"Obama, will you consider legalizing marijuana...?&quot

[Caduceus Mercurius]

Marijuana legalization No. 1 at Obama's Change.gov

The first edition of President-elect Barack Obama's "Open for Questions" at change.gov has come to a close. His transition team will answer questions submitted by users that receive the most votes.

The question voted to #1 is:

"Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?"

16 of the top 50 questions were drug-policy related (mostly marijuana).

Obama's transition team has promised in a blog entry to answer these questions in the next couple of days.

http://change.gov/page/content/20081211_openforquestions

http://www.dosenation.com/listing.php?smlid=5509

 

[ZOF]

Very interesting,

i hope that he can/wants/will do something. He has spoken about decriminalizing it himself. Let's make the world a better place!

 

[McAllister]

You beat me to it. I was going to post a link to that story in my thread on the general board.

I look forward to Obama's reply. I'm sceptical he can do anything about it, but fingers crossed that now that money is involved and it could be the answer to the crisis brought about by the greed of the fat cats, America will be more open minded about it.

 

[Forkbender]

Imagine the amount of money they could save if they'd stop enforcing drug laws or reverting them altogether.

 

[IJesusChrist]

overall a good idea. However so many have neg. connotations to the drug, it will be very, very hard to get that kind of a bill passed. People in the senate/house that vote for it will get intense scruitiny, also even if they vote no...
It's very sketchy, will be amazed if it happens.
Was amazed he was elected too however.

 

[Brugmansia]

I can't imagine that the "white conservatives" will just react with legal responses if he's really choosing for progressive steps that were never taken earlier in the history of the US.

Considering there are always background figures like Edgar Hoover.

 

[JustinNed]

Oooohhhhhh, I liked the top 10q's on there, can't wait to read the responses!!!
I like this one,

"13 states have compassionate use programs for medial Marijuana, yet the federal gov't continues to prosecute sick and dying people. Isn't it time for the federal gov't to step out of the way and let doctors and families decide what is appropriate?"

Because it Should be up to the State, fuck the Fed Gov.

 

[phatass]

Wouldn't he need approval from a majority at the senate and/or congress to decriminalise or legalise?

 

[Icelus]

Imagine the amount of money they could save if they'd stop enforcing drug laws or reverting them altogether.

But a lot of people would lose their jobs. There are a lot of people who are earning money because of these laws. It's sick :!:

Anyway, i'm looking forward to the answers they willl give!

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

Whether he'll be able to make these changes or not, or perhaps many years from now, the fact that these kind of questions are being raised, and voted for by the American public, is a sign of hope. Respect to people like Jack Herer who for many years have been fighting for the destigmatisation of cannabis and the rights of potsmoking America.

 

[Ketter]

A week ago was the 75th anniversary of the prohibition in the US. Guess what happened with the economic crisis back then, when prohibition was ended after 13 years. It gave the economy a much needed boost. It's not rocket science to figure out cannabis could do the same right now.

 

[Forkbender]

But a lot of people would lose their jobs. There are a lot of people who are earning money because of these laws. It's sick :!:

They could start making a positive imprint on the world for a change. Build communities instead of destroying them.

 

[Icelus]

But a lot of people would lose their jobs. There are a lot of people who are earning money because of these laws. It's sick :!:

They could start making a positive imprint on the world for a change. Build communities instead of destroying them.

I totally agree. I didn't said this because i don't want to see those people loosing their jobs.. Just to show the sickness of this totally intertwined interest that is going on. (is that correct english? )

 

[Forkbender]

It isn't, but I understand what you mean.

 

[ZOF]

Though there are far more important things in life, that are bad and need to be solved, i think that legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana will solve a lot of problems. 16 out of 50 questions, that means at least 32 percent of the questioners is wondering about legalizing/decriminalizing. This is a lot!


Will there be change?


Or not?


or will there be change after all?


or not?


or not?


Or change?




Just look at your slogan, Mr. President.

 

[st.bot.32]

considering obama changed his stripes a lot towards the end of his campaign and called his drug use his "greatest moral failure" i wouldn't expect anything. even if he is personally agreeable to it, he would have a monstrous machine to fight against. oh, that and he made joe biden his v.p.

i think it actually is a big deal, and could be made a big deal if given a chance in the media. almost a million americans every year are busted on simple possession charges and have their lives effectively ruined. think of the cost to the taxpayer compared to the billions to be made off of it

 

[Forkbender]

So the only one changing is Obama himself?

 

[ZOF]

http://change.gov/newsroom/blog/


Q: "Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?" S. Man, Denton

A: President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana.

this is the only question that he answered with a few words.
_______________________________________________________________



Our task for the next bunch of questions is to ask if he would consider decriminalizing marijuana. If not, why not?

 

[restin]

the same old story.

 

[ophiuchus]

"this is the only question that he answered with a few words. "

i hate obama. dont get me wrong, i hate mccain even more, but i hate the fact that he can't even prepare his own announcements like a regular human being would. he got together with his little group, brainstormed, and then got peer pressured into his lame ass remark. what a pussy.

whatever, he wont be able to deny us medical use once the legalized states are a majority. the people will speak obama, and you will have to listen :evil: