Obama: "If enough states end up decriminalizing, Congress may then legalize it"

[Boyd Crowder]

Obama: "If enough states end up decriminalizing, Congress may then legalize it"

File under Obvious

From Vice:

"But there is one area that is seemingly beginning to rise above Congress' wrangling, and that's the issue of marijuana legalization. Nationwide, it is estimated that a taxed and regulated marijuana industry could take in some $10 billion for the government in coming years. It's also not just the money that has lawmakers from both parties interested, but also freewheeling public opinion that's rolling ever closer toward legalization.

"You're starting to see not just liberal Democrats, but also some very conservative Republicans recognize [prohibition] doesn't make sense, including sort of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party," Obama said.

"They see the money and how costly it is to incarcerate," he added. "So, we may actually be able to make some progress on the decriminalization side.""

Read More:https://news.vice.com/article/obama...-marijuana-legalization-and-the-islamic-state

 

[Betterhaff]

Deflection

Deflection

Here’s another related article…I call deflection.

Obama's Critique of Young People Who Want Legal Marijuana

Every so often, President Obama is confronted with young Americans who favor legalizing marijuana. He typically treats their enthusiasm for the issue as a joke, despite the fact that he almost certainly wouldn't be a successful politician today if he'd been arrested and convicted for smoking marijuana with The Choom Gang in his youth. Obama fleshed out his belief that young voters care too much about legalization in a sit-down that Vice published this week. The interviewer revealed that marijuana is the subject that online readers most wanted the president to address.
<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
The Drug-Warrior-in-Chief's reply:
<o></o>
It shouldn't be young people's biggest priority.<o></o>
Let's put it in perspective. Young people, I understand this is important to you. But you should be thinking about climate change, the economy, jobs, war and peace.
Maybe way at the bottom you should be thinking about marijuana.<o></o>

A sensible point can be extracted from this mess. If a genie appeared to a young person and said that with a single wish they could either legalize marijuana, end climate change, assure a strong economy, or bring about a peaceful planet, it would indeed be wrongheaded to prioritize legal marijuana. But that isn't how politics works. <o></o>

Most young people don't have actionable opinions about the right approach to climate change, the economy, jobs, or war and peace. And even if, against all odds, they happen to settle on the optimal solution to one of those incredibly complex, arguably intractable problems, it is relatively unlikely that they could successfully bring it about.
<o></o>
If they mobilize, young people have a realistic chance of ending prohibition in the next decade. Meanwhile, many of these same young people have a settled, strongly held position on marijuana, an issue that they regard as comparatively straightforward. And if they mobilize, they have a realistic chance of ending prohibition in the next decade.
<o></o>
In their opinion and in mine, doing so would be a significant improvement in public policy that would meaningfully enrich the lives of many millions of people here and abroad. So I'd argue that their focus on the issue is entirely rational and salutary. And if they succeed in legalizing marijuana (they've done so in some states already), I imagine that they'll be more inclined to participate in the civic process going forward, having seen that activism can actually effect positive change.
<o></o>
Obama's skepticism of their priorities is ironic for the following reason:
<o></o>
Implicit in the legalization movement is the notion that the president, the executive branch he presides over, and law enforcement all over America spend far too much time and far too many resources waging a doomed campaign against marijuana use.
<o></o>
The young people to whom Obama addressed himself would be fully justified in reversing the criticism: "Given challenges like climate change, an uncertain economy, joblessness, and war, how can you justify spending perhaps $160 billion over the course of your tenure on marijuana prohibition? Isn't it the federal government, not us young people, that has irrationally prioritized marijuana policy? We're fighting for a more rational allotment of resources, where government funds are directed away from weed and toward challenges you listed as more pressing."
<o></o>
Obama went on to speak as if he himself understands marijuana prohibition to be a policy with lots of awful consequences. "There is no doubt that our criminal justice system generally is so skewed toward cracking down on nonviolent drug offenders that it has not just had a terrible effect on many communities, particularly communities of color, rendering a lot of folks unemployable because they got felony records," he declared. "Disproportionate prison sentences. It costs a huge amount of money to states. And a lot of states are starting to figure that out."
<o></o>
Exactly.
<o></o>
"What I'm encouraged by," he continued, "is that you're starting to see not just liberal Democrats but also some very conservative Republicans recognize, this doesn't make sense, including the libertarian wing of the Republican Party. And they see the money and how costly it is to incarcerate. But we may actually be able to make some progress on the decriminalization side. At a certain point, if enough states end up decriminalizing, Congress may then reschedule marijuana. But I always say to folks who support legalization or decriminalization that it's not a panacea."
<o></o>
A panacea: "a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases." <o></o>

In all my years interviewing advocates of marijuana legalization, I have yet to encounter someone who believes that it is a solution or remedy for all difficulties. Rather, the young people who've made marijuana legalization a political priority have focused on details like the costs of the War on Drugs. The trends Obama declares himself encouraged by are a direct result of their tireless, noisy insistence on forcing politicians to confront a status quo policy that has been doing damage for decades.
<o></o>
Rather than burnishing his centrist credentials by joking at the expense of these young people and criticizing beliefs they don't hold, Obama should do more to advance the parts of their agenda that even he regards as common-sensical and overdue.

<o>http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-critique-young-people-want-legal-marijuana-100000746.html</o>



<o></o>

 

[MJPassion]

Again...

Rescheduling is not enough!

Decriminalization is removing the laws from the books, according to Blacks Law Dictionary... NOT RESCHEDULING!!!

Regulation IS Prohibition!
Since some classes of people will be unable to meet certain requirements of the regulations.

Parents need to be given their power to be parents back!
By that, I mean, parents, not politicians, should be making the ultimate decisions in their (child) children's lives! (That is, until a parent cannot handle making those decisions).

 

[Betterhaff]

Decriminalization will have an impact.
<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
“The United States is home to just 5 percent of the world’s population, but a full 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. The harsh and lengthy sentences for nonviolent drug crimes have helped bolster that figure. In 1980, there were roughly 40,000 drug offenders in U.S. prisons, according to the Sentencing Project, a prison reform group. By 2011, the number of drug offenders serving prison sentences had ballooned to more than 500,000 -- most low-level operators with no prior criminal records.
<o></o>
While relaxed state marijuana laws have begun to affect incarceration rates, an average one person is arrested for marijuana possession every minute in the U.S., according to FBI statistics.”
<o></o>
I would rather see an end to prohibition but rescheduling may be the necessary path. Research.<o></o>
</ARTICLE></SECTION></SECTION>

 

[lolryn]

you notice how every legalize or decriminalize article has a dollar figure (usually in the billions) showing how much money the govt can make from it?

it's sad that this issue is going to come down to how much money could be made, when it should really be:

The govt finally admits that a plant has medical benefits, and because it's just a plant we are allowed to have free reins of growing it, like a tomato.

but that'll never happen. greedy people are greedy.

 

[MJPassion]

^^^
That's the way I see the reality of things!

Remove big money from the movement!
I include these ass hole dispensary owners that are fighting against legalization? (They're oxygen thieves well)

 

[Betterhaff]

you notice how every legalize or decriminalize article has a dollar figure (usually in the billions) showing how much money the govt can make from it?

The sad part about it is how much is being made because of prohibition…ie govt monies for enforcement and incarceration (taxpayer dollars), fines, forfeitures, etc. That amount is also in the billions.

The govt has an issue with marijuana because they know they can’t really control the plant (thank you plant). It can be grown almost anywhere.

 

[lolryn]

well that's what I was getting at, Betterhaff.

they made ungodly amounts of money during the "war on drugs".

now the govt realizes they can't stop its use, so what do they do? they decriminalize AND make billions by selling you the very "drug" that they demonized and put people in jail for life, even just a few years ago.


the way I see it is, there is nothing more fucked up than telling someone they have to pay the govt a fortune in order to put a seed from a plant into the soil of the earth and give it water. If they don't they'll be raided and held at gunpoint by men in full body protection and automatic weapons.

