Jacob Sullum writes in Reason about the reasons to be skeptical of the recent reports claiming that Obama will have a shift in drug policy in his second term. Jesse Walker has also written about it here and Mike Riggs here. The reality is that Obama could be doing more to move us away from waging a war on drugs, but he’s not. He hasn’t even been able to keep the promise he made on the campaign trail about respecting state medical marijuana laws.
These “leaked reports” feel like a half-assed attempt to pander to the left-leaning folks like myself who are considering supporting Gary Johnson over Obama’s horrendous record on all types of civil liberty issues. And they’re also very detached from what the reality is very likely to be in November. Both Washington and Colorado have full legalization initiatives on the ballot, and both are ahead in the polls. And Oregon may join them.
If any of these initiatives pass – and Obama wins a second term – we’ll know pretty quickly whether or not he’s going to “pivot” on the drug war. The federal government has the power to shut down any state marijuana regulations, but despite what Marc Ambinder claims about Obama’s powerlessness, his DOJ clearly has some discretion about what it considers a priority, and Obama is certainly free to appoint someone to head up the DEA who actually knows if heroin is a more dangerous drug than marijuana. Even if Obama doesn’t take a position in favor of legalizing marijuana at the federal level, he can take the position that he’ll tolerate a state’s voters making it the law. If he’s not taking that position, there’s no pivot.
Lee, give me a break. You know there is a chance da professa’s monte carlo presidential poll analysis could be wrong. If that happens then what? This is why I don’t see you supporting Gary Johnson. Puh-lease. You’ll walk into the booth, check the Obummer line and gladly vote for him drug policy or not. Any inkling of Obummer’s change in drug policy will keep you as a satisfied Obummer robot!
Obama lied in the campaign of 2008. Why should I believe anything coming from his camp now? There’s absolutely no reason to believe he’s going to shift drug policy should he be reelected. He’s controlled by the same WoD interests that dictated policy to Bush..
When it comes to the drug war, both parties represent the same thing..more of the same. We have no viable alternative.
Isn’t it about time we pot users started questioning the wisdom of voting for someone who wants to put us in jail?
You’re saying it’s possible it’s wrong? How probable do you think? Can you guess the odds?
Hi Lee.
Absolutely keep the pressure up on all electeds. But methinks change will come from the states, bottom up.
Meanwhile, things always get worse before they get better. Keep the faith.
Osgood,
The Romney campaign isn’t in campaign mode yet. Obummer has been spending money left and tight, that’s why he’s been making these interesting donation pitches all over America.
Now in 2012 we see the first truth from Upton. You really think Obummer is led by the same WoD peeps? Got proof? Remember Obummer did his Choom Gang? Obummer never tried to say he didn’t inhale, so maybe there’s hope in 2013?
So Upton, how do you square yourself in the mirror in 2012 with the Obummer drug lies in 2008? You too will walk into the polling booth in November and gladly pull the lever for Obummer drug position or not. You all are mind numbed robots who will continue to drink the hopey/changey drug swill.
Puddybud,
Continually voting for a party or an individual who wants to put me in jail is no longer an option..
Nice of Inslee to come out against I-502 too..
Republicans: Drug Warriors
Democrats: Drug Warriors.
Where are we supposed to turn?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!
Oh, that’s how you spin it. I guess when he’s in ‘campaign mode’ he’ll start listening to Kristol and the WSJ and Murdoch. Ha – even Boehner is getting in the ‘Mitt sucks, but he’s ours’ action.
It’s about constituency. Obama is not Progressive, but could be driven to be if we make him. It’s like Roosevelt said.
The difference is that Democrats can potentially be turned toward doing what’s right, Republicans are hopeless. It’s all about the money and power relationships – they’re all cynical and self-interested – it’s just that our politicians have some potential for good, while the Republicans are genetically sociopathic.
Wow Puddy. Swoosh! Here, I’ll add some emphasis.
Another Hint: Not talking about Obama or Romney here.
Osgood… I don’t immediately JUMP at your swill.
I’d guess 20% probability of being wrong as of now. Obummer gets 3-5% bump with the slobbering libtard media. In states like Florida with Obummer having a 1% lead that’s big. Obummer get 3-5% poll swing with the admitted over sampling of DUMMOCRAPTS. That’s why some of these polls have been in the news. We who think right have placed links to these questionable polls on HA. If you need a refresher course contact the crazed databaze deala. Looking at the Gallup tracking numbers with all the crazed Obummer attacks he’s only up by 2%. Obummer won’t talk about the economy like James Carville said, Obummer dies if the economy is the discussion topic.
Remember the Scott Walker vote and all the polls? Of course you’d rather forget it. Who called the 7% win? Not CNN, Not PMSNBC, Not ABC, Not CBC, Not NBC… And on election night is was 50-50… NOT! You figger it out Jason!
Now watch Lib da schmuck make another stupid comment.
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To the schmuck moron @8, stay on topic, it’s about drug policy and will Obummer make Lee proudin 2013… Oops you need a mind. Check your test tubes from last week!
Upton, you really need MJ to get you through the day? Really?
I was responding to your inane Romney-love, dipshit, which itself was off-topic.
Sheesh.
You can’t even come up with your own insults, fullsize? Lame.
I-502 is far from “full legalization” and I cannot believe you would write such spew.
Called it! Nothing about drug policy. Maybe he’s high on MJ already this sunny Sunday morn? Was it w good bowl fool? BTW that wasn’t an insult. It was factual!
