The President Has a Growing Marijuana Problem

[FlaGatorJD]

Not to be confused with a marijuana growing problem, but the President's problem is not going away. In fact, it's growing like a weed. sorry

The problem is not that he stands in an unfavorable position with the minority of Americans on legalization and medical marijuana, it's his inability to be clear about the matter and to adequately address the questions and positions of not only the growing mass of 20-somethings as indicated by online activity, but also the increasing number of state legislators who are pressing him and the administration to reconsider. Just a few days ago, a bi-partisan group of 42 Washington legislators requested a reclassificaton of the drug by the DEA to allow medical marijuana.

When the President decided to team up with YouTube and Google to stage a 45-minute "hangout" session where he answers the most asked questions from voters, he probably could have guessed that the millenials and generation xers, who dominate online forums, were not going to be concerned about social security. In fact, it could easily have been assumed the dominant questions would be about marijuana, legalization, medical, etc., especially as it had last year.

The top vote getting question was this one one from a retired LA police deputy chief who asked
about legalization. His question received 1.6 million votes, and this gives you an idea of the level of interest among young voters on the matter:

Sorting the questions by popularity reveals that 18 of the 20 most popular questions, according to YouTube, have something to do with marijuana policy, including the legalization of marijuana use, the cost of the war on drugs and other related issues.

This thought-provoking question came in fifth:

"With over 850,000 Americans arrested in 2010, on marijuana charges alone, and tens of billions of tax dollars being spent locking up marijuana users, isn't it time to regulate and tax marijuana?

Again, Mr. President? . . . . . .crickets . . . .

Being all about voter participation and all, you figure the President would have answered some or at least one of the questoins about pot, which was obviously on the voters' minds, but no. Not one. Now they are claiming YouTube or Google screened the questions, therefore the President didn't get any of those questions.

Really?

Well he did go on record a year ago, and thanks to the internet tubes we can go back a year and see what his stance was then, and I have to say aside from his Mr. Mackey impersonation, "drugs are bad", the rest of his answer was probably the worst answer to any question I've ever seen him answer anywhere on anything.

So in summary, legalization is just wrong, cause I say so, and it's a public health matter, incareation is bad and education is good, and we must reduce demand?

That's what you got? . . . from possilby the brightest President ever?

. . . and here in August 2011 in MN, it's really seems like he wants to give it more than a few seconds of consideration, but then he punts.

In the video the woman asks "If you can’t legalize marijuana, why can’t you just legalize medical marijuana?” His Palinesque response was:

“A lot of states are making decisions about medical marijuana,” Obama explained. “As a controlled substance, the issue is then that is it being prescribed by a doctor as opposed to… you know, well, I’ll leave it at that.”

Back in 2008, candidate Obama said that federal prosecutors were not going to be prosecutiing medical dispensaries, because "it wasn't a good use of resources". Then the federal government change it's tune on interfering with states' right and their decisions to allow medical marijuana, but not longer after they made that statement, they started raiding dispensaries.

So in conclusion, on one side you have the majority of Americans

thttp://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/gallup-poll-is-first-to-find-plurality-support-for-marijuana-legalization/

who either favor legalization, or are not opposed to it, and on the other side President Obama and the federal government. For me, it's tough to watch the President either sidestep the issue or attempt to justify his position, but in his defense, I would argue that the reason he avoids the question or stumbles on his answers is that he's conflicted. While a part of him has to say "you know, this whole thing does wreak of paternalistic government and it takes a huge bite out of personal freedoms and rights, and states' rights, and there is that whole hypocrisy concerning alcohol and prescription drug use, which may be a greater problem in our country', 'I'm a father and I don't think this would be good for our daughters, and I would really be in trouble trying to tell them not to do it, if it ever became legal". The Gallup poll did indicate:

. . . there is some evidence that support for legalization can erode as people age and have children.

.

. . . at least that's the only thing I can figure which is clouding his decisionmaking ability amd lands him on the wrong side of this issue, and while anti-weed folks like to dismiss this as an unimportant issue, because I guess they can tell us what is important, that's how the President is handling it too. . . and well . . it comes off . . . .. really condescending.

