Posted on 06/12/2012 8:25:41 PM PDT by presidio9
In the new book, America, You Sexy Bitch: A Love Letter to Freedom, Daily Beast columnist Meghan McCain and comedian Michael Ian Black take a road trip across America and write about their experiences. The excerpt below is from their visit to New Orleans, and what happens after Meghan and Michael light up.
Meghan McCain: -SNIP-
Let me put it right out there. Yes, I have smoked marijuana a few times in the past. The first time was on a trip to Amsterdam in college and I was surprised by how mild of an experience marijuana was (and in my experience still is). It is a plant that makes me mellow and giggly and, quite frankly, tired. Yet, depending on where you are in the United States, smoking is possession, and that is either a misdemeanor or a felony. Split that hair however you want, it’s still a crime.
That being said, I believe that marijuana should be legalized. This is not a decision I have come to quickly or lightly. Over the course of the last four years, in discussions with friends pro and con, I believe the legal ramifications of possessing marijuana are egregious. For one reason, I think it is a substance that does no more damage than alcohol does, and second, if we legalized marijuana in this country and taxed the hell out of it, our economic problems would at least be temporarily helped a great deal. In fact, you could even use the revenue stream to pay for universal health care if you wanted.
Mostly though, I do not completely understand the allure and taboo associated with marijuana. -SNIP-
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
Right, just because you could manufacture product yourself, doesn’t mean that most people will choose too. Anyone can grow tomatoes in their yard, but most still choose to buy them from the store for convenience, quality, availability, or other reasons.
Also, $300/oz is still less than the street value for the quality of stuff you get from a California dispensary. So, even with taxes and the business marking it up to make a profit, the consumer is saving maybe 25% via legalization.
The less Meghan McCain says, the better!
Or eat more.
Like the people doing the bath salt thing would become “converts” to the marijuana religion?
Or maybe spray paint will be the next hot kick?
I frankly would rather have marijuana illegal than let the state become the new drug cartel through taxation and invasion of privacy.
I don’t think the states should profit from something that is federally illegal, that is racketeering.
If you want to grow the stuff in your garden like a vegetable, I don’t have a problem with it.
But, I don’t think registering with the government as a pot user is a really smart idea...
People are being arrested every single day because they went and gave the government all the necessary investigative information for surveillance.
Stupid is as stupid does...
How about just simply erasing all laws on marijuana at the state level and let the federal government take up the burden and costs of enforcement?
If marijuana is supposedly so safe, why does it need to be “regulated” ???
Like the people doing the bath salt thing would become “converts” to the marijuana religion?
Or maybe spray paint will be the next hot kick?
I frankly would rather have marijuana illegal than let the state become the new drug cartel through taxation and invasion of privacy.
I don’t think the states should profit from something that is federally illegal, that is racketeering.
If you want to grow the stuff in your garden like a vegetable, I don’t have a problem with it.
But, I don’t think registering with the government as a pot user is a really smart idea...
People are being arrested every single day because they went and gave the government all the necessary investigative information for surveillance.
Stupid is as stupid does...
How about just simply erasing all laws on marijuana at the state level and let the federal government take up the burden and costs of enforcement?
If marijuana is supposedly so safe, why does it need to be “regulated” ???
She is a rave party f*ck pig...
The stupid control freaks willing to trade away everyone else's freedom for a little bag of weed is pathetic.
How about simply ERASING state laws on marijuana and tossing the whole smelly pile onto the feds?
I’d rather have it illegal than allow the states to become the new drug cartels.
I do support that all businesses or public positions should be able to test and reject applicants based on their drug use.
In addition, I believe no one on any public subsidy should be permitted any drug use and should be subject to frequent testing.
Legalizing it destroys the economic incentive for drug use. Drug testing eliminates the people who know they shouldn't do it if they want to succeed at anything.
Fat chance!
I've never heard of people abusing bath salts which are Epsom salts so, what does 'bath salts' translate into drug wise? Is it like 'ice', is it another synonym for meth?
So do a lot of FReepers.
So do a lot of FReepers.
So do 56% of Americans: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2890429/posts
The War on Drugs has been going on for 41 years—can we declare victory yet?
I'd rather follow the US Constitution - but then, I'm a conservative.
I’d rather have it illegal than allow the states to become the new drug cartels.
Nonsense. Are "wet" counties "alcohol cartels"?
Richard Nixon "declared war" on both drugs and cancer in 1971. We'll ignore the fact that the "War on Drugs" most libertarians object to was actually implemented by Ronald Reagan ten years later.
