OBAMA at WebHall - Legalize marijuana ----> NO!!! nt

[Traveling_Home]

[theoldman]

1. I disagree with him on this but recognize that it is a political problem.

[shadowknows69]

9. It's been a "political problem" for too long

It's time for this country to grow the fuck up.

[tuckessee]

13. It's not a political thing.

It's a puppet master thing.

[ShortnFiery]

2. Decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana ----> YES?!? n/t

[empyreanisles]

3. He said legalizing Marijauna would not help the economy.

Not that legalizing Marijuana was wrong.

[shadowknows69]

12. That's a ludicrous statement

Taxed and made into an industry? The money and new small businesses would be like a flood. You'd see a WeedMart store chain owned by the Walton family within a year.

[empyreanisles]

19. Honestly? I agree with you, but it is a politically toxic idea.

And we need Obama for 2 terms. Right now, I'm fine with simply reducing prosecutions of Marijuana-related issues.

[alfredo]

22. And it would have stirred up controversy that would have pushed the

rest of his agenda to the side. Let's work at the state level, that is where the change can be made. Remember, Holder said he wouldn't step in if it wasn't against state laws. So change it at the state level, and the feds will have to follow suit.

[blogslut]

4. The question was in reference to legalization saving the economy

I agree. Legalization alone, will not save the economy.

The question wasn't whether or not he was in favor of legalization.

[pnutbutr]

6. it would help

by creating new farms, jobs, related businesses, shipping of product, manufacturing, processing etc... It would create an entirely new industry and businesses related to it.

There is some other reason he is opposing it that he is not telling us because unless he's a complete moron he would see that it will create jobs and in turn improve the economy.

[blogslut]

7. I am for decriminalization

But not for the purposes of mass production. I would rather it be legal to grow enough for a personal supply. As for hemp production, that I can get behind.

[pnutbutr]

17. I was lumping the two together nt

[No.23]

5. This position distances President Obama from FDR, unfortunately.

Who ended Prohibition.

Too bad; so sad.

He (the Prez) needs to be more like FDR, not less like him.

[MadBadger]

8. You cant compare alcohol and weed

In terms of the what society thinks of the two, they are miles apart.

[No.23]

11. Unfair comparison.

You have to compare what the public felt about alcohol then... with what the public feels about Mary Jane now... for a fairer assessment.

Not what the public feels about both now.

They both are victims of unwarranted moralization... in their own respective time frames.

[MadBadger]

14. Prohibition was extremely unpopular in the 20s and early 30s

Marijuana is much more evenly split. A recent poll showed 40% were for legalization, while 46% were against.

[No.23]

16. Does this suggest that...

the prohibition against Mary Jane (I know I'm showing my age here :)) has to become a lot more unpopular before it is repealed?

Sad if this is so.

A true leader doesn't wait for that to be the case, to do the right thing.

[FudaFuda]

26. They passed a Constitutional amendment

36 states ratified it before there was a vote in the Senate ... and we only had 48 states then. It wasn't that unpopular with the population as a whole. Public opinion changed in response to the violence that resulted from gang warfare.

[Lex]

10. And this is a surprise somehow?

:shrug:

[Bennyboy]

15. At least the conversation is changing....

People are asking leaders about it now too.....

There is no way he could support MJ legalization. Perhaps in a year or two.

There has been a SEA CHANGE on this issue since the Phelps situation. People are realizing what stoners already know, Marijuana is smoked by everyone and has NO detrimental effects.

But the problem is with how it could be taxed. I think everyone that smokes it will grow it. I also think the industry would take on a wine growing type feel. Certain areas would be know for certain type ofsbud.

So how do you tax that? And in that case, the price will go down dramatically.

The real savings will be at the courts, jail, probtion complex. That is where the money goes now. Lawyers, guns and Money.....

[shanti]

18. so why not hemp??

:shrug: why doesn't anyone ask him about hemp? it's NOT marijuana!

[Spike89]

20. Hemp hype

I'm all for legalization, and I do understand that hemp has some great properties as a fiber crop. However, it isn't that compelling an economic argument. Yes, you can make cloth out of it, but I'm not aware of a clothing shortage. It makes fine rope, but again, is there a rope shortage?

Basically, hemp could replace some fiber crops and possibly some vegetable oil producing crops and maybe even allow us to cut back on some plastics, but these are all pretty incremental and not all of the replacements are much worse than hemp. It just isn't compelling.

Keeping it illegal isn't compelling either, but I just don't buy the economic savior argument for hemp.

[shanti]

23. it's not hype

besides the examples you mentioned, it's also used in food products. ever had hemp ice cream? yuuuuummy!


it grows, well, like a weed, organically, etc. saves trees. i can go on and on. fact is, like cannabis, too much money is invested in alternatives to hemp for them to allow it to be legal here, too many industries against it.

besides..oh no!...it actually looks like cannabis! can't have that, can we?

[Spike89]

27. That's the hype!

Exactly how is our economy going to improve because hemp is used in ice cream? Even the "replaces trees" although it has some merits, is hyped...believe it or not, trees grow organically and well, like weeds too...AND I still see no case for the economy.

[Coffee and Cake]

21. I think it would be better to clog up our judicial system and jails

instead of legalizing a non-criminal act, such as smoking pot. This could be a good way to stimulate the economy. We can hire more police officers, border patrol agents, lawyers, judges, correction officers, parole officers, DEA agents, and construction workers to build bigger jails.

/sarcasm.

[WI_DEM]

24. I didn't expect him to say anything different. I can't believe anybody is surprised

I don't think anybody who had a realistic chance of being president was going to come out for legailizing any drugs even pot.

[upi402]

25. yeah, it would torpedo everything else, like Clinton and gays in the military

Very sad and very stupid, but "Gob 'less 'muricah"