TYT: Marijuana Crackdown By Obama Admin Explained

[ihavenobias]

There is a discussion thread here at DU with a story regarding medical marijuana activists telling President Obama 'We Will Vote For Whoever Is Going To Defend Us': http://www.democraticunderground.com/101419745

Here are two Young Turks videos explaining the motive behind the crackdown on Marijuana and the rejection of legalization petitions:

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/20/big-pharma-set-to-take-over-medical-marijuana-market/

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/31/white-house-explains-anti-legalization-position-marijuana_n_1068081.html

[limpyhobbler]

1. Support full decriminalization

The medical use is real, but ultimately in the long run (years later) doctors are not going to prescribe a smoked drug if a pill is available instead. If you think smoked marijuana should be legal, just come out and say the government should either keep its hands off weed, or even better, regulate and tax it so we know what we are buying. I'd like to be able to use it just for fun and to relax, and I don't want to have to get doctors note.

[mdmc]

2. 1

[Old and In the Way]

4. Exactly.

There are so many reasons to make it legal.

(1) It would immediately deflate the cost and free up huge amounts of $ for the above ground economy.
(2) It is less damaging to the body and society than alcohol.
(3) It would take the black market incentive out of MJ which is fueling wars of carnage in Mexico.
(4) It would eliminate the costs of prosecution and incarceration that costs the taxpayers billions.
(5) It's smart politics. Lots of Democratic voters are incarcerated and it would bring in a ton of young voters. I'd also be pre-empting a guy like Mitt Romney from using this as a campaign issue by starting a bill to decriminalize now - not sure he will, but if he did, I think he'd pick up a huge segment of voters on this issue alone.

The only people that benefit are Big Pharma, Big Alcohol, and the growers/distributors - and they are the ones that want to keep it illegal. A clear and growing majority want government to do the smart thing and heel to the will of the people.

[tridim]

3. As usual, TYT is full of crap.

The Obama Adminstration supports legal MMJ. They don't support dispensaries breaking state law.

[SixthSense]

5. With all due respect

BS. The federal government is not authorized to enforce state laws.

Federal agencies are enforcing federal laws selectively against the MMJ industry in direct opposition to state law.

This admin has a sorry record on MJ issues and is even harsher against state-level legalization than the Bush regime was.

[ihavenobias]

6. To be fair to the critic

it's clear that he/she watched both videos in their entirety and also read the the Raw Story and HuffPo pieces I provided links to. He/She also provided a sourced, point-by-point debunking of the commentary in both videos.

[2banon]

16. How Generous of you..

[villager]

7. And with "Supporters" like those...

n/t

[2banon]

15. Obama supports BigPharma Monopolization of the industry.

That's his agenda. So as usual, TYT is spot on.

[tridim]

17. No, he supports the feds laying off legal MMJ.

[fredamae]

8. Theres one problem-It is my understanding

Prop 215 was never signed into law b/c the governor Disagreed with the voters for passing it.
To this day, I'm not sure if it has ever been signed into law, making it "complete".
Could that be at least in part, one reson why the feds are so involved in CA?

Then there is this:
http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/Obama_Administration_Blocks_FDA_Approved_Study_of_Marijuana_for_Veterans_111006

and this
http://www.businessinsider.com/fda-ready-to-give-big-pha-rma-control-of-medical-marijuana-2011-4

[ihavenobias]

9. Let's be generous and say that's the case

Where is the enormous pressure from voters demanding that the Obama admin crack down on medical marijuana? There are a lot different issues the feds can be involved in and they make active decisions on what to focus on and not focus on.

That's where your second link comes in (which references the Raw Story piece I linked to in the OP by the way). If the Feds were NOT cracking down on medical marijuana does anyone really think it would hurt Obama's re-election chances? That anyone would even notice? That it would become some major issue in this election? No, in fact it appears the opposite is true, i.e. medical marijuana/marijuana advocates are angered by the actions of the Obama admin, and rightfully so.

[fredamae]

10. At the end of the day, this matter

Swells during an election year and slowly we get distracted and all matters of Cannabis gets shoved aside-We are conciliatory time and time again.
And No, Most would not notice, in part because there is a stunning majority that want Cannabis Prohibition Ended for a variety of reasons.

There is this one small step taken by the Obama admin:
https://christiansagainstprohibition.org/node/653

I don't have the answers BUT I do believe if we do keep Obama And give him a filibuster proof Senate and a majority in the House-We would shift the conversation and the status quo outcome. The People overwhelmingly Want this and are Tired of corporate rule, loss of civil liberties and certainly, the RW definition of "smaller gov".
I actually don't care if BigPHRMA wants this as long as We have a choice to provide for ourselves or use their products. The days of corporate monopolization Must be ended.
The most dangerous element surrounding the use of Cannabis are the Laws, Rules and Policies that govern its use. Again, DE-Schedule at the federal level.

(I didn't see the same link sandwiched there-apologies)

[ihavenobias]

18. I agree the people want it

but I have far less confidence that President Obama would take action even with filibuster proof majorities. And look, I'm not someone who's outraged that he hasn't made a huge issues out of legalization.

I am, however, incredibly disappointed (to say the least) that the admin is going out of its way to crack down on the drug rather than simply letting the states do their thing.

[fredamae]

19. While I remain somewhat naive

about congressional process, it would seem that this is a matter that congress must attend to. Obama could veto, but I don't (at this point) believe he would.

Yes, I believe he Could direct Holder to Back off on enforcement, I don't see that happening this year.

There is a LOT of money behind maintaining the status quo-Incarcerating people under laws that are Not based upon keeping society safer, but as a revenue source for those who Profit from prohibition.

The tax payers Fund this program and get No return from their investment of tax dollars, but the corporate prohibitionists make lots of money off it like drug lords.

Multiple Polls favoring both personal and medical use of Cannabis consistently tell us prohibition is not being maintained based on the will of the people but rather the 1%.

[20score]

11. K&R!

[RainDog]

12. kick

great thread. glad I saw it

[2banon]

13. Exactly. The crackdown is all about a Full Give Away to Big Pharma

Nothing new here.

[dougolat]

20. The Drug War Industry is as entrenched as the Health Insurance grifters, neither will back off... nt