Last time I checked, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in 2012, just as it was 41 years ago. Based on your logic, I'm assuming you feel that we should give up on both "wars."
It is none of the government’s business what is growing in somebody’s garden.
I never said I was a conservative, and I have been here a while.
I'm not a government suck up and I hate pot smokers.
I'm sick of the forced monopolies on any level of government.
I'd rather have the crap illegal than let state and local bureaucrats feed off it.
Why does it take 41 years to win ANY war?
If it takes 41 years, you’re just playing at it.
No matter what the subject is.
No matter what the subject is.
I'll bite: What have we been doing wrong these last 41 years in the war on cancer, and how would you win it?
You tell me. My brother died of cancer 19 years ago. and people are still dying of it.
If there was a "war on cancer" in reality, cancer would be a distant memory by now.
It must really suck being the only person in the world who lost someone close to them due to cancer.
If there was a "war on cancer" in reality, cancer would be a distant memory by now.
Interesting fantasy. Can you elaborate a bit?
Never said I was.
Interesting fantasy. Can you elaborate a bit?
Already told you my reasoning.We put a man on the moon in eight years. You think because Nixon declared a war on cancer in 1971, that a real war was prosecuted. I disagree. Care to elaborate on why you think a "war" has been waged?
Then why mention it? As I pointed out earlier, the fact that cancer remains the #2 killer means that EVERYBODY has lost someone close to them to the disease. Attemting to identify yourself with the cause is something a dopey liberal might do.
Already told you my reasoning.We put a man on the moon in eight years.
Putting a man on the moon was a simple question of physics. We already knew how we were going to put a man on the moon 20 years before we did it. You do understand this right?
You think because Nixon declared a war on cancer in 1971, that a real war was prosecuted. I disagree. Care to elaborate on why you think a "war" has been waged?
Actually, its not my job to prove that an unwinnable war, declared 41 years ago, was waged. My point was that such a war can go on indefinately. It was your job to explain how we could be waging in a war on cancer in a fashion that we might likely win. You are unable to do so, because men much smarter than you or I have been hard at work fighting the war on cancer, unsucessfully, for 41 years.
On the other hand, great advances have been made. I don't remember (and, frankly, I don't care) how long ago your brother supposedly died of cancer, but it is extremely likely that if he were diagnosed today his prognosis would be quite a bit more optimistic.
BTW, the War on Cancer was just the first example that came to mind. It took us 54 years to win the Cold War. Communism is only one form of cancer. Medical science has identified more than 200 strains that can manifest in the human body.
i have no idea what bath salts are. I hadn’t even heard of them till this Miami story broke.
I'd rather follow the US Constitution - but then, I'm a conservative.
I’d rather have it illegal than allow the states to become the new drug cartels.
Nonsense. Are "wet" counties "alcohol cartels"?
It is none of the government’s business what is growing in somebody’s garden.
Not sure how that addresses either of my points - but I agree. It is also none of the government’s business what somebody harvests from his garden and sells to somebody else.
I'd rather follow the US Constitution - but then, I'm a conservative.
I never said I was a conservative, and I have been here a while.
If you're not a conservative, why are you posting to a conservative Web site?
I'm not a government suck up and I hate pot smokers.
I don't care for tobacco smokers as a group - but as a conservative I'm against banning their drug of choice.
I'm sick of the forced monopolies on any level of government.
I'm against forced monopolies. Not sure how that's relevant to the subject at hand - if it's about licensing, that shouldn't be so onerous as to result in monopolies.
I'd rather have the crap illegal than let state and local bureaucrats feed off it.
By that logic, we should ban everything that state and local governments tax. You're certainly no conservative.
Richard Nixon "declared war" on both drugs and cancer in 1971. We'll ignore the fact that the "War on Drugs" most libertarians object to was actually implemented by Ronald Reagan ten years later.
Last time I checked, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in 2012, just as it was 41 years ago. Based on your logic, I'm assuming you feel that we should give up on both "wars."
If we'd spent the last 41 years applying exactly the same failed treatment to cancer and expecting it to start working eventually - as we've done in the War On Drugs - then I'd agree we should give up on that war on cancer.
I don’t think marijuana or tobacco consumption is any of the government’s business.
You are full of $hit...
I don’t want the government involved in the drug trade on any level.
I want the Marines in Mexico killing the narcoterrorists, not in Syria where we have no national interest.
You’re a conservative?
