Barack Obama could win this Obama-detractor's vote today with one statement

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

I used cocaine as a youth, and I didn't grow horns. I didn't become a burglar or a murder. I don't recommend cocaine, but I can say from my own experience that putting something up your own nose is not the end of all hope, and certainly not the same as armed robbery and rape.

I got past my drug phase just fine, just like millions of us have. But if I had been unlucky enough to be arrested--and it is largely a matter of luck--I wouldn't be running for President today. I wouldn't even be able to vote in most States. I would have been incarcerated with violent men, and would have come out a man made of equal parts shame and anger... a man marked as life as a felon, the same as if I were a killer.

So my first act as President will be to pardon every person in these United States who has ever been convicted of a non-violent drug crime... to restore their freedom, their dignity and their right to vote."

This isn't limited to Obama, of course. I would vote for anyone who would use Presidential powers to redress a vast national crime. But I don't see that statement in the cards from any viable candidate... Nobody I support, and nobody I don't support. It would be a stone loser in American politics. I haven't heard even Kucinich or Paul invoke the President's pardon authority in the context of the drug war. This is part of the reason it is so foolish to fall in love with politicians... they are all compromised figures, incapable of doing even some basic moral things because the voters are dire hypocrites.

If cocaine is such a small matter that it should pose no impediment ot being elected President (my view), why the hell do we have so many thousands of people in our national drug gulag? Nobody could possibly be considered as president who committed any of the other crimes society considers equivalent (in terms of sentences and such) to cocaine possession.

So, if America is willing to consider an open former cocaine user as President (which it clearly is, to its credit) then why do we have all these jails? No matter which side of the drug war you're on, everyone should be able to see that one side or the other of that equation is insane.

[Maven]

1. K/R

[jenmito]

2. Thanks for the advice, Karl.

:eyes: He already won.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

6. This thread is kind of obviously about something more than winning and losing

[jenmito]

9. Did you see sandnsea's post?

Or aren't you interested? And I disagree with your advice. That will keep it alive. He made his claim and explained it.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

11. Saw it. It has nothing to do with the issue raised.

Not everything is a partisan, candidate issue.

This isn't about Obama's character, Obama's drug policy or anything about Obama himself.

It's about societal hypocrisy as revealed through this media/campaign Obama drug story.

I used Obama because he's the appropriate symbolic voice to raise the issue I am raising, which is how cocaine can be both no big deal, and a dire crime worth locking up a generation.

Since I want a lot of prison beds emptied, obviously I think it's no big deal. But that doesn't mean it's no big deal to the voters... maybe it is, maybe not.

And Obama has no special obligation to do the right thing, versus any of the candidates. But it would be a real vote getter from me from ANYONE, though a vote loser to the rest of the country.

[sandnsea]

30. You can't make a blanket pardon

The reason being the number of plea deals that exist. You can't assume that everybody who is in prison on a simple drug charge didn't have that charge reduced from something dangerous and serious. So you're asking for something that any thinking person knows can't be delivered.

Obama has directly addressed the unfairness of drug laws and sentencing in general. No candidate says stuff like this.

"It reminds us of the fact that we have a system that locks away too many young, first-time, non-violent offenders for the better part of their lives - a decision that's made not by a judge in a courtroom, but by politicians in Washington. It reminds us that we have certain sentences that are based less on the kind of crime you commit than on what you look like and where you come from."

"I think it's time we also took a hard look at the wisdom of locking up some first-time, non-violent drug users for decades. Someone once said that "...long minimum sentences for first-time users may not be the best way to occupy jail space and/or heal people from their disease." That someone was George W. Bush - six years ago. I don't say this very often, but I agree with the President. The difference is, he hasn't done anything about it. When I'm President, I will. We will review these sentences to see where we can be smarter on crime and reduce the blind and counterproductive warehousing of non-violent offenders. And we will give first-time, non-violent drug offenders a chance to serve their sentence, where appropriate, in the type of drug rehabilitation programs that have proven to work better than a prison term in changing bad behavior. So let's reform this system. Let's do what's smart. Let's do what's just."

