Hey Barack Obama, Fixing Marijuana Laws is Smart Politics
As the Obama campaign appears to gain momentum, the Senator has been reluctant to support any change in the way recreational marijuana users are treated by the criminal justice system. Given Obama's past sympathy for marijuana reform, it's a pretty safe bet that his current position is politically calculated. But what if he's making the wrong calculations?
As SSDP's Tom Angell explains in this LTE, actual public support for marijuana decriminalization simply defies conventional political wisdom:
Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman is absolutely right that decriminalizing marijuana will save taxpayers boatloads of money and free up limited resources so that police can focus on preventing violent crime, as he pointed out in his recent column "A truth Obama won't dare tell" (Commentary, Feb. 3).But it's absolutely wrong of Chapman to say, as he does in the column, that endorsing this common-sense policy change "would be considered political suicide" for a presidential candidate like U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
To the contrary, a CNN/Time Magazine poll taken in 2002 shows that 72 percent of Americans support marijuana decriminalization.
Obama's latest position opposing decriminalization will only win him favor with the mere 19 percent of Americans who, according to the poll, favor the continued arrest and jailing of otherwise law-abiding citizens who happen to use marijuana.
Supporting the criminalization of responsible adults is not only a senseless and cruel public policy, it is politically foolish. [Chicago Tribune]
Of course, polling data like this doesn’t necessarily reflect precisely how those same people will behave at the ballot box. And, as Pete Guither explains, any candidate endorsing reform faces the prospect of vicious mischaracterizations from their opposition.
All of this is true. Still, success in American politics has always depended on a candidate's ability to gracefully negotiate divisive issues. Just as an opponent's harsh attacks might chip away support for a controversial policy position, so may passionate words and sound reasoning reshape public opinion itself, turning polling data on its head and bringing legitimacy to ideas long relegated to the political fringes.
In that rare instant when the pre-written script is abandoned and the truth is permitted to speak for a moment on its own behalf, we have no frame of reference for the political viability of marijuana reform in presidential politics. The "foolishness" Tom describes is the mistake of recognizing common ground within the electorate and declining to indulge and nurture public values which run parallel to the candidate's own.
I suspect that the moment an already exciting and change-driven candidate takes the marijuana issue on the offensive and challenges Americans to envision a better policy, the popular preconceptions of our pundits and politicians will be disproved. If I am correct, then the biggest obstacle facing any politician who'd like to reform our marijuana laws is nothing other than his/her own willingness to throw the first punch.
(This blog post was published by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also shares the cost of maintaining this web site. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)
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Comment posted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/14/2008 - 9:36pmThe laws pertaining to Marijuana should be changed. It should be legal to grow it for your own consumption. What I do in the privacy of my home is MY BUSINESS. I shouldnt be afraid of going to jail or losing my job because I would rather smoke some weed than drink alcohol. If it grows naturally and there is no man made ingredients, then it is a natural herb and should be treated as such. Our government gets rich from prosecuting law abiding individuals for using a natural herb.I dont think cocaine, heroin, crack, pcp, or any man made substance should be legalized,For that matter tobacco and alcohol are probaly the cause of more deaths and the disintegration of familes than marijuana. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
wow
Comment posted by Anonymous on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 10:31pmthere is nothing i can add to what you said.
i could not have explained
Comment posted by Anonymous on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 10:45pmi could not have explained it any more clear.
legalizing it would let the police go after the bad guys.. the ones that have meth labs in there fucking basements.
if i want to grow some plants, i think i should be cool. if i want to sit out on my patio at night and take a couple "ahh.. good day today.. puff puff .." then i think i'm chillin.
get it off the streets. that's it. let us grow our own shit, so we don't have to get it on the streets. if you take it off of the streets, the "Really" BAD guys are exposed.
"pass it over to me my friend.. if you don't like my fire, then don't come around, cause i'm going to burn one down"
b harper
"my choice is what i choose to do, and if i'm i'm causing no harm it shouldn't bother you"
b harper
go listen to it.
hehehe
Comment posted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/05/2008 - 11:23ami like weed(:
you are sooooooo right, like how many people do you know of died from pot opposed to the ammount of people killed by cigs and other shit.