Now, if you'll excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I have a 4:20 appointment

[Logical]

1. Be ready for the Obama defenders to rip you a new one!

[FlaGatorJD]

3. I've got my anti Obama defender force field and hat in place

Besides, I support him and will vote for him and encourage others to do so.
Note my avatar.

[Logical]

6. I will too. But many here do like ANY complaints about him.

[Kurmudgeon]

14. It would be stupid of him to give his opponents amunition to use against him this year.

Looks like I have to give the reminder again. If you want The President, any president, to do liberal things, give him a liberal Congress.
Or set on your hands like people did in 2010, then just get what you deserve.

[Logical]

16. I have always voted dem since 1980. So not sure who you are lecturing.

[frylock]

20. and it will be stupid again in 2014 during midterms..

then again in 2016. no no no, we simply cannot give the republicans any ammunition. best to sit on our collective nuts and engage in political expediency for the sake of political expediency.

[metalbot]

27. The president doesn't need a liberal congress for this

He could end the raids on medical dispensaries instantly with an executive order.

[gregtownsand]

41. It will NOT be legal in our lifetime. It is too risky from a political standpoint.

SO Ill just keep breaking the law.

[Enrique]

2. I don't think it's a problem for him

it's a problem for all the people in jail unnecessarily.

But for him or any president, the safest thing in the world is to go along with the status quo. If he challenged that, then he would start having problems.

[FlaGatorJD]

4. Yea, you're right that might lead to CHANGE

and maintaining the status quo is much more important than that

[Logical]

7. LOL...true.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. Our drug policy needs to change (a lot of policies need to change)

but legalizing marijuana, frankly, is NOT one of the most pressing issues that he and most Americans have to deal with right now and I would hardly characterize it as a "problem" for President Obama, certainly not in the 2012 election.

[iscooterliberally]

8. Legalizing Marijuana in and of itself is not pressing to be sure, but that's not really the point.

What is really the point is the fact that we have more people in prison in the land of the free because of this. Our 4th amendment rights have been shot all to shit by this. There are all sorts of horror stories about people getting killed in no knock raids along with family pets. Assets are being wrongfully seized. Police are showing up at the wrong house and busting the place up. Cops look more like soldiers than police officers. The so called war on drugs is really a civil war being waged on American citizens. I agree that it's not a problem for Obama in 2012, but he gets an F in drug policy. So has every president since Nixon, who started this mess. Obama has a good list of accomplishments. I'll vote for him again, and I'm confident that he will win a second term. I just wish we had someone in power that could step back and look at the big picture here. We have private companies running prisons for profit in the land of the free. This is a lot more serious than just being able to go down to the corner store and buy a sack of legal weed.

[FlaGatorJD]

9. I would concur that he can avoid the issue and stil get re-elected

because that's what's important, right?
and

while anti-weed folks like to dismiss this as an unimportant issue, because I guess they can tell us what is important, that's how the President is handling it too. . . and well . . it comes off . . . .. really condescending.

[frylock]

21. spoken like someone who hasn't been affected by the war on drugs..

but i'm sure you'd change your tune if a family member were rotting in prison for a possession charge.

[JackRiddler]

30. It's pressing to half a million New Yorkers stopped and frisked on no cause a year.

It's pressing to hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been ruined by the War on Drugs and the prison-industrial complex.

So what you're saying is, you're comfortable, so screw the human beings who are suffering because of an insane policy.

You also talk as if it would be some kind of titanic effort to recategorize marijuana and direct policy away from criminalization. It would not be.

[Solomon]

10. Aw jeez, can we at least get past the damn election?

Like if you were running for prez, you'd step right out 9months before the election on a "legalize marijuana" spree while people are looking for jobs.

Sure, cause you got spine but he doesn't. Riiiight.

(Shakes head). Okay. We gotta a better shot to legalize it with one of the other dickheads. Got it.

[morningfog]

11. No, a Democratic president is by far our best shot to legalize it.

Hence, the push on Obama.

Also, legalization would increase revenue AND create jobs.

[frylock]

22. and you don't want to do it prior to the 2014 midterms..

heaven forfend. that's a mere 24 months after the 2012 presidential elections. oh shit! i nearly forgot about 2016!

[Lightning_McQueen]

23. What people doesn't realize

that legalizing marijuana will create a massive influx of jobs.

Hemp will be the cash crop as well as marijuana.

Obama needs to take a stand to legalize it for good. Or at least reschedule it.

