At the beginning of this weekend, I posed a challenge for blogger Pat Rogers concerning Barack Obama and his drug policy positions:
Recently, I’ve been debating with Pat Rogers from A Left Independent. Pat and I generally agree on most matters of drug policy, but we have some pretty stark disagreements in our outlook for the 2008 election. While both of us have been critical of Obama over his flaky drug policy positions, I’m not convinced to vote for a third-party candidate, even though the Libertarian and Green nominees – and even Ralph Nader – will all have better drug policy platforms this year.
In the past, I’ve voted for third-party candidates with no chance for that reason, but I can’t this year. While I’m definitely disappointed in his positions, I also recognize that being honest about drug policy is difficult for Obama, and that McCain, who has vowed to continue fighting medical marijuana laws, will certainly be worse. The perceptions and prejudices that exist in this country about drugs and the African-American community make it especially tough for Obama to be bold on this front. This is why I think we have this disconnect between someone who claims The Wire as his favorite TV show, but as a politician has often promoted the drug war in ways that the show has been critical of. I tend to be more sympathetic to these political realities than Pat, so I want to lay out a challenge to him:
Write up a speech that Obama could make on drug policy that would…
a) Win your vote
b) Not wreck his chances in November to beat John McCain
Pat was already one step ahead of me, as he’s already worked on such a speech. He sent it to me and I’ve posted it here. He’s welcoming feedback on it. I’m very impressed with it, but I’m not yet convinced that Obama could make that speech and not find it to be a political landmine. What do you think?
Like the government would ever get rid of the cash cow known as drug seizures.
But if it’s good enough for the liberal government in seattle why should I worry. It’s probably a global warming thing, the more pot smokers the sooner the world will catch fire and burn to a crisp.
“Seattle’s “drug nuisance abatement” program is a menace to law-abiding property owners.”
http://www.reason.com/news/show/30934.html
Sadly, while i think Pat’s effort could be something that Obama could use, he necessarily avoids the singular most important issue surrounding US drug policy. The so called “war on drugs” is not a war on drugs but a war on some drugs! The smallest children are bombarded with commercials and other infotaining assaults aimed at convincing them that drugs, in general, are necessary to save their lives and make them feel better. It is ludicrous of a society to drug its children to help them focus on their classroom work, while telling them that drugs are bad. Drugs are drugs. Drugs are neither bad nor good; they just are. There is appropriate use (yes even for such compounds as amphetamines, opiates, cocaine hydrochloride, etc.), and there is horrendous abuse.
The issue is the abuse is clearly not a criminal activity. It is however an activity fostered by our nation’s dependence on Big Pharma to provide a flow of revenue into its coffers. The FDA is Big Pharma compliant, serving not for the people, but for the good of the corporations. It is important for chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide the motivation for our society to purchase and use drugs. It is also important and necessary for them to provide the raw products that help supply the abuse. Without this combination of advertising and product, the chance for abuse would be greatly reduced. Harm and abuse reduction begins with understanding our fixation on drugs as necessary for solving our problems.
“McCain … has vowed to continue fighting medical marijuana laws …”
Yes, Republicans love to see terminal patients writhe in agony. Many Repubs got their start by burning ants with magnifying glasses, then graduated to blowing up frogs with firecrackers.
The more pain you’re in, the longer the GOPers want to keep you alive.
@1 The government would make a lot more if they legalized and taxed it.
The “war on drugs” is really a “war on black people,” and as such Barack Obama should do what he can to eliminate this travesty.
That said, federal drug laws are not always the problem.
@2 With Busheviks running the FDA, street drugs are now safer than prescription drugs.
Whenever the veterinarian prescribes a drug for me, I ask him when it was approved, and if it’s newer than 2000 I refuse to take it. No drug that has gone on the market since the Busheviks took over the FDA can be trusted.
The GOP’s solution to defective drugs is to repeal labeling laws and take away your right to sue.
I am not only for medical marijuana but for medicinal crack and heroin as well. Unlike my counterparts, I am consistent.
@8
Actually, nearly everyone who understands drug policy understands that both cocaine and all opiates have well-documented medical uses.
http://www.druglibrary.org/sch.....meduse.htm
Just make them all legal and tax the crap outta them like cigs and alcohol (well cigs and alcohol tax in our state)
That’s why we go to Cali to get our alcohol….make a trip, enjoy a vacation and come back with 1/2 price booze! wooo hooo!
No seriously, imagine the tax income possibilities!!!
9
What about huffing spray paint??? It must help some people, right?
@11
What about huffing spray paint??? It must help some people, right?
Um, no. I don’t think you’re following at all. If you want to be a part of this conversation, great. If you came here to demonstrate how little you know, you’ve succeeded.
Why is the existence of a medical use relevant?
There are many drugs that could be used recreationally that should not be because the drug is too dangerous.
The issue with MJ is that it is not harmful under most circimstance. Coke and heroin is a bit more of an issue because both can be used in very dangerous ways.
As for Obama and Pat’s essay. reading the essay made me realize what a wonderful writer Obama is and how much I wouldlike to hear not just what BHO thinks but how he would put it to the general public.
Speaking of drugs .. I hope all the Hillary supporters were thr8led at the manly way she threw back a whiskey! Chug a lug! Funny thing … the media seems so partial to Obama that they do not make fun of this sort of Hillary behavior.
“that drug use and abuse, while stupid and a sickness is not in and of itself criminal”
I thought the way you win elections is by getting people to vote for you. How does that one little bit get anyone to vote for Obama?
And how is marijuana use stupid? Is alcohol use stupid? How about coffee in the morning? Should we have a drug war on caffeine? If marijuana makes you happy, isn’t it about as stupid as using Viagra? The only reason to use Viagra is the pursuit of happiness. Same with weed.
It is a personal choice in a supposedly free country.
This speech is a worthwhile attempt that would alienate more voters than it would bring in.
There is no way Obama should talk about legalizing weed until his second term in office…..besides legal weed would probably cost more, and the government and corporation involvement would guarantee that legal marijuana would just be shit weed.
Political campaigns are NOT about educating the voters. They are about
persuading the voters. He has to wait until he is in office. Perhaps he could nominate a “pro-choice” Medical Doctor like Dean Edell, MD to be the next Drug Czar.