The Beginning of the End for The War On Drugs?

I blinked a few times whilst reading this...

edited 23rd Jun '11 5:27:11 AM by MRDA1981

YAY!

The better question is how long will it be before the opposition tries to stop them?

I say two weeks.

Nope. The question is framed in a purely States' Rights way (leave drug regulation up to the invididual States). Republicans can't oppose it without looking ridiculous.

As for Dems, if they push to kill this initiative, they lose the youth vote. A bi-partisan effort to legalize weed at the Federal level (even if it's leaded by Ron Paul and Barney Frank) is serious news.

Wait? bi-partisan? As in both sides? Is this the first time since Obama took office? Could this be the end of the in-Congress bickering?

So far there is only one republican co-sponsor, and that one is Ron Paul. It remains to be seen if they can get any other republicans on board, or any other democrats for that matter.

This wouldn't be the first time that Republicans ignore the "States Rights" stance relating to social issues... one need look no further than DOMA for another example. While I don't think this bill has a high chance of passing, it should be interesting to watch.

For what it's worth, I do support the bill. And this comes from someone who is fairly straight-edge in practice. I just think that we have wasted way too much resources on this in the past few decades, with no measurable return on the investment.

No, it's Ron Paul. He's never been held to be representative with Republicans.

Yeah, but there is dissent on drug prohibition among the Republican base. Sort-of-mildly-libertarian thinking on weed is common among Repubs this day and age.

It's weed, not all drugs. And it's framed on a States'Right angle, specifically crafted to be appealing to Republicans. This might actually work.

Like Meeble said, Republicans have no problems championing states' rights when it suits them and not when it doesn't. I'd love to see it happen, but there is no possible way it's going to fly with the right. It gives them too good an excuse to attack the left for supporting those 'lazy' stoners in a rough economy.

Well, I'm not one to underestimate Republican hypocrisy, but there is genuine division among GOP thinkers right now on the issue of weed... And the law is framed exactly in a way that makes it palatable to the GOP party line.

The libertarian-leaning GOP guys and the social cons have a bigger wedge among'em than ever. If the social cons go for intrusive federal government this time, it's not gonna work.

edited 23rd Jun '11 7:56:14 AM by SavageHeathen

Well, hopefully the wedge will be exploited.

Then the President can pardon all the people in federal prison on simple possession and save money.

Not necessarily. If the Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional, then it might happen that way, but this would be Congress changing the law.

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:18:27 AM by blueharp

Once something gets legalized, don't all the people in jail for doing it get freed automatically?

That sounds dumb. Why would you release them?

Why should weed be legalized again? Never have had a good argument for that presented.

I dunno. I hope it fails. Last thing I want is something that dangerous being made publicly accessible. I mean, you can look at multiple threads on here for proof on just how deranged and mentally imbalanced it can make people.

"I'm pro-drugs, and I support killing cops!"

Yeah, we don't need more of that in the US.

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:11:03 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

The Republicans enforce party loyalty viciously. Even if they DO splinter, which I doubt will happen over an issue like marijuana, they'll just force the libertarians towards the Democrats, who will (again) drift further right when accepting the GOP's outcasts, thus bringing the overall political landscape further right.

As for why weed shouldn't be illegal:

A) Because illegal drug trafficking funds criminals in Mexico, et cetera, and cutting off funding to criminal elements is important for many, many reasons.

B) Because it's COSTING the US a LOT of money to imprison non-violent weed-users.

C) Because, if legalized, it can actually PROVIDE money via taxation in a time where finding new ways to fund government without increasing taxation on necessary goods is a great idea.

D) Because weed isn't dangerous in the first place compared to alcohol!

And Drunk Girlfriend, that is absolutely the most ignorant post I've ever seen you make. You disappoint me. You're taking one particularly inflammatory pseudo-anarchist poster and using that to judge an entire movement, and that's as bullshit as if I were judging everyone who ever voted Republican by Major freaking Tom.

I wonder if you're even aware of the irony in your posting name.

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:17:26 AM by Karkadinn

I feel it should be legalized because we spend far too much money investigating and incarcerating people for the use of a drug that does not seem to be any more harmful than alcohol, and which has some legitimate medical uses besides.

Right now it's a Lose-Lose-Win situation, with the Win belonging solely to drug cartels which make a killing (both figuratively and literally) trafficing the stuff.

edit: Ninja'd.

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:26:38 AM by Meeble

Drug Prohibition is fundamentally unjust:

First of all, it's the government meddling in the private lives of people. The private lives of people are none of the government's business.

Second, it erodes the right to privacy. Before the War On Drugs, Fourth Amendment rights actually mattered, and them thugs in blue wouldn't even dare to engage in random/warrantless searches, 'cause they were forbidden by the Fourth to do so.

Federal Drug Prohibition utilizes the interstate commerce clause to justify persecuting activities that are neither interstate nor commerce.

Drug prohibition wrecks lives and costs money.

Drug prohibition is invasive and greatly expands government's ability to regulate people's personal lifestyles in other areas.

Drug prohibition is the single largest reason why young people hate cops (not that they don't deserve it, since they do enforce it, mind ya).

Drug prohibition funds cartels. Drug prohibition is a gateway for greater and greater loss of personal autonomy.

edited 27th Jun '11 2:00:04 PM by SavageHeathen

Karkadinn, I think she was mostly saying that to troll Savage Heathen. I doubt Drunk Girlfriend of all people is against the legalisation of weed.

Anyway, this is encouraging news. Now I'd like our government to remove its head from its backside and stop firing people who say weed is less damaging than alcohol.

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:27:27 AM by pagad

@Karkadinn: Last I looked, drunkards weren't calling for riots and bloodshed. It also doesn't help that most of the stoners I've known IRL couldn't keep their habit under control.

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:28:17 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

Go to enough Sports Bars.

^^ You must not have looked at a football match :p

I kid I kid (somewhat)

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:29:03 AM by Karmakin

Why should those that find themselves criminalized have any appreciation for law and order, DG?

If alcohol was banned, drunkards would demand bloodhsed. You freak out at those that want to abolish the social order because you are not among its victims, that's all.

Also, I don't call for destroying authority because I'm a stoner. I call for destroying authority because I'm an anarchist. And I call for vengeance against the former authorities (once they're deposed) because they violated the freedoms of people in many ways under many excuses.

But that's off-topic (and you're making an ad hominem, BTW).

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:31:53 AM by SavageHeathen

Sports fans =/= drunkards. They call for riots and bloodshed when they're sober too.

Hey, if you don't want to be a criminal, then don't be a criminal. It's that easy. I've turned down weed before, just as I've turned down booze when it's not a good time to drink. Not difficult.

Also, violence during the Prohibition happened because the mob took up bootlegging. The average drunkard didn't do anything except sit quietly and get smashed while not calling attention to himself.

edited 23rd Jun '11 8:31:51 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

You are not born breaking crimes. If you find yourself criminalized you never really had respect for law and order.