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/09/28/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_26.php

[babylonsister]

20. And no candidate would be interested at this point, though

in a better world with less problems, I'd love to hear a candidate say that.

[maddiejoan]

18. So this whole Obama thing --

--it's more about Obama then anything else.

[Renew Deal]

3. Yes, he'll get some of the Ron Paul people and the Marijuana reform party

That adds up to +-1%

[madeline_con]

4. We have a coke user in the WH now.

We don't need to "consider it"....

[snowbear]

Madeline, that's the first thing I thought when I read this thread..

The current resident was definitely partook in nose candy..

Only he enjoyed his with a few Brewski's on the side..

[sandnsea]

5. He has proposed treatment for all first timers

and equalizing the crack and cocaine sentencing, reducing mandatories, and a host of other drug law reforms. So he has spoken to the unfairness. A blanket pledge to pardon a bunch of people with no background on each crime is ridiculous.

[Tellurian]

7. K_H..Where is that quote from? I've never seen it before.

[babylonsister]

19. It's wishful thinking. nt

[Lord Helmet]

8. nobody gives a crap about this dumb stuff

but that doesn't mean the Clinton Camp aren't above smearing it all over like you are trying to do

[Tellurian]

12. So when you need a lawyer, you never tell the truth or tell him ALL of the story..

It's a mistake many people make when they hire an attorney. They never tell him the "bad" news only their version of the story. Then they wonder why the attorney lost the case. I don't want to be in that position if Obama gets the nomination and we all come to his defense and find out through GOP attacks he didn't tell us everything up front.The only ones that will ultimately lose...IS US!

[babylonsister]

23. You're not about to come to his defense, but your concern is noted.

As his statement said, they got through the kindergarten years, now we're into the teens.

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/12/obama_campaign_hi...

snip//

“Hillary Clinton said attacking other Democrats is the ‘fun part’ of this campaign, and now she’s moved from Barack Obama’s kindergarten years to his teenage years in an increasingly desperate effort to slow her slide in the polls. Senator Clinton’s campaign is recycling old news that Barack Obama has been candid about in a book he wrote years ago, and he’s talked about the lessons he’s learned from these mistakes with young people all across the country. He plans on winning this campaign by focusing on the issues that actually matter to the American people."

[Tellurian]

24. If Obama is the democratic nominee...what choice do I have?

Oh please...where is that lame quote going to get you?

A coffee clatch quote isn't going to score you any points with voters.

[babylonsister]

29. But your insinuation there's anything to worry about is ludicrous.

And that quote isn't mine. And I'm not running.


The queen! Has anyone ever asked her about her consumption of anything when she hung out with that ne'er-do-well Bill? I kid! I loved the big dawg!

[Tellurian]

31. I'm sure everything Hillary has ever done in this lifetime..

Has been published in over 100 books somewhere...And she's been investigated thoroughly by the Republican attack machine. This is a great weakness in Obama. They can say anything they want about his drug use. And yes, it wouldn't surprise me their dirty tricks campaign could even produce a witness to all they say..

[babylonsister]

33. You're sure? Has she been asked lately? Full disclosure and all of that...

I can't believe she didn't even inhale!

And as for Obama, it's not a great weakness; I'm 51 and I've 'inhaled' and done lots of other stuff. People don't give a crap, except here maybe to defend a woman who I wish was trying to make it on her own credibility instead of smearing someone. I know, her staff, blahblahblah, but it's getting old. What happened to being above it all? Senator Clinton is very smart and she's a Dem. I will vote for her if I have to, but I really don't like her for many reasons, all that will bore anyone who's heard me before.

As for Obama, do you really think he has skeletons in his closet if Clinton's campaign is re-attacking what he's already put in print years ago?

Finally, it sucks that Dems are attacking Dems, and this has been a real learning experience for me, and somewhat of a cooperative effortB-) . I 'tuned in' to politics on DU in September of 04, so I've gotten an eye and ear full this time around!

