Ron Paul, Barney Frank to Jointly Introduce Bill to End Federal War on Marijuana

LA Times ^ | June 22, 2011 | Andrew Malcolm

[eak3]

umm absolutely not, all Im saying is theirs idiots all over the country who dont have a bit of the good sense that God gave them. Im sorry for your inability to understand what I was trying to say.

[Mikey_1962]

Obama’s FDA could easily just change the classification of marijuana from Schedule I to a Schedule V exempt drug and avoid Congress altogether.

[Loud Mime]

lol......should have included an /s after my comment. After all, the liberals voted for him because they needed someone to guide them.

Glad to see that you finished with an ad hominem; good boy!

[McGruff]

During a “lightning round” where candidates were asked to answer questions about the issues that would give them the most problems during the primaries, both libertarian candidates– Paul and former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson– were asked to defend their liberal stances on drugs. First was Rep. Paul, who Fox’s Chris Wallace confronted with his controversial position that drugs and prostitution should be legalized. His unapologetic response elicited cheers from the crowd, as he argues that, just as “you don’t have the First Amendment so you could talk about the weather,” civil liberties do not exist to protect personal rights upon which most agree. He later likened private freedoms like this to religious freedoms, prompting Wallace’s follow-up: “Are you suggesting that heroin and prostitution are an exercise of liberty?”

After tripping up a little, Rep. Paul replied “yes,” then found himself arguing in favor of legalizing heroin, asking, “if we legalize heroin tomorrow, is everyone is going use heroin? How many people here would use heroin if it were legal?” The question was greeted with cheers, to which Wallace replied with a smile, “I never thought heroin would get an applause in South Carolina.”

So hop on down to your local 7/11 and get some heroin for the party.

[cripplecreek]

They will not cost us any more than they do now.

What makes you think that? This story itself shows congress wasting money on legislation they know isn't going to pass. The state themselves are already spending money on dealing laws to deal with "medical" marijauna clinics.

Utopian fantasies aside, I don't have issues with legalization but reality still must be faced.

[Linda Frances]

Anyone who is for limited government ought to also be for removing VICTIMLESS CRIMES from the books.

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Have you ever been in a household where the parents were so passed out they did not take care of there children? Where after a few years of use their brain cells are down to nothing? Yes, I know alcohol does the same thing and its legal. So, since we have one vice that is ruining families across the US, we should be fair allow the other? Most likely we will see the children continuing the pattern, like welfare, its a family tradition. Of course, I'm sure a pothead parent has already let them take a toke when they were little for laughs. Who's going to pay to have the chidlren taken out of the home until the parents kick the habit? I know it seems giving people all the freedom they want seems the American way, but some people can't handle that freedom & their kids must pay the consequences. Please don't think this is directed at you. I just think we see freedom as candy and think all candy is good.

[Linda Frances]

Anyone who is for limited government ought to also be for removing VICTIMLESS CRIMES from the books.

---

Have you ever been in a household where the parents were so passed out they did not take care of there children? Where after a few years of use their brain cells are down to nothing? Yes, I know alcohol does the same thing and its legal. So, since we have one vice that is ruining families across the US, we should be fair allow the other? Most likely we will see the children continuing the pattern, like welfare, its a family tradition. Of course, I'm sure a pothead parent has already let them take a toke when they were little for laughs. Who's going to pay to have the chidlren taken out of the home until the parents kick the habit? I know it seems giving people all the freedom they want seems the American way, but some people can't handle that freedom & their kids must pay the consequences. Please don't think this is directed at you. I just think we see freedom as candy and think all candy is good.

[AT7Saluki]

So we have to have graphic, disgusting pictures on tobacco because of it's death-ensuring qualities. But pot? "Have at it boys." Yeah, I understand .

[demshateGod]

“...it will be an excellent test for those in Congress who claim to be for a limited, smaller, federal government...”

It’s so telling that this is the issue the liberaltarians always pick to test our commitment to small government.

[Conscience of a Conservative]

I would be all for the legalization of marijuana under two conditions. (1) All medical costs for any illness linked to or attributed to marijuana use are not covered by insurance or government programs. (You smoke it, you bear the costs). (2) Any crime committed while under the influence of marijuana incurs an immediate death sentence. (If you do the drug and commit a crime, then you will die)

Do you support the same conditions for alcohol? You drink it, you bear the costs? You drink it and commit a crime, then you will die? If not, why not?

Every pot smoker I've ever met has been or become a dope head. They've let the drug make them into losers. Every last one of them.

That is most likely incorrect. Chances are, without even knowing it, you've met some successful, non-dope-head people who smoke marijuana;

[jsh3180]

letting states legalize, regulate, tax, and control marijuana without federal interference

OK, who buys the part that says the US Gubmint will pass on the tax windfall were this to become law?

[arderkrag]

I know it seems giving people all the freedom they want seems the American way, but some people can't handle that freedom & their kids must pay the consequences.

If you grieve so strongly over it, you should also be free to go help them - privately. Taxpayer money shouldn't fund your ideas of society, regardless of what those ideas are.

[demshateGod]

“Not saying govt should be the baby sitter”

Of course not. Ann Coulter wrote a piece about “The Pot Party” some years ago and pointed out that legalizing drugs, while we have a nanny state is stupid. It’s extremely disingenuous when liberaltarians say “You’re for small government but support the war on drugs! You’re a hypocrite and a theocrat!! Blah, blah, blah!” No. Let’s end wellfar and food stamps first. Then let’s stop subsidizing indoctrination camps (public schools). Then... The list goes on. Then, let’s talk about ending the war on drugs.

For them to do that first shows they just want to get high.

[demshateGod]

“I know plenty of smokers who are motivated, have what I’d call good attitudes and are certainly not losers.”

No you don’t.

[demshateGod]

“But we can see how well that is working out anymore.”

It’s not because parents are giving their kids over to 1) Leftist school teachers. 2) Leftist Hollywood types. 3) Their peers.

[demshateGod]

You can’t ignore the fact that this is Barney Frank cosponsoring the bill.

[cripplecreek]

There’s a reason George Soros dumps so much money into drug legalization and it ain’t a love of freedom.

[demshateGod]

Your point, and my point is, if we make pot legal this country will be disproportionally worse. To argue that is illogical and just plain stupid. The war on drugs is big government. That’s true. We have a philosophical issue meeting a real world issue. They can be resolved though. There are so many problems that need to be resolved before we get to legalizing drugs or this country will not be livable. That’s what Barney wants (an unlivable country).

[RipSawyer]

“having said that, the penalties for simple possession ( up to and including death by stormtroopers ) are worse than the drug itself.”
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Yes, people often fail to realize that some things are like growing old, the only thing worse is the only alternative.

[t2buckeye]

Maybe all the young potheads will change their vote from Obama to Paul. Perhaps decriminialization is the answer, but I gotta tell you...

I see the effects of marijuana on young people everyday and it isn’t pretty. THe problem is that the younger the kids are, the worse effect on the brain development. The easier it is to get, the more kids will try it. With youth unemployment higher and higher, we’ll just have a bunch of stoned kids...yeah, that’s the answer.