It's a seed, made by nature...

imo, the only thing cannabis-related that should be regulated are concentrates.

not hating on concentrates, I love them in fact... but the pictures of idiots blowing up their houses rubs me the wrong way. I feel that the more available concentrates are, the more of a deterrence it is for unqualified people trying to make it.

 

[stoned-trout]

they will then fuck it up like tobacco...yeehaw..gro yo own..i rufuse to pay taxes on weed that they criminalized all these years denying any medical benefit and ruining lots of lives...they will not get one fucking penny from me...fuck you and fuck Obama ..the greedy bastards just want money

 

[waveguide]

who cares.

take a tip from the way i think of it.

you don't worry about what's illegal,

and you get to leave on your feet.


you see, pay close attention to this method. that's when the behaviour of assholes becomes their problem, not mine. i tried negotiating with the principle of ahimsa (absolute nonviolence), people don't want to understand, so you need to use terms stupid people do understand, which is getting their blood out of them and all over other things.

remember, that helps them not be an asshole, it's good for everybody!

 

[armedoldhippy]

Rescheduling is not enough!

Decriminalization is removing the laws from the books, according to Blacks Law Dictionary... NOT RESCHEDULING!!!

Regulation IS Prohibition!

rescheduling is a necessary first step. regardless of how you feel about it, it will not happen in one step. and no, regulation is NOT prohibition. mosey over to the package store and look on the shelves. if there was prohibition, they would be empty. go to the store next door & stare at all of those packs of cigarettes. you got it, regulated. I appreciate your passion, but it is misguided, misinformed, and a waste of time. sorry...

 

[luxcultivars]

What a bunch of bullshit. He's done nothing but screw us from the beginning.

 

[Baked Alaskan]

Lux, that list has so many holes its ridiculous.

 

[m314]

It shouldn't be young people's biggest priority. Let's put it in perspective. Young people, I understand this is important to you. But you should be thinking about climate change, the economy, jobs, war and peace. Maybe way at the bottom you should be thinking about marijuana.

Maybe he should listen to young people about this instead of lecturing them on their priorities. We can end the prohibition laws now while we still argue about climate change, jobs, and war. Other unrelated issues aren't stopping us from ending this failed era of prohibition.

 

[dank.frank]

Seriously...since when was it the presidents job to tell us what we want vs DO WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT...

Politics is politics is politics.

It's an upcoming election cycle - gotta start spouting the BS to get the voters hungry enough to believe their vote will matter...



dank.Frank

 

[Boyd Crowder]

Seriously...since when was it the presidents job to tell us what we want vs DO WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT...

Politics is politics is politics.

It's an upcoming election cycle - gotta start spouting the BS to get the voters hungry enough to believe their vote will matter...



dank.Frank

Here Here!

 

[MJPassion]

rescheduling is a necessary first step. regardless of how you feel about it, it will not happen in one step. and no, regulation is NOT prohibition. mosey over to the package store and look on the shelves. if there was prohibition, they would be empty. go to the store next door & stare at all of those packs of cigarettes. you got it, regulated. I appreciate your passion, but it is misguided, misinformed, and a waste of time. sorry...

Your comment shows you're wearing blinders. You gotta remove them if ya want to see what's in the road.

 

[mowood3479]

I used to be a Obama supporter. His point "that young people shouldn't be concerned about mj legalization when their are other more I portant issues facing the country" is such bullshit, totally illogical.

I have completely given up on the govt of the U.S.
New boss same as the old boss. Such a fuckin scam...... Obfuscation and lies...

 

[Jhhnn]

Lux, that list has so many holes its ridiculous.

Jah- Das Propaganda.

 

[igrowone]

BO blathering out of both sides of his mouth again, problem?
not at all, it looks like what it is
and it won't hurt in the 2016 vote
peeps see drivel like this and it drives home the point, vote for change on your state MJ props
federal law withers on the vine