GOOOOOOOO MARIJUANA!
you hit tha spot on that one
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 7:01amyou hit tha spot on that one you dont have to add anythin to it.i think it would be perfect if they legalized weed and outlawed hard drugs,cigarettes and alcohol.whats common thing you see in society today that kills people jus like that and has no remorse towards tha person that does ALCOHOL u dont see people dying behind the wheel of a car when you are high.I would rather see weed be decriminalized b/c its a proven fact if you take it off the street there will be less crime all they would have to deal with is violent crimes and etc.we all would be happy people and not have to worry bout getting busted over a sack of weed in my own home or in the street or where ever else.
I agree, I feel like
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/14/2008 - 3:15pmI agree, I feel like marijuana reform is needed in America.
Marijuana reform and politics
Comment posted by sicntired on Sun, 02/17/2008 - 4:05amsicntired Here in Canada,where most people support marijuana de-criminalization,you would think at least one if the major parties would support new legislation.I thought this would be a good opportunity for the federal NDP to rise above the 20% mark where they've been stuck for years.I got no response from them and have had to throw my support behind the Green Party as they have the courage to support an end to the whole drug war scenario.I don't know what the figure on support for decrim is in the US but if it was really over 70 % Obama would be foolish not to jump all over it.I have a suspicion that their polls show a very different result.Polls,like any statistics,can be manipulated to say any thing that the pollster wants them to say.It's how the drug war is justified all the time.
marijuana and 2008 election
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 11:41amI think that one of the biggest flaws in the decriminalization movement is trying to change the minds of the candidates. They have carefully chosen their positions for their reasons. Sure after they are elected bombard them with our issues, but during the election we should be supporting those candidates who alreadly support our position. They say it is political suicide to endose marijuana, I have said, "that if every person who ever took a drag, whether they inhaled or not got behind a single candidate in any election at any level of government he or she would win by a landslide..." I stand by that position
Peace Freedom and Tolerance
Ronald Gascon AKA John Galt jr
http://user.aol.com/johng101/jonpol.htm
Obama
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 02/26/2008 - 12:36amI don't really see Obama ever coming out of the closet, have you, to legalize marijuana. I do think that he is in support of marijuana reformation and may take action after elected. He has admitted to alcohol and marijuana use, and I believe he said he tried cocaine once. His truthfulness about his past drug use are grounds that almost all politicians fear to be truthful about, and perhaps a hint toward his feelings about the drug war. I don't blame him a bit for not wanting to be open about marijuana reformation. He's on the right track right now, and none of us know how the general public would react, so really there is no need to risk it.
what are you calling a drug?
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 02/26/2008 - 4:17amif obama wanted to show off his knowledge, he would inform his potential constituents of the true history behind cannabis sativa. He could discuss the central role this plant plays in religions all over the world, he could admit that even here in the states this plant has become an indispensable part of our culture. Beyond this, he could acknowledge that industrial hemp will be a vital asset in the fight to create a sustainable society and save the planet; he could guarantee more funding for education and less guns on the street, he could go on like this for as long as the critics threw empty rhetoric at him if he just had the guts to stand up for what he believes in. But I guess freedom isn't important anymore, and a 'call for change' is just a gimmick; seriously though, does this really mean McCain is going to end up in the white house? Maybe it's time to brush off that old Declaration of Independence, start taking some notes...
MARY JANE
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/01/2008 - 10:14amPOT SHOULD BE LEGAL ROCK ON OBAMA!!!!
Timing is of the escence
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 06/10/2008 - 7:59pmTo put this in the most understandable way possible, I am about 99% percent sure that Mr. Obama does support Marijuana Decriminalization, but if a political candidate was to announce this and take ahold of this issue, this early in the race it wouldnt seem right, because this isnt the main focus of our country right now.He will need to find the perfect time to let the general public know what his position is, I see this happening very soon.So to all fellow marijuana smokers all I can say is hold on, he will help us out, Mr. Obamas just trying to time this election out perfectly, so he can secure his presidency.I say with all my certainty that Marijuana Laws with be reformed in some way, within a years time!!!!THE TIME WILL COME.VOTE OBAMA 4 A CHANGE!
