The left gets rolled on legalizing pot -- and legal protections for cops

[JoeOtterbein]

Politico

A "unity" task force on criminal justice reform created by Biden's campaign rejects policies pushed by Sanders supporters.

By HOLLY OTTERBEIN and LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ

07/08/2020 08:04 PM EDT

Joe Biden’s “unity” task forces were created to bring the progressive wing of the Democratic Party into the fold after the sting of Bernie Sanders’ defeat.

But on key policies involving the biggest issue of the day — criminal justice — the left flank got rolled.

Amid nationwide protests against police brutality, the criminal justice panel formed by Biden and Sanders got into heated debates in recent weeks over qualified immunity, a legal doctrine that shields police from being sued for misconduct. Progressives pushed to end it, but Biden appointees agreed only to sign onto a commitment to rein in the rule.

Another flashpoint over marijuana ended similarly: Sanders’ team argued in private meetings that they should legalize cannabis, but that idea was rejected. One task force member described the disagreements over qualified immunity and pot as “huge battles,” and multiple people involved said the criminal justice panel presented some of the biggest challenges for compromise.

snip

more at link

Legalizing Cannabis is Politically Smart and Morally Correct.

[questionseverything]

1. i don't understand why he is catering to the cops and their unions over

qualified immunity or legalizing pot

[JoeOtterbein]

2. Don't worry, Joe will evolve and grab both issues because...

...they are vote winners. The faster, the better and more effective.

[Budi]

3. Its almost as though it was a set up

Rolled & rigged.

That sucks but the fight goes on.

[GulfCoast66]

18. I doubt you and I disagree much on the issues. But certainly on strategy.

Joe and his ream know how to win on a national level. It’s what they are focused on.

Bernie’s team? Not so much.

You don’t want anything that makes it look you are attacking police. Americans thing we have a racism problem in the police for the first time ever. But that does not mean they will support seeing them as an enemy. And there is really not much the Federal Government can do and Joe knows that. There is nothing to be gained politically by supporting this.

And Pot. With all we have going on most voters could give a fuck. And it pretty much a state issue anyway. If Joe wins I expect the federal laws against it will be rescinded, but it doesn’t help him get elected by even talking about it.

And a set up? Joe dominated the primary. And you’re upset he gets his way? It was not a meeting of equals.

[Budi]

22. I'm with you. All you said. 👍

See #15 & 16

😎

[Blue_true]

4. We should de-schedule Pot at the national level and make it possible for

Last edited Thu Jul 9, 2020, 05:58 PM - Edit history (1)

dispensaries to use banks for commerce.

But we should leave legalization up to the states. Here in Florida, we may get to vote on general legalization in November. We legalized Medical Pot in 2016 and that is now implemented statewide after some republican obstruction was leveled.

[roamer65]

7. I agree 100 pct.

Let the states decide on out outright legalization.

[PufPuf23]

23. Spot on wisdom!! nt

[questionseverything]

29. biden has already come out for decriminalization,it's the legalization he is stuck on

and that is important because of the banking/tax paying

the all cash is a bad deal where states have made it legal

[Blue_true]

43. I will clean up my terminology. I used decriminalization for legalization.

The two are not the same.

We should decriminalize and de-schedule Pot as a serious drug nationally. We also should make it possible for licensed Pot sellers to use federally chartered banks. But we should leave full legalization up to each state.

[questionseverything]

44. for what reason? would you have achohol treated the same way..state by state?

n/t

[hedda_foil]

11. Her dad is a DUer who posted the OP. Apologies are in order.

[George II]

17. Why?

[Budi]

21. Why an apology?

Isn't that a little like spam?

Just asking.

[DenverJared]

26. How many OPs are needed from the same article?

[melman]

13. What's the key word?

[DenverJared]

27. SPAM

[melman]

31. You know perfectly well that's not the key word

[George II]

19. Many DUers consider Politico to be republican/trump leaning. Media Bias Check rates them...

...in the center, but that's overall. Many of their writers are freelancers.

[GeorgiaPeanut]

6. lol - the first OP on this resulted in a beating

so this is another one with the same link and the same article.

Nice try.

We have a massive pandemic going on with about 130,000 dead, 24 million unemployed and the economy down the drain while a corrupt admin is avoiding oversight.

People should get their bearings and not post anti-Biden OPs on a Democratic board.

[Autumn]

39. Replied to wrong post. nt

[la-trucker]

8. I wonder if this is SPAM

Someone seems to be promoting and plugging a certain "reporter."

This is the second OP with the same link and the same story.

