White-Haired Men Love Weed
Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel on Drugs
It came near the very end of last night's Fassbinder-long debate, so some people might have missed an interesting exchange on drugs. It started when Tim Russert used Chris Dodd as a fulcrum to get the frontrunning candidates to talk about legal post.
Russert: Senator Dodd, you went on the Bill Maher show last month and said that you were for decriminalizing marijuana. Is there anyone here who disagrees with Senator Dodd in decriminalizing marijuana?
A little hard to see whose hands went up: Some of the crowd laughed, Biden stuck up his hand, Obama tentatively started to raise his. Edwards shot his hand up like a retiree who just scored bingo.
Russert: Senator Edwards, why?
Edwards: Because I think it sends the wrong signal to young people. And I think the president of the United States has a responsibility to ensure that we're sending the right signals to young people.
Will I shock anybody if I suggest that Edwards is an enormous phony? When a medical marijuana activist confronted him in New Hampshire, Edwards said he'd stop FBI raids on dispensaries and patients and put the FDA in charge of the issue. "It's a heewwge political footbawl," he said. Then he arrives on a debate stage, captures the football, and runs it into the end zone. "But he's talking about medical marijuana in New Hampshire and recreational use in Philadelphia!" Right, like the "wrong signal to young people" line isn't used to attack medical marijuana users.
Dodd had to throw an elbow to get in and respond to this.
Dodd: Can I respond just why I think it ought to be? We're locking up too many people in our system here today. We've got mandatory minimum sentences, they are filling our jails with people that don't belong there.
My idea is to decriminalize this, reduce that problem here. We've gone from 800,000 to 2 million people, in our penal institutions in this country. We've got to get a lot smarter about this issue than we are. And as president, I'd try and achieve that.
There are now two Democratic candidates who say unequivocally that they want decriminalized marijuana: Dodd and Mike Gravel. Combined, they poll at around 2 percent.
Gary D. Harris | November 1, 2007, 7:47pm | #
I think ANYbody, (especially a candidate for the "Highest Job in the Land"), who opposes the decriminalization and the reclassification of Marijuana, is not smart enough to lead this Great Society of America into the future! (With George Bush being my Number-One Prime Example!)
Decriminalization and reclassification of Marijuana is a NO BRAINER!!!
Brian Ewart | November 1, 2007, 7:56pm | #
Banning ANY good that there is a demand for only accomplishes one thing:
It creates a black market for that good. A marketplace run and regulated by criminals, who enforce their deals and contracts, not through the civil courts, but through violence. By legalizing drugs, we will eliminate not just drug trafficking as a crime, but also much of the violent crime that is built around it.
Art Kammerlohr | November 2, 2007, 5:16am | #
Message to Congress: Want to fix the national debt and replace all the money stolen from the Social Security Fund? Legalize marijuana and collect the taxes from the sale. Oh, and by the way, all the propaganda about how bad pot is and what terrible things it's use will lead too is B.S. - pure and simple. But hey, don't let hundreds of thousands of Americans sway you from your appointed tasks of passing mediocre laws and sending good, honest, decent people to jail. The argument against marijuana use absolutely absurd - period!
Jonathan | November 2, 2007, 10:36am | #
To large degree the question is simple, in terms of opportunity cost: is marijuana prohibition worth it? The answer is clearly no. But the larger issue rears its ugly head, should we prohibit any drugs? That one, it is a harder question. Do I as a citizen care if Jane is chasing the dragon in her apartment? Yes, if she is my child's busdriver, AND she is doing it before a shift. But if she is being responsible, why do I--and by extension, my government--give a damn?
catharsis70 | November 2, 2007, 10:38am | #
The only thing that makes me affaid of legal weed is that the price will go way up and quality down. M.S. left me few alternatives and losing access to taxes scares me.
cudo420 | November 2, 2007, 10:53am | #
god made pot..man made drugs...trust God and legalize..increase your army against the "hard" drugs..release people arrested on this frivolous crime..free up space for sex offenders..our system is soo corrupt..stand america and lets fix this @#$%
cudo420 | November 2, 2007, 10:57am | #
oh..and one more thing I've said for years for all you politicians paying attention to us out here..The one who legalizes marijuana will most likely take over as President..sounds ridiculous?....see how many show up to the polls at this election if it is finally brought to the "table"
Patti | November 2, 2007, 11:06am | #
I'm a mother, wife, 15 years plus seniority on my job, and many others things including a cancer survivor. Medical marijuana is a must, decriminalizing all together for any use, (in my opinion) is also necessary. I just never thought it was a big deal. And if the government regulated it like alcohol, then they could tax it, just like alcohol. I've seen what alcohol does to society, marijuana is not like that. People don't get in fights, or crash cars. They may fight over doritos......
I don't think anything was better for me while in cancer treatment, but dark alley purchases are not the way it should be done.
ps...I'm a big fan of Mr. Carey
Rick Berry | November 2, 2007, 11:48am | #
You know, when Dr. Ron Paul is President, he will get the Feds off of the States backs on this issue and many others...
france | November 2, 2007, 4:11pm | #
I agree with Patti. I'm also a cancer survivor, when I was going thru cancer treatments I had to chose whether to use the precription that the doctors precribed, or use marijuana for the nausea that the doctors said I would get, I chose marijuana and I am glad that I did !
Ronnie | November 4, 2007, 1:11pm | #
Chris Dodd is the only honest candidate (in my opinion) and we need honesty more than slick talking candidates who win because of popularity. Thankj God I don't have to undergo cancer treatments, but I do get nausea from all the fake, self-serving politicians, so does that qualify me for a perscription for marijuana? And If so, do you have any?
me | November 8, 2007, 9:22pm | #
How corrupt and mislead is this country when politicians can come out of thier closet but can't admit they even inhaled..We can rid our schools and goverment of God, but we can marry the same sex...and I still cant smoke a joint after a days work.What in the hell is going on!!! The biggest reason we won't see it legalized is because the politicians are in the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies who make the sold called "best" medicine....tell ya what...I dont get head aches, flu, or any other sickness....and I don't take medications made by man....look how many "class-action" suits are going on because of non fda approve medicines being sold...wake up..We must organize better and follow through before this election or we wait another 4 years before we hear anything more on this subject..why are the feds arresting people if the state legalized medicinal marijuana....another insight as to the government having too much control...wake up america...Carey for President
Evan | January 17, 2009, 5:59pm | #
We need to end the prohibition of cannabis.
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