P.S. Obama should choose Lil Wayne for Vice-President, think about; extra 150 million votes, and he knows how the business is run(he is as you know the President and CEO of Cash Money Records)!
haha..
Comment posted by Anonymous on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 10:53pmhahahaha...
wow.
so living in this depressed economy has nothing to do with somebody "GOING" to one of those places?
education.
whatever happened to the word educate?
REFORM IT TODAY
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 10/14/2008 - 9:16amIf Marijuana was legile the econmy would go up. in so many ways.
The food inderstry would make more money so they would need to get more food so supplyers would make more money and farmers would make more money. and hemp clothing is cheap strong and last long so that inderstry would be big indersty.also the growers would be a huge inderstry and that and the other facters would make us almost out of debt
I thank that we should be
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 11/05/2008 - 11:52amI thank that we should be able to somek when the fuck ever we want to becouse its just a fuckin plant if it was man made it shouldent be legal to use and hell im only 16 and i started smoken with my dad when i was bout 12 so i puff puff pass dat shyt
are you kidding me??
Comment posted by Anonymous on Mon, 11/10/2008 - 11:32amokay smoking at 12 is not good...not really 16 either. You are not someone that is going to help the "reform" argument by prancing around proclaiming your smoking habits on the internet. Go get educated young one, then decide if smoking is a habit for you. Research marijuana and some and its ups and downs and research what legalizing it could mean...and then take your stance, but don't base your oppinions only on your fathers bad judgment around his adolescent son. Real reform should support the responsible adult "pot" head , just like the responsible adult drinker.
I LOVE SMOKING WEED
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 11:48amFuck the haters of marijuana i love smoking it and i will smoke it if i want
SMOKE WEED EVERYDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SMOKING WEED IS FUN
Comment posted by Anonymous on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 11:53amI LOVE SMOKING WEED WITH MY FREINDS AND SHIT!!!
Pure Pothead
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sun, 01/25/2009 - 2:22pmWeed isnt a Drug.
Weed helps you to calm, erase the depression and everything inlcuding this.
I smokes the pot for 8 years.
It too way better than ciggs. FUCK CIGGS
GOOOOOOO WEEEEEEEEED!
well there is alot of agreement here
Comment posted by Anonymous on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 8:37pmall you have to do is look at the facts-
has never killed anyone, is so easy to get even kids can get it with little effort, nothing happens but probation and drug testing- it is so used that if it was sold in stores in a controlled enviroment this would eliminate any street level associations there would be a huge surplus of money income at all lvs of the spectrum so instead of a drug dealer making thousands of dollars selling it companys can make millions of dollars by distributing it not to mention people do it all the way from when they star in the teens to people who have been doin it for 30-40 years , it mellows you out alcohol in it self has created such an issue with the laws, deaths, and just self destruction of people its insane to not have something natural available to you.
Believe
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 04/02/2009 - 3:30pmBelieve we will see the day pot is legalized. We lived to see a black man as president. If we all believe in what really shoud be or how the world really should work, eventually it will happen. Persistance and a belief that what should happen will happen. I love to smoke. And it helps me, I get nausea sometimes from my birth control and there is nothing out there that helps more when I feel sick. I also have bi-polar and when I'm having a difficult moment nothing helps more to calm all those race feelings inside of me. I feel upset in this land of the free. Free to do what? Free to work hard to pay CEOs there 20million dollar salary because there doing such a good job of miss managing there fucking companies. Free to work hard to pay to DEA to find and jail aweful people like me.
Always remember when they say free that's not what it really means. It really means your free to do exactly what they tell you to do.
Believe that the word free will one day really mean FREE.
Peace and love to you.
reform
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/13/2008 - 4:36amNo doubt, any politician who comes out as for marijuana reform will be attacked, however what will the politicians who attack sound like to the general public. If the general public recognizes the fact that marijuana law reform is needed, they might just welcome a politician with the guts to step out and throw the first punch. I would think much more of Obama if he came out in the open for marijuana reform not only because I believe in reform for marijuana laws but also because he had the guts to take on an issue that politicans are so quick to avoid.