He has proof in his own FDA that marijuana does, in fact, work.

Remember Fly by Night's words. Remember why he went to prison for what he believed in.

[bayareamike]

12. While I disagree with the President on this,

incremental change is the name of the game. He has delivered, if judged by that standard, thoroughly.

Moreover, it really isn't a pressing issue -- and that IS the point when it comes to politics.

[rhett o rick]

13. If the ship is sinking, incremental change isnt going to do it. He made the choice to vigorously

attack medical marijuana dispensaries instead of letting the individual states decide. There is no incremental in that change.

"Moreover, it really isn't a pressing issue". Apparently he has considered it a pressing issue as he has devoted lots of resources to fighting legal medical marijuana dispensing, especially compared to the resources he has spent on prosecution Wall Street corruption, which I hope you agree, is very pressing.

[FlaGatorJD]

15. Oh yeah absolutely, I see

and

while anti-weed folks like to dismiss this as an unimportant issue, because I guess they can tell us what is important, that's how the President is handling it too. . . and well . . it comes off . . . .. really condescending.

[frylock]

24. non-violent citizens rotting in prison isn't a pressing issue?

really?

[bayareamike]

26. Legalization and justice for nonviolent offenders are not one in the same.

In California at least, we have begun a prison realignment system (as of last year) that will release many nonviolent offenders much earlier than they otherwise would have been.


Also, I'm certainly not "anti-weed". Smoked it for years LOL (I'm from Oakland!)

[dreamnightwind]

32. Also there are other consequences than incarceration

I don't know all of the California laws on this (though that's where I live), but regardless, there are many consequences suffered by marijuana users.

Property and finances are confiscated for the most flimsy of reasons, in many cases no reason at all other than they caught you with pot and the P.D. can make money off of asset confiscation.

In some states at least, if you get a felony conviction, you are no longer eligible to vote!

Also in some states at least, with a felony conviction, you are no longer eligible for many forms of government assistance, such as food stamps, low-income healthcare programs, etc.

And though California has indeed started a "realignment" of its prison system, which includes releasing some non-violent offenders, this comes mostly because of the state's budget crisis, not because of a sense of justice, and it can easily revert back to full incarceration of these people once the state has more funds, or once the state elects a governor who disagrees with it.

By the way/ to you in Oakland. I'm in the north bay.

[bayareamike]

39. I agree with you on everything. I'm for legalization;

I was simply pointing out that politically speaking, it's not a priority and will not be any time soon.

[JackRiddler]

31. "Incremental" does not mean "non-existent" ...

and "change" isn't supposed to mean "make things worse," which is what the administration has so far done in this area.

[RainDog]

17. You can see that support for legalization has grown for decades

Whoever is president, no matter the party, has to deal with the fact that they are in power at a time when we need to end this prohibition. We are seeing NO positives about this from Obama - it's not that he's not going to legalize - it's that the DEA is out there harassing state politicians who are working to respond to the desires of their constituents.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101441456

16 more states with pending legislation... to go with the 16 that already have legislation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1170204

The Federal Govt. had to respond to states that repealed alcohol prohibition - and the feds will have to give up this war on the American people too.

[dreamnightwind]

33. Excellent point

"We are seeing NO positives about this from Obama - it's not that he's not going to legalize - it's that the DEA is out there harassing state politicians who are working to respond to the desires of their constituents. " That is right on.

[Lionessa]

18. LOVE THE TITLE, just about lost my keyboard for the coffee spit.

The OP is even better. 4:16 here. Four minutes to go.

[FlaGatorJD]

19. Welcome to the fun . . . .and sorry about the keyboard . . .

[limpyhobbler]

25. It seems like legalizing would create tons of jobs in growing, selling, distributing, etc.

There really is not longer any reason to persist with the prohibition. If the president would come out for ending prohibition there would probably be tons of new voters registering and I think he would win in a landslide.

[marlakay]

28. Obama is just doing what ever it takes to get reelected

Facts are most people who vote across america are middle age and older, not the young. So until that changes most politicians will privately be for weed and publicly against.

I thought this was a non partisan issue until I went into the site for the people trying to legalize it in my state (WA) and every politician on the list was a dem. What's up with that??

