Prediction: Obama will take significant steps to decriminalize marijuana

He's on the side of legalization, I'm pretty sure, but he's astute enough to the political complexities of ushering in a new frame of view and new policy to know that you can't just come out and say it. that would be foolish and counterproductive. Of course, the economy, the wars, health care and the environment are (and should be) higher priorities anyway. but i will bet that he will set the ball rolling during his second term to decriminalize marijuana.

critics will point to his response to the marijuana question during the town hall meeting a month or so ago as evidence of his failure to be bold on the issue. but to a keen observer, that response was more significant for what he didn't say than for what he said. the politically safest thing to do would be to simply repeat the "just say no" response that politicians have clung to for 20 years now. he didn't do that. he sloughed off the question. if he played his hand right then and there, it would have caused a fire storm of backlash. he's too smart for that.

he's already called off the dogs in terms of the DEA's crackdowns on medical marijuana enforcement. expect more, gradual steps toward decriminalization over the coming years. you heard it here first.

I saw one of Bush's drug czars on cnn last night and its like his view of pot is taken from refer madness. He actually thinks pot causes violence.

it's really absured how the dea is forced (due to current drug policy) to be at odds with local law enforcement in those states where medicinal marijuana is now legal.

it is precisely those types of dysfunctions that i think his administration is all about fixing or at least addressing, so yes i agree with this.

  marf said:

He actually thinks pot causes violence.

Thats because it does.

(Not really, it's the criminialization of marijuana that causes the violence)

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the politically safest thing to do would be to simply repeat the "just say no" response that politicians have clung to for 20 years now.

I honestly don't think that is a very politically safe point anymore.

20??

  LOL Alzado said:

he's already called off the dogs in terms of the DEA's crackdowns on medical marijuana enforcement. expect more, gradual steps toward decriminalization over the coming years. you heard it here first.

he called them off but the dogs keep on coming. Several cannabis clubs were raided by the DEA in california weeks after Erik Holder told the DEA to lay off.

kind of like when obama said 'we don't torture' but does nothing to change the technical laws that allow torture and rendition to other secret prisons across the world.

The guy is very skilled in that he has the ability to pacify the left into thinking he is making headway on issues they care about.

Well anyone who thought he'd move on this his first term is a nutcase, but Alzado is right on the cues. His response in the town hall meeting framed the view point that many people in america are shifting towards, one in which marijuana smokers are ordinary people and not evil criminals. MSM has also been shifting gears and actually putting the numbers out there about how much marijuana is really produced domestically, how much its worth and how important it really is to economies like Mendocino even as an illegal crop.

I think it was hat who made mention of this in another thread, but one of the factors that will come into play and in my opinion be a big 'push' towards the edge of decriminalization if not legalization is the sheer cost of incarcerating users and small time dealers. Add to that the pickle California finds themselves in financially and the increasing attention on Mexico's drug cartels and I think you have a pretty solid hand.

  Drahken said:

Well anyone who thought he'd move on this his first term is a nutcase, but Alzado is right on the cues. His response in the town hall meeting framed the view point that many people in america are shifting towards, one in which marijuana smokers are ordinary people and not evil criminals.

from my perspective the fact that he opened up the town hall meeting by scoffing the fact that internet users voted a marijuana question to the top did not bode well for marijuana legalization.

I mean perhaps one could give him a free pass in that area by claiming he was trying to win political points with 60 year old + people who do not use the internet? it's a stretch but that could work...

I think its awfully optimistic to think that someone as centrist as Barack Obama is going to use any of his political capital at all trying to legalize marijuana

  Awepittance said:

  Drahken said:

Well anyone who thought he'd move on this his first term is a nutcase, but Alzado is right on the cues. His response in the town hall meeting framed the view point that many people in america are shifting towards, one in which marijuana smokers are ordinary people and not evil criminals.