I am so glad I never claimed to be one!
I am against gun licensing.
I also think if you register with the government as a pot user, you shouldn't be able to get a driver's license unless you pay a hell of a lot for the insurance liability.
Stupid is as stupid does...
You are a "conservative." Yeah...
Interesting, but not relevant to our conversation. Let me help you out: Your point was that the war on cancer was bogus, because we had not been going about it the right way. My question was what would you have done differently, starting in 1971 of course, so that medical science would have eradicated cancer by now?
I agree.
I don’t want the government involved in the drug trade on any level.
You think licensing is "government involvement"? So marijuana and other legal drugs should be subject to no regulation for lack of contamination, and to no restrictions on when, where, and to whom they may be sold? Does that include the legal drugs alcohol and tobacco?
I want the Marines in Mexico killing the narcoterrorists
If it weren't for our War On Drugs, there would be no narcoterrorists - just as there are no longer alcoterrorists.
Marijuana is perfectly safe like a tomato...
Why does it need any regulation?
So guns should be subject to no regulation for safety (e.g., not blowing up in your face), and to no restrictions on when, where, and to whom they may be sold? That's the kind of licensing I'm talking about with respect to drugs.
I also think if you register with the government as a pot user
I don't think there should be any such registration, any more than anyone registers with the government as an alcohol user.
Marijuana is perfectly safe like a tomato...
Why does it need any regulation?
Tomatoes are subject to regulation for lack of contamination - do you oppose this? And it's longstanding policy that mind-altering substances (e.g., alcohol) are, irrespective of safety, subject to restrictions on when, where, and to whom they may be sold - do you oppose this?
Interesting, but not relevant to our conversation. Let me help you out: Your point was that the war on cancer was bogus, because we had not been going about it the right way.
Let me help you out: I am not exit82, and my points are not his points.
It is none of the government’s business to regulate somebody’s vegetable garden.
It is none of the government’s business to regulate somebody’s vegetable garden.
If one consumes the tomatoes one grows and doesn't sell them, one is as far as I know free to contaminate them to one's heart's content - and that's as it should be. And that should also be true of one's mind-altering produce. But there is no right to foist contamination on another person, nor to provide alcohol or other mind-altering substances, even plants, to minors.
It is none of the governments business what grows out of the earth.
If you want opium poppies in your flower bed, I don’t give a damn.
I’d rather have the crap illegal if it means some government hack is going to come and sniff around my yard because the neighbor is growing pot.
The Constitution says nothing about the consumption of alcohol, smoking or drugs.
It also says nothing about minors consuming them.
In fact, in 1776, minors consumed adult beverages and tobacco, and they even had guns.
It is none of the governments business what grows out of the earth.
If you want opium poppies in your flower bed, I don’t give a damn.
So we agree.
I’d rather have the crap illegal if it means some government hack is going to come and sniff around my yard because the neighbor is growing pot.
If it's illegal and your neighbor is growing it, you'll get plenty of government hacks coming around - and doing more than just sniffing. But my position is that the government hacks should stay away unless sale is going on.
It also says nothing about minors consuming them.
Which is why the feds should stay out of it (except perhaps for interstate commerce, where they do have Constitutional authority).
The states and local governments shouldn’t be involved either.
Princess pothead has pronounced!
” ...leave it to this dumbass to see tax revenue to pay for socialist programs in MJ legalization.”
I’d rather it was illegal than let the state governments become 50 new drug cartels.
I don’t smoke the $hit and I hate the a$$holes who do.
If they take the money completely out of it and grow it like a vegetable in the garden. I can live and let live.
I want less government, not more potheads in government.
Marijuana is perfectly safe like a tomato...
Is it safer for a man to operate heavy equipment after eating a tomato or smoking marijuana?
Stoners will tend to vote Democrat. There is no getting around this. The Democrats know that legalizing this crap will get them more votes
My point exactly... (sarcasm tag omitted)
Why should insurance companies be able to raise the auto insurance rates for everyone else to spread the risk? Because, they most certainly will...
medical marijuana card = no driver’s license
It also says nothing about minors consuming them.
Which is why the feds should stay out of it (except perhaps for interstate commerce, where they do have Constitutional authority).
The states and local governments shouldn’t be involved either.
There we must agree to disagree; I think local governments have the authority and responsibility to reasonably regulate time, place, and manner of sale for alcohol and other drugs, and their availability to minors. (But if in our vast 'laboratory of democracy' some community decided that anything goes, they should be free to take that path.)
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