reply.

 

[IGBT]

yes..legalize dope so all the dopers can get dizzy all they want.

 

[First]

Weed? No one cares.

 

[Anarchist420]

Obama is pretty terrible on the issue, but I never expected anything different... so I have to laugh at his 2008 base for expecting him to end the federal drug war or to pull out of Iraq.

The current government is probably going to collapse before the federal drug war ends.

If, for some reason it did become legal, it would not be left up to the States because the Federal govt would never give up control of it... cartels would still exist via patents, subsidies, and regulations. I'd rather it be illegal in 49 States and legal in one State and in D.C. than for the Federal government to try to protect rights.

 

[davmat787]

If it wasn't for us baby boomers you wouldn't know what pot is.

Marijuana's introduction to America came via the caribbean, slaves and traders brought that part of their culture to the US. In fact, that is largely why it was made illegal, for racist reasons. Nothing like a headline saying Black Men on Marijuana on White Women Raping Rampage" to whip up a frenzy.

So no, it was not your white baby boomer generation that is responsible for anyone younger knowing what "pot is", sorry. The majority of that stuff was shitty mexican weed anyway, or grown inside with little knowledge, or more likely some seeds thrown into a field and hoping for the best.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Weed? No one cares.

Pretty much, except for the wierdos who never did it and think it makes you dizzy or is the Devil's grass....lmao

 

[woolfe9999]

It's kind of dishonest to say Obama is cracking down on pot, though - he ordered the federal agencies not to prosecute, they ignored him gambling that the first black president wouldn't dare fire DEA and DOJ chiefs for following the law. They're right, and it's definitely fair to call Obama chicken for not following up on his orders and firing them, but it's hard to imagine that wouldn't lead to howls from the Romney camp about TOUGH ON CRIME SAVE ARE KIDS FROM THE BLACK TRYING TO HOOK THEM ON DRUGS.

What makes you think the leaders of these agencies ignored Obama, as opposed to Obama changing the policy? While the change in policy was likely encouraged by these agencies, unless I see proof to the contrary, Obama is in charge here and is presumptively in active approval of this crackdown.

There's also the confounding variable that California just voted to keep marijuana illegal in a state-wide referendum, which I found really upsetting but is still a legal demonstration of the state's democratically expressed wishes. I'm 100% in the pro-legalization camp, but that really should come from convincing people of that. If the majority of the state votes it should be illegal, and federal law says it's illegal, it's kind of problematic for any president to decide it's de facto legal. It would be a different story if California wanted it legal and was being forced to do otherwise by the feds.

Off point. A very strong majority of Californians, and in fact a solid majority of Americans, support legalization of pot for *medical purposes.* This crackdown is aimed almost solely at medical pot dispensaries. We in California voted to legalize these dispensaries; therefore, we prefer that the federal government stand down.

I'm pro-Obama and voting for him in November, yet I am unwilling to make excuses for him here.

- wolf

 

[bfdd]

Have to disagree about big pharma backing the drug war, imo they have little to lose with legalization. Its just a cultural thing and probably won't be legalized until the baby boomers all die out...

tbh I agree with you for the most part, they weren't the original pushers of it and I think they just marginally benefit by it's current status.

 

[Ns1]

Have to disagree about big pharma backing the drug war, imo they have little to lose with legalization. Its just a cultural thing and probably won't be legalized until the baby boomers all die out...

They have a lot to lose since people will stop buying prescription/OTC meds and just use MJ instead.

Who needs sleeping pills when you can rip a fatty?