Lawrence Odonnel rewrite on marijuana hypocrisy

[musiclawyer]

Started segment on the new poll showing 50% favor legalization Ending with how can potus and congress sleep at night keeping it illegal while they get high on liquor every night. Good Line about how whiskey is way more bad for you than bud
This was a first. I had never seen a national tv host come out and call the bs that is marijuana on schedule 1
Please write Lawrence and thank him

[Old and In the Way]

1. I've been impressed with his shows. He's pretty fearless and always has the facts

when he interviews Teapublicans. When he took on NBC and called them out on their lack of paying taxes....not a 5 second aside, but a blistering indictment of corporate tax evasion over a 10 minute monologue....I knew he was unlikely to bend/shade his views to please the corporate boss/sponsers. I didn't expect to see him the next night.

Lawrence is pragmatic and probably has 1st hand experience with it (really, who hasn't?), so I'm glad he's willing to make the case to decriminalize marijuana. He's articulating exactly what we already know...it's an unregulated market, keeping it illegal is important to those that grow and distribute it now at ridiculous cost to the economy, as well as Big Pharma and Big Alcohol. Decriminalize it and watch the effects of recovered discretionary income becoming available to spend in the above ground economy. Taxpayer wins, too: crime/court loads go down, police/jail expansion not needed, etc. Take the profit motive out of the equation.

Interestingly, small government Republicans are more likely to see a growing government role in thwarting majority opinion on this subject.

[loyalsister]

2. It was a great segment

I like the way he framed it as a bias toward a particular form of intoxication. I hope that someone will finally get to a conversation on the influence of the liquor industry on drug policy.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. That was perfect. n/t

[socialindependocrat]

4. I remember the stories...

about the guy in the trench coat and "Reefer Madness". After all these years and all those people in jail; what a shame. Why are people still afraid of a weed that makes you laugh? I don't remember who said, the biggest problem would be that teenage boys would drive slower than the speed limit. Just the damage it would do to the drug cartels would be worth legalization. some day we will look back with the same confusion as why people had slaves and why women couldn't vote.

I remember when someone brought up legalization in Mass. a few years ago. The "suits" stood up and were absolutely appalled at the thought. And these guys were in their 20s or early 30s.

When will we really have freedom of choice and freedom to pursue happiness and control of our own bodies?

We are just living in another stage of "the dark ages". We're more civil, and we don't stone each other, but we are still in an age of dictation by the majority.

One day we'll be free. Why do we dump so much stress on each other?

[RainDog]

5. He needed to ask why Lamar Smith is keeping the decriminalization bill stuck in his committee

There is a bipartisan bill in the House that could end much of this madness.

ONE PERSON is keeping this bill from going forward. The tyranny of one legislator in Texas is keeping reefer madness alive.

Let the bill go forward. Call on testimony from experts who deal with medical marijuana patients - experts involved in cannabis research. Then let our legislators indicate whether they are on the side of science or the side of the prison/industrial complex.

It will greatly help those of us who don't want to vote for such hacks and who will gladly support others who work to unseat them.

[musiclawyer]

6. I really think california will legalize in 2012

Stars are aligned This will blow the doors off

[eShirl]

7. so that's what's holding eveything up...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamar_S._Smith#Ending_Federal_Marijuana_Prohibition_Act_of_2011

Lamar Smith informed reporters that he had no intention of considering the bill or providing it with a hearing. With Smith's position as chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary, he has great influence on what bills will be considered.

Smith stated that "Marijuana use and distribution is prohibited under federal law because it has a high potential for abuse and does not have an accepted medical use in the U.S., The Food and Drug Administration has not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease." This statement is highly controversial and has been disputed by many.<8> Smith also stated "Decriminalizing marijuana will only lead to millions more Americans becoming addicted to drugs and greater profits for drug cartels who fund violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Allowing states to determine their own marijuana policy flies in the face of Supreme Court precedent." The accuracy of these statements has been questioned.

On June 24, 2011, Lamar Smith's Facebook page was flooded with protests from citizens, asking him to change his position on the bill and calling for a fair hearing. Smith's Facebook page was temporarily taken down soon after, to be returned void of all comments related to H.R. 2306 and with future comments disabled. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) encouraged MMJ patients and activists to contact Smith via his phone, which was soon turned to an automatic answering machine, stating the office was closed.<9>

[RainDog]

8. maybe people who want to reform mj laws need to sit in at his office

and make it impossible for him to get out of it, just like he's doing with this bill. lol.

musiclawyer - I hope CA and CO blow the doors off this national disgrace.