Why Obama Really Might Decriminalize Marijuana

www.esquire.com ^ | December 23, 2008 | John H. Richardson

[kennedy]

Famously, Franklin Delano Roosevelt saved the United States banking system during the first seven days of his first term.

And what did he do on the eighth day? "I think this would be a good time for beer," he said.

Congress had already repealed Prohibition, pending ratification from the states. But the people needed a lift, and legalizing beer would create a million jobs. And lo, booze was back. Two days after the bill passed, Milwaukee brewers hired six hundred people and paid their first $10 million in taxes. Soon the auto industry was tooling up the first $12 million worth of delivery trucks, and brewers were pouring tens of millions into new plants.

"Roosevelt's move to legalize beer had the effect he intended," says Adam Cohen, author of Nothing To Fear, a thrilling new history of FDR's first hundred days. "It was, one journalist observed, 'like a stick of dynamite into a log jam.'"

[kennedy]

FDR was elected in 1932 and took office in 1933. After six years of trying to tax and spend the economy into recovery, the Great Depression did not bottom out until 1939.

It was WWII that finally ended the Great Depression, not The New Deal, the Second New Deal or beer.

[Military family member]

Yes but beer made it easier to swallow!

[Dr. Thorne]

Why Obama Really Might Decriminalize Marijuana

Because he's a stoner?

[ClearCase_guy]

“Maaaaaaan. Dude on TV was sayin’ th’economy gonna get worse. Man, that’s a bummer. I mean — wha? Did you say sumthin’? Oh! Check it out, dude! This tune is unreal!! Anyway. I don’t see why peoples is all panicky. And stuff.”

[bassmaner]

It's very unlikely that Hussein will move to decrim MJ, as such a move would lessen fedgov power (anathema to a socialist like him). Besides, SloJoe is a stauch Drug Warrior type.

If anything, look for the War on Pot to become even more intrusive than it already is.

[MovementConservative]

Why Obama Really Might Decriminalize Marijuana?
Because he's a stoner?

That would be the best thing that could happen. If he does that, I'll put up a full sized Obama poster on my wall in the garage. I still wont smoke, but finally someone would make sense.

[nufsed]

He has to get some of it right.

[KoRn]

I hope he does Decriminalize Marijuana. It would be one of the few sensible things he will do.

[WayneS]

That’ true.

The Obamessiah is going to be needing a steady supply and what better way for the new “Chancellor” to get it than through siezure via Federal Agency (or, more accurately, Ministry).

[LuxMaker]

This thread deserves this pic:

[Tzimisce]

...I don’t see it happening.

[Tzimisce]

...so that we can all stomach his economic plans?

[pepperhead]

Decriminalize marijuana is never going to happen. There is too many people that make their living fighting the drug war.

[vietvet67]

[A_perfect_lady]

I agree. Maybe then I could quit drinking. ;^)

[Kukai]

[RKV]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[allmendream]

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”
Ben Franklin

[theDentist]

Out of curiosity, were it to be decriminalized, which companies would be “ready to roll” immediately and capture the market?

[kennedy]