[dreamnightwind]

34. So, after the election, he'll pivot on this?

We'll see. I doubt it, though.

[marlakay]

38. I doubt it because it would affect others

Obama is just doing what the rest of them do. Lean towards the base while in primary then middle for main election and in office. He has never been a Bernie Sanders.

I think it would take a big change for Obama and all the others to follow. Right now they are afraid of losing mainstream voters and corporate money. Corporations are against this only because of bad publicity if they are for it.

It's a sick game, and the rest of us that know this whole issue is so unfair just want to scream.

It doesn't matter to them that we can prove pot isn't bad. Reminds me of a strict parent that says because I say so that's why...you are allowed no questions or even to speak.

[T S Justly]

29. K&R (nt)

[loyalsister]

35. Do people seriously believe that MJ legalization activists are a majority?

Polls may show more support legalization than don't, but the people to whom this is an issue so important that it eclipses everything else is a very tiny minority.
There is no MJ problem for the president. It's a very small issue in comparison to issues that effect most people daily. Most people aren't so heavily invested in politics to do much beyond vote, let alone advocate for MJ legalization. This is not going to cost the president the kind of support some seem to hope.

[slay]

36. It's a problem with me - and other liberals like me

my voting for Obama is in no way guaranteed. i have a friend with AIDS in a non-medical marijuana state who almost died without marijuana. it truly saved her life - she could not eat without it. it may or may not be a problem for Obama - but it is a real problem with some of his supporters - and a HUGE problem for those who truly need it.

[SomethingFishy]

43. Thats because people are completely clueless about

what legalization would do. Let's look a little deeper than "there is no problem" shall we?

Jails. We spend well over a BILLION dollars a year housing marijuana offenders.
Law Enforcement. The War On Drugs is about a 70 billion dollar a year fiasco and the new NDAA adds even more money and military support to the WOD.
Court costs, judges, lawyers, juries, paperwork... Billions.
Stupidity. The DEA spent over 10 MILLION dollars to arrest, try and jail Tommy Chong for 9 months for selling bongs over the internet(And they had to entrap him to do it.) 10 million dollars well spent eh?

Now, JOBS! A new crop to farm and harvest, new products to produce and sell. Hemp is one of the toughest fibers in the world. Paper, food, fuel, clothing, rope, there is no down side to harvesting hemp and it's uses are almost limitless.
Medicine! People can get relief without the stigma of doing something "illegal".

And the kicker TAXES. Tens of billions a year in taxes and weed would still be cheaper than it is now. Not to mention the reduction in organized crime and how much that will save

We have a serious money problem. Legalization could bring in HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS A YEAR in savings, profits and taxes.

We may not be a majority, but we are right. It's foolish to deny the facts. Legalization could solve a ton of problems in one fell swoop. If we could just get that stick out of our collective ass.

[hunter]

37. The first black President can't support it, especially not his first term.

The white racist minority would go violently Harry J. Anslinger batshit insane and the republican clown meisters would play it for all it's worth.

...Anslinger has been accused to be responsible for racial themes in articles against marijuana in the 1930s.

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others."

"Colored students at the Univ. of Minn. partying with (white) female students, smoking [marijuana] and getting their sympathy with stories of racial persecution. Result: pregnancy"

"Two Negros took a girl fourteen years old and kept her for two days under the influence of hemp. Upon recovery she was found to be suffering from syphilis."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_J._Anslinger

I think it's that simple.

[RainDog]

40. no, but he needs to tell the DEA to back off

because almost a majority of the population, at this time, lives in states with mmj laws - that's different than the numbers that support changing the law - those are people who have lived with mmj laws - some of them for more than a decade - and we see that hell has not broken loose.

with the other 16 states with pending legislation, some of them, too, will go for legal mmj - and, again, this is just like prohibition of alcohol in its day.

when so many states decide to overturn federal law, the federal govt. has to respond to the will of the people.

the biggest issues in all this are people with chronic and/or life-threatening illnesses who deserve access to mmj and the huge numbers of minorities, both African-American and Latino, that are in prison - in the for-profit prison system here.

it's SCANDALOUS that America is locking up so many non-violent people on marijuana charges - this destroys lives.

As an African-American president, Obama ought to give a shit about what this is doing to future generations of black men in this nation.

[Bonobo]

42. He should try SoG or FIM nt