Posted on 01/24/2014 12:29:15 AM PST by eastforker
AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Rick Perry defended Colorado and Washington's legalization of marijuana on Thursday, saying it was an issue of state rights, while touting initiatives in Texas as national models for keeping minor drug offenders out of jail.
Perry's comments during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland echoed his past comments on drug policy, but they caused a bit of a stir because of how publicly the Republican endorsed lesser punishments for non-violent drug offenders.
(Excerpt) Read more at click2houston.com ...
I don;t think he said that states should legalize maryjane, just that they can.
I know. He spoke drug war heresy merely by saying the Tenth Amendment should prevail.
Texas, Louisiana Governors Say They’re Open To Marijuana Reform
By Nicole Flatow on January 23, 2014 at 5:10 pm
“Texas, Louisiana Governors Say They’re Open To Marijuana Reform”
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http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/01/23/3200041/texas-louisiana-governors-open-marijuana-reform/
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On Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) declared “we will end the failed drug war.”
On Wednesday, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) said he would be open to legalizing medical
marijuana if it were tightly controlled. And on Thursday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R)
hinted at support for decriminalizing marijuana in Texas.
*******
But Perry’s own words send a contradictory message about decriminalization. He said:
What I can do as the governor of the second largest state in the nation is to implement
policies that start us toward a decriminalization and keeps people from going to
prison and destroying their lives, and that’s what we’ve done over the last decade.
So I think there’s some innovation that goes on in the states that can translate
not just to Oklahoma or California or New York, but to Switzerland, to France, to
other countries that have this drug issue facing them, that there are some alternatives
without going that big full step and decriminalizing and sending a message to people
that it’s OK.
Anyone who has a drink is being immoral?
Where did I say that?
Where did St Paul say that?
Nope - “do not BE DRUNK with too much wine” is the principle.
I have a beer or some wine here and there, myself. Water to wine was Jesus’ first miracle, after all.
I agree its up to the state, but like Alcohol should it be a county by county issue as well? IE Dry counties.... Pothead free counties?
I don’t care if colorado and washington have decided to be pot destinations they always were anyway, let them deal with the social aspects that these decisions will bring.. but I suspect thats not what will happen, when the costs show up they’ll ask the fed to foot the bill.
You are correct.
He was saying ‘decriminalize’ which is different than legalizing.
He was referring to making it an offense that did not usually result in criminal charges and a criminal record.
He did not argue for legalization.
The moral aspect comes in when you purposefully alter your state of mind with it.
Most people I know drink wine or beer to purposefully alter their states of mind.
We all make our own choices...
Now, was that statement supposed to somehow refute mine?
I thought this thread was about marijuana . . .
“He did not argue for legalization.”
No he didn’t, but he argued that states have the right to do so.
Prohibitionists realized that the federal government had no Constitution authority to ban intoxicants. They got off their asses and amended the Constitution. In this respect, drug warriors are a lazy as liberals.
“In this respect, drug warriors are a lazy as liberals.”
I suppose you mean “political drug warriors,” correct, as my son, a Border Patrol Agent is hardly lazy and has been injured on the line fighting cartel drug smugglers.
Yeah. The ones who want the feds to fight the drug war when there is no Constitutional authority for them to do so, and they are too @#$%^ing lazy to amend the Constitution. They’d rather violate the Constitution.
Perry wants to mandate it for all little girls probably too
Keep it illegal
Perry also said abortion is a states’ rights issue. But that’s the common conservative opinion, I’m sure. /s
Abortion is. And Perry deems that a states’ rights issue also.
When I was in college 6 or 7 thousand years ago (or so it seems), I had a few occasions to sample the burning of opium. Likewise, I had more than a few occasions to smoke marijuana.
If the effect of MJ was anything like that of opium, I’d be agreeing with your post.
As it stands, not at all. Any comparison of those on pot and those on opium will make the pot smokers appear to be Type A high achievers in contrast.
Most people I know drink wine or beer to purposefully alter their states of mind.
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Whether that is their intent or not, that is what happens.
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