 

from my perspective the fact that he opened up the town hall meeting by scoffing the fact that internet users voted a marijuana question to the top did not bode well for marijuana legalization.

I mean perhaps one could give him a free pass in that area by claiming he was trying to win political points with 60 year old + people who do not use the internet? it's a stretch but that could work...

 

I think its awfully optimistic to think that someone as centrist as Barack Obama is going to use any of his political capital at all trying to legalize marijuana

they do use the internet but when a new window comes up they think the other one is closed lol?

same would apply to tabs

dude, 2012. we'll be dead by then

The terminator (gov arnold) is considering steps towards legalizing pot in his state California... if this happens then it won't be up to Obama in 2016 cause by then it will be legal across the nation.

It makes too much sense for it to be legal... its only a matter of time till the right people get in charge... in this case arnold is perfecto

Here's an article on the matter:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/us/07arnold.html?ref=us

  Awepittance said:

from my perspective the fact that he opened up the town hall meeting by scoffing the fact that internet users voted a marijuana question to the top did not bode well for marijuana legalization.

I mean perhaps one could give him a free pass in that area by claiming he was trying to win political points with 60 year old + people who do not use the internet? it's a stretch but that could work...

he had to respond to it because it was the number one question. again, pay as much attention to what he didn't say as to what he said. he sidestepped the question completely, saying only that it wouldn't save the economy. if he really wanted to score points with idiots, he could have taken it as an opportunity to tell kids to just say no. he didn't do that.

  karmakramer said:

The terminator (gov arnold) is considering steps towards legalizing pot in his state California... if this happens then it won't be up to Obama in 2016 cause by then it will be legal across the nation.

that's not how the law works homeboy. medicinal marijuana is currently legal according to the laws of the State of California, yet federal agents can still enforce federal drug laws. Arnold is powerless to stop that. Congress has to repeal the ban.

Medical marijuana is not the same as legalizing marijuana completely...

Do you really think that once this is legalized in the state FED's are going to walk around parks busting regular people smoking joints?

Once one state passes a bill that legalizes pot, everyone else will wake up. It just takes that first big push.

  karmakramer said:

Once one state passes a bill that legalizes pot, everyone else will wake up 20 to 30 years later. It just takes that first big push and 20 or 30 years of retards calling each other names.

You really think its going to take that long? :confused:

Okay

well, i think you're right, it will probably hit a bunch of places at once, and then slowly filter out. but i'm willing to bet it won't be legal everywhere in the US by 2025. the states that are slowest to change laws are going to be pretty resistant to this one particularly.

  A/D said:

well, i think you're right, it will probably hit a bunch of places at once, and then slowly filter out. but i'm willing to bet it won't be legal everywhere in the US by 2025. the states that are slowest to change laws are going to be pretty resistant to this one particularly.

Well my assumption is that once multiple states have this... it will be sent to the federal level (supreme court) in which a decision will be made in regards to removing Marijuana from that list of bad drugs (can't remember the name).

So if this happens then the entire country will have legalized marijuana.

and as long as you got some decent lawyers backing the marijuana side of things... it should be smooth sailing... cause the argument against marijuana doesn't even really exist in my opinion. At least not a legitimate one.

*packs bags*

*heads to canada to wait out the idiocy*

*realizes the idiocy isn't going away anytime soon*

*lives a full and meaningful life in canada*

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implication that Obama isn't George W Bush in blackface

How's that pulling-out-of-Iraq-in-my-first-3-months promise coming along, Democrats?

i'm just splitting hairs at this point, but if it's federally decriminalized, you'll see the reverse of the current california situation: state cops who have the right to punish marijuana offenders, but the DEA will be uninterested. i'm thinking the feds won't step in so readily in this case.

i don't think there's a good argument against pot either, but logical arguments aren't at the fore in the War on Drugs. look at the bizarre way drugs are scheduled. look at alcohol and tobacco. it's going to take time to change public perception.

edit i pulled out . . and came on her raq