The previous OP is here:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=13719610

[Autumn]

40. Two different articles. Different words ....and stuff, the author of both pieces are different.

Not the same at all if you read both articles.

[GulfCoast66]

9. Maybe because Joe and his teams know how to win?

If you put in writing you are going to go after the police you may well lose. Especially the huge independent majority he currently has.

Don’t be fooled if you just read DU and other left leaning sites. The majority of Americans think we have a police problem with racism. But they are not in favor of treating them like the enemy.

If you don’t win standing on principle means nothing. You are a principled loser.

And Pot? We have a pandemic, entering a depression, our allies in Europe are seeing us as an enemy. And pot is even an issue? I mean, it will still be illegal in the states it is now.

I hope it decriminalized at a federal level although I’ve never felt the need to use it. But if we sweep the table this year I think we have more important things to deal with first.

[George II]

12. I'm just upset that we don't campaign for.....

A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage!



(just in case)

[Budi]

16. Free chicken! But on pot & cops, man they got double rolled!

Headline "We Got Rolled Twice! That's a Double Roll"

Fixed it for them.

[JonLP24]

14. Most people support legalizing marijuana so dropping the issue doesn't improve his chances

We have the highest incarceration rate in the world. It was just revealed Phoenix cops choked someone to death in 2017 and his crime was missing a court date for pot.

Getting rid of qualified immunity is actually the least we can do when it comes to police reform.

[GulfCoast66]

25. Ok. So we agree on the issue. I'm talking about the politics.

It does no good to be seen as anti-police. You create the target on your back.

Realize most Americans are not like we on DU. They generally like the cops although for the first time ever most Americans think there is a problem. But we should do nothing to make it seem we are anti-cop. It gains us nothing. And may well be a promise that even with a majority we can’t keep.

And Pot? I have no doubt it will be decriminalized if Joe is elected. But again, making a deal about it does not help us. And it’s more a state issue anyway.

The most successful politicians spell out themes and beliefs, not specifics. Because specifics are easy to attack. And impossible to implement too often.

FDR did not run on Social Security. LBJ did not run on Medicare or Civil Rights.

And Joe knows this.

[uponit7771]

32. The racist see anything the left does as anti police, fuck what they think we have the public on our

... side I don't understand not taking a loud stance on qualified immunity.

[questionseverything]

30. qualified immunity is basically a lisence to kill for cops

needs to go

[George II]

10. Why is "unity" in quotes? Do the writers not believe in Democratic unity? Just what does unity....

....encompass anyway?

[NurseJackie]

36. Holly Gottawhine is letting her bitterness, resentment and bias shine through...

Holly Gottawhine is letting her bitterness, resentment and bias shine through... when she resorts to writing in that manner. Her style and tone would be more appropriate for her own far-left blog, or as a random OP on some Internet political discussion forum. It really serves no good purpose for Politico (or anyone) to continue this charade of pretending that she's some kind of serious journalist or reporter.

[betsuni]

37. I would like to know that too.

I don't understand what "the left gets rolled" even means.

[Budi]

15. H.O. from Politico says they got rolled. More like Rigged-Rolled..

And so the fight goes on...new motto is 'We Will Win'
Onward for truth!
H.O. from Politico is a gift.

🙂

[George II]

20. Bazinga!

[Yeehah]

28. Jesus fucking christ

What year is this???

[Cha]

33. It's year 2020 and there's a GD Treasonous Fascist Murdering

Racist Asshole in the WH.. that needs to get kicked the Hell outta there in November. and officially Gone on January 21, 2021.

[Yeehah]

42. Two-thirds of Americans favor marijuana legalization

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/11/14/americans-support-marijuana-legalization/


Seems like a winning issue for me.

[Calculating]

34. Legalizing cannabis is incredibly important if we want to improve police/citizen relations

How many bad encounters between police and citizens are caused due to cannabis being illegal? I'm willing to bet A LOT. At this point legalizing cannabis at the federal level is both the logical AND moral choice. With all the COVID bs going on right now, the last thing we need to do is be going after people for weed. Just legalize it federally and get it over with, if states want to keep it illegal that's up to them. I wish Joe was more in touch on this issue in particular.

[TeamPooka]

35. prohibition is a failed public policy, again.

[JustAnotherGen]

38. Not even in my top ten issues

This November.

Judicial Appointments and SCOTUS. Those are 1-8.

[maxrandb]

41. Oh... it's Thursday! That's "Dems in Disarray" day at Politico

No... wait! That's EVERYDAY at Politico!

Someone check the fax machine. My guess is this stenography came from a Moscow area code.