[Beacool]

14. Who gives a crap?

For better or worse, plenty of people do. Not everybody in this country is under 25 and very liberal. Some people can excuse experimenting with pot, but snorting coke on a regular basis is another matter altogether. The church crowd and conservatives had a field day when he recently spoke to some students and reminded everyone of his drug use.

[readmoreoften]

26. Restoring the right to vote of people convicted for a nicklebag of pot is important to many. /nt

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

37. Thank you!

[emilyg]

32. I give a crap. So do many other people.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

38. Your post is a comical partisan spasm. Try reading before spamming.

There is nothing even vaguely anti-Obama in the OP. Not one word.

It is about societal hypocrisy, as you would know if you'd read it.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. I'd love it too, but it ain't gonna happen

American voters love the drug war and they won't elect politicians that campaign against it in a big way.

[Bluebear]

13. "I made a mistake including anti-gay McClurkin as an emcee of my event.It caused pain & I am sorry."

That's all I would need.

[readmoreoften]

27. God this is the wishful thinking thread isn't it?

[David Zephyr]

15. I certainly agree about moving drug addicts from prisons and into clinics for help.

How we can lock up people who are addicted to chemicals with violent criminals is an outrage.

I'm happy to see someone hitting this point.

Chemical addiction is an illness. It is not criminal to be sick.

And I'll go one further, everyone who leaves prison and who has done their time should be able to vote in elections as a citizen of the United States.

[ecstatic]

16. Wow. That is so true and I agree with everything you typed

And I've never used any illegal drugs.

[maddiejoan]

17. Have to admit

That kind of statement would jump Mr. Obama way up in my eyes.

Wayyyyyy up.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

21. I would donate all I could afford to him... but we would be lonely in our support!

I fear that some in this thread think I am offering this as campaign advice to sabotage Obama! (He always listens to me)

I thought it was obvious it was being presented as a moral stance that would be a recipe for losing 50 states... which was the point of the post. The hypocrisy of a country that is more-or-less cool with people using drugs if they don't get caught, but that destroys the lives of people that do get caught.

[maddiejoan]

22. No. I got it.

It was one of the most poignant posts I've ever read on DU.

Thank you.

[readmoreoften]

28. I know. I think felons should vote. If the Dems do their jobs, all the neocons might agree.

Because I'm sure they won't get life imprisonment and they'll want to vote when they're out.

[readmoreoften]

25. Oh shit! I thought he actually said that!

Yeah, I'd be much more inclined to vote for him if he said that. Hell yes. I probably wont for him in the primary still on account of McClurkin, but a statement like that would really bring me on board.

Unfortunately, at the moment, it just reminds me of why the guy fails to meet my expectations.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

34. LOL.. Naw, this is something we aren't going to ever hear in a Presidential campaign

But it would be exciting.

[Perky]

35. No.... He has got to say coke is a stupid thing to try.

It's the role model thing. He can't come across as defending it because it becomes an attack point and the news cycle for the next two weeks.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

36. Not suggesting he "should" politically, in the real world. It would be suicide.

But it would be a great thing to say (and do)... for any candidate.

[Occam Bandage]

39. K&R. By having any other stance, Obama is claiming (like Bush before him)

that:

A. His former cocaine use is a nonissue that should be forgiven as a youthful indiscretion.
B. If you do the same thing, your ass is going to jail.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

40. In fairness, they all are. (and everyone mistakes their own dumb luck for virtue.)

That's what is always comes down to with drugs. We cage the unlucky.

[Capn Sunshine]

41. Have you read his books?

Because that was the message I took away from the chapter and mentions of drug use.

It's ironic that a Clinton would bark this out like it hasn't been there the whole time.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

42. The OP is about society, not about Obama's actual qualities. It's not a candidate thing.

[FrenchieCat]

43. Yes, that's what I've been thinking........

She should have least had somebody in her campaign read the opponents books......

[ZombieHorde]

44. Fantastic post.

It may not be good for Obama's campaign to say what you have posted, but it would be good for the country.

[calteacherguy]

45. I agree with you with the exception of big-time dealers. K&R.