David Sirota pulls of the one of the most disingenuous conflations ever

[ProSense]

Clinton & Webb Tackle The Biggest Taboo of All

by davidsirota

My new weekly newspaper column this week gives huge kudos to Hillary Clinton and Jim Webb - the two of them are trying (in their own separate ways) to begin a national conversation about one of the most taboo topics in American politics: drug policy.

In the same week President Obama childishly laughed off a question about drug policy reform,* Secretary of State Clinton gave a speech acknowledging that America's demand for drugs makes us at least partially culpable for the drug-related violence in Mexico. Clinton was stating a truism - but it's nonetheless controversial for a public official to say such truths in our immature political debate. That she went ahead and gave the speech anyway shows a lot of courage - and hopefully previews a conventional wisdom-challenging term atop the State Department.

This week, Webb followed up Clinton's speech with the introduction of prison/criminal justice reform legislation that would examine legalizing marijuana - the drug cartels' biggest cash crop.

more

Webb's prison reform was in response to Hillary's speech?

Here's an excerpt of the article linked at "speech":

Obama himself said Tuesday that he wanted the U.S. to do more to prevent guns and cash from illicit drug sales from flowing across the border into Mexico.

"That's part of what's financing their operations. That's part of what's arming them. That's what makes them so dangerous," he told a news conference. "And this is something that we take very seriously and we're going to continue to work on diligently in the months to come."

Clinton's remarks, delivered ahead of her arrival in Mexico City, appeared more forceful in recognizing the U.S. share of the blame. Mexican officials have in the past, particularly under the Bush administration, complained that Washington never acknowledged the extent that the U.S. demand for drugs and weapons smuggling played in fueling the violence.

"These criminals are outgunning the law enforcement officials," she said, referring to guns and military-style equipment like night vision goggles and body armor that the cartels are smuggling into Mexico from the United States.

"Clearly, what we have been doing has not worked and it is unfair for our incapacity ... to be creating a situation where people are holding the Mexican government and people responsible," Clinton said. "That's not right."

She said she would repeat her acknowledgment as loudly and as often as needed during her two-day visit to Mexico City and Monterrey during which she will brief Mexican officials on the administration's plans for the border and counter-narcotics aid to Mexico.

The administration announced Tuesday that it would increase the number of immigrations and customs agents, drug agents and antigun-trafficking agents operating along the border. It will also send more U.S. officials to work inside Mexico.

In addition, it will allow federal funds to be used to pay for local law enforcement involved in Southwestern border operations and, at the same time, U.S. prosecutors will boost efforts to go after those smuggling guns and drug profits from the U.S. into Mexico.

edited typo, oops.

[Redbear]

1. He doesn't say the bill was in response to the speech.

It came after the speech.

He even makes it clear in the first paragraph that the actions of the two Democrats are separate.

[ProSense]

2. Come on, look at the title.

The two subjects have nothing to do with each other. Also, Hillary is addressing administration policy so Sirota's entire opener is nonsensical.

[ProSense]

3. Here is Sirota's update

UPDATE: Wow, some of the comments are so...odd. Apparently, anything Obama officials do that's bad/wrong are the fault only of those officials, and have nothing to do with Obama. But anything Obama officials do that's great/commendable - even if those things potentially undermine Obama's own rhetoric - is all attributed exclusively to Obama. Pretty neat.

[Teaser]

4. He wants to play revolutionary

let him. he is a professional nothing.

[Redbear]

6. So add Sirota to the roll of our new enemies

For actually praising two Democrats?

[ProSense]

7. Praising?

He posted disingenuous and nonsensical crap.

[Redbear]

9. Both are working on the dirty little secret that America's federal criminal justice

system- primarily the "War on Drugs" is a horrendous disaster with equally disastrous international complications.

Both Democrats deserve our praise. Sirota praised them both for their courageous stands.

Good for him and them.

[ProSense]

10. Stop it, please.

Webb is proposing prison reform and posible decriminilization to address excessive and unfair incarcerations. Hillary is addressing gun violence and border wars.

Sirota is trying to conflate the two as: drug policy. It's his attempt to portray Hillary's comments as being at odds with Obama's. That's ludicrous.






edited word.

[Teaser]

8. He ain't my enemy. He's my entertainment.

Like so many here.

[Enrique]

5. I recall Condi saying the same thing about demand

and Powell as well.