@15
Full legalization is when possession, cultivation and sale are legal. Even if some of the restrictions are bad. I-502 fits that description. By the logic I’ve seen from some I-502 opponents, they’d consider alcohol not to be fully legal.
If Owebamma gets a second term, we are all going to have to be put on drugs to keep that muslum at bay.
15,862 trillion and counting……Well over 6 trillion above and beyond what the federal government takes in. blown in 4 years
@Lee Full legal means you can at least buy some as a gift for a friend. You can’t legally do that with I-502.
Full legal means you can buy larger amounts, which I require as a patient. You can’t do that with I-502.
And as for all those arrests that won’t happen anymore, just how many were for under an ounce? I think if you take a real close look, you will find that the arrest numbers are not going to decrease much, and the increase in DUI’s will be significant.
And just like red light cameras, cities and counties will take advantage of the boon for their coffers and now you have a whole NEW criminal population of innocents to jail and house and supervise.
And let’s talk about the impact of taking away the driving privileges of over 50k cannabis patients, many of whom are not impaired after medicating. Just how do you think the state is going to be able to handle the load? The impact to the state will be enormous, and no one has addressed the issue.
So while you preach about how great 502 is, how about finding some answers for what 502 will do to innocent sick and disabled people, not to mention all those arrests that will still happen because I-502 does nothing but shift the criminalization to an innocent population who can least afford to defend themselves.
The supporters of I-502 could just as well be the government supporters of keeping cannabis on Schedule I with the rationale they use to justify the manipulation of science.
And all you can write about is how nice it will be that you can get high legally.
Shame on you!!!
@20
I agree with a lot of the criticisms of I-502, but having certain types of onerous restrictions doesn’t mean it’s not legalization. Maybe the word “full” means different things to different people, but when you can go to a state-licensed store and buy it, it’s now legal. And just that little tiny part is likely going to elicit a response from the federal government.
As for some of your specific criticisms:
Patients can still grow and possess larger amounts under I-502.
I have, and you know that.
Don’t resort to the same stupid generalizations that my trolls resort to. You’re better than that.
You have not addressed the full impact of I-502. The social implications are far greater than anyone has discussed.
How about this generalization? I am really tired of seeing people accept crappy laws because they think that is the best we can get. I am sick of people accepting “okay” because it’s a lot easier than standing up and fighting for what is right.
We deserve better than mediocre. I cannot believe so many can just sit on their asses and say this is okay, when they know damn good and well how much is wrong with the initiative.
And don’t give me that “asking for perfection” argument. I just want to see an initiative that doesn’t punish people for no reason other that to pass the initiative. Arresting cannabis users is wrong, but punishing innocent patients for medicating is worse.
First, do no harm. I-502 does exactly the opposite. I-502 is based on lies and misinformation and that is okay with you?
Given that the backers of I-502 fully admitted to tossing patients under the bus with their 5ng limit. They admitted to knowing the limits are not valid for determining impairment. Their explanation? “It will give us 11% more votes”
How can you find anything right with that? Basing laws not on science and fact, but on maintaining the hysteria that we have fought so hard against? That is what you want to promote? That is what you agree with?
Because voting for 502 is doing just that.
The hypocrisy of I-502: Avoiding arrest for small users while criminalizing innocent patients. “Let’s make it okay for healthy people to avoid wrongful arrest, by using sick people to scare the public into voting for this! Oh, and all those of you who have larger amounts? You are still under arrest too.”
Run the numbers. Arrests rates aren’t going to go down, they will just change, and likely increase.
How long will we then have to live with those numbers before we get real change? You talk about hypocrisy, I-502 is full of it!
@22
Mimi, this post wasn’t an endorsement of I-502, it was a discussion about how Obama would respond to its passage.
It refers to 502 as full legalization. How is that not promoting it?
And how is it full legalization when it will wrongfully convict innocent people of new cannabis crimes? That is NOT full legalization. That is replacing apples with oranges, while continuing with a ridiculous arrest rate of people who are doing no harm to anyone.
Hypocrisy, Lee.
@26
Calling it full legalization is not endorsing it. That’s idiotic. The federal government sure as hell sees it as full legalization and that’s the impetus of the post. Establishing state-level regulations for cultivation and distribution for all adults is full legalization as far as the feds are concerned.
Anti-502 have some good arguments against it, but arguing that it isn’t legalization is not one of them.
Keeping cannabis on Schedule I is ridiculous. We need to send a better message to DC if we expect them to use science to reclassify cannabis. Promoting and/or accepting I-502 just encourages those in power to continue on the same track as always.
In the end, nothing really changes. Getting rid of a bad law by creating another really bad law is not the message I want to see sent to the feds. And it’s not a good answer. You need to look past the smoke and the hype and take a real close look at the long-term consequences.
Too many people have fought too hard to start a new precedent of Reefer Madness. It’s long past time to push for laws based on fact and science, and if you expect that of our politicians in DC, then you should demand them of those here in Washington state first!
Oh yeah, in case you didn’t notice, full legal would also mean removing cannabis from Schedule I in the state, which I-502 does not do. Even Alison Holcomb herself wrote about it last year.
So let’s revisit this idiotic hypocrisy once more. You want to feds to reschedule, based on current science and medical research, but it’s okay for I-502 to not only not do that, but to ignore science and research completely, right?
Hmmmmm.