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Why I Support Legal Marijuana (George Soros)
WSJ ^ | October 26, 2010 | George Soros

Posted on 10/26/2010 6:28:08 PM PDT by prairiebreeze

Our marijuana laws are clearly doing more harm than good. The criminalization of marijuana did not prevent marijuana from becoming the most widely used illegal substance in the United States and many other countries. But it did result in extensive costs and negative consequences.

Law enforcement agencies today spend many billions of taxpayer dollars annually trying to enforce this unenforceable prohibition. The roughly 750,000 arrests they make each year for possession of small amounts of marijuana represent more than 40% of all drug arrests.

Regulating and taxing marijuana would simultaneously save taxpayers billions of dollars in enforcement and incarceration costs, while providing many billions of dollars in revenue annually. It also would reduce the crime, violence and corruption associated with drug markets, and the violations of civil liberties and human rights that occur when large numbers of otherwise law-abiding citizens are subject to arrest. Police could focus on serious crime instead.

The racial inequities that are part and parcel of marijuana enforcement policies cannot be ignored. African-Americans are no more likely than other Americans to use marijuana but they are three, five or even 10 times more likely—depending on the city—to be arrested for possessing marijuana. I agree with Alice Huffman, president of the California NAACP, when she says that being caught up in the criminal justice system does more harm to young people than marijuana itself. Giving millions of young Americans a permanent drug arrest record that may follow them for life serves no one's interests.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: california; conflictswithsb1070; drugs; georgesoros; helmetlaws; libertarians; marijuana; medicalmarijuana; prop19; soros; spookydude
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To: prairiebreeze
Who cares? Soros ALSO thinks heroin should be legal - HOW MANY FREEPERS agree with THAT? NOT ME. NOT many...
61 posted on 10/26/2010 7:11:09 PM PDT by GOPJ ('Power abdicates only under the stress of counter-power." Martin Buber /a Tea-nami's coming..)
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To: prairiebreeze

“Our” laws?? Is Soros even an American citizen??


62 posted on 10/26/2010 7:12:47 PM PDT by Bean Counter
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To: prairiebreeze

I don’t give a flying freep what George Soros thinks! The man should be hung for treason.


63 posted on 10/26/2010 7:14:48 PM PDT by cblue55 (Envisioning when all that is left is the right.)
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To: brytlea

The legalization argument can go nowhere until some honesty is brought into it.

For instance the fantasy that it will create all this new tax revenue. That’s a joke because there are already unions getting involved who will immediately soak up any potential tax revenue. There will be a whole range of new laws that will arise to deal with marijuana which will be the true source of revenue. The prices will be driven so high that people will immediately return to illegal sources.

Better to keep it illegal for all but legitimate medical uses and lessen the penalties for possesion. A $50 ticket is far more reasonable than court dates and possible jail sentence.


64 posted on 10/26/2010 7:18:28 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: brytlea

I believe if you checked jails as opposed to prisons (for felonies) my statement is quite accurate.


65 posted on 10/26/2010 7:19:18 PM PDT by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: Ouderkirk
Well we know who will be the #1 customers of POT. Idiot college students.

It would be quit an experience standing in a voting booth next to a pothead.

Giggling and mumbling yeah dude!

66 posted on 10/26/2010 7:21:27 PM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
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To: prairiebreeze

The ones who love their drugs would, that’s about it IMO.


67 posted on 10/26/2010 7:22:17 PM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Tea Roll; KoRn; Nachum; prairiebreeze

du i smellz ozone? wHerez my horny helmet wif de "IBTZ" sticker?...?

68 posted on 10/26/2010 7:24:20 PM PDT by TXnMA (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! REPEAT San Jacinto!!)
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To: cripplecreek
A $50 ticket is far more reasonable than court dates and possible jail sentence.

Why would you support that? It's the worst of both worlds - de facto legalization because the penalty is so insignificant (and, thus, people will have no real incentive to avoid it) and yet it will be a way for wasteful Big Government to feed itself. That way you'll get more pot smokers AND more government. At least choose one way or the other.
69 posted on 10/26/2010 7:25:41 PM PDT by fr_freak
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To: BiggieLittle

Bill Bennett acknowledged his gambling problem. It has nothing to do with the discussion regarding the legalization of marijuana.

If I had been for it, just knowing Soros was for it would make me reconsider. It’s like having Satan say he’s FOR it. That’s a red flag if ever there was one.


70 posted on 10/26/2010 7:27:29 PM PDT by Paved Paradise
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To: savagesusie

We already have too many drunk drivers on the road, its real smart to add a bunch of stoned out pot smokers driving around also, like hey man, its cool....what is wrong with some of you people....


71 posted on 10/26/2010 7:27:46 PM PDT by goat granny
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To: Outlaw Woman

LOL! You couldn’t find stuff on Soros? Okay, I’ll give you a tip. Go to Horowitz’ site.

He’s got lots of great stuff on him and others too.

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/


72 posted on 10/26/2010 7:29:37 PM PDT by Paved Paradise
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To: fr_freak

OK fine, prison for all. Better?


73 posted on 10/26/2010 7:30:09 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: Paved Paradise

Like anything.. too much is bad

In moderation it is not bad

Even pennicillin can kill you if you take too much

Small amounts of pot increase your creativity, fix your eyesight, cure nausea, stop hair loss.

TOO MUCH makes you paranoid and a nut case.(I know about that too)

If it was legal, though, I think people would stick with it more than go on to harder and illegal things

This is just my opinion, I respect yours as equaly valid


74 posted on 10/26/2010 7:30:21 PM PDT by Mr. K (All our candidates suck! The media SAYS SO!!)
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To: mnehring

Interesting reading, thanks for the link. If you poke around on there it also shows that he’s been heavily funding legalization of drugs since the early 90’s.


75 posted on 10/26/2010 7:30:28 PM PDT by Outlaw Woman (If you try to remove the 1st Amendment, we'll just have to move on to the next Amendment)
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To: cripplecreek
OK fine, prison for all. Better?

Actually, yeah. I don't agree with that, but at least it is a solid position.
76 posted on 10/26/2010 7:31:27 PM PDT by fr_freak
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To: SuziQ

Let them chew qat.


77 posted on 10/26/2010 7:32:39 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto.)
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To: goat granny
We already have too many drunk drivers on the road, its real smart to add a bunch of stoned out pot smokers driving around also, like hey man, its cool.

That's why claiming there will be less laws is bull crap. Alcohol is legal and there are plenty of people in prison for drunk driving. I managed to get off light with 6 months in jail and then I quit drinking.
78 posted on 10/26/2010 7:32:47 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
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To: prairiebreeze

I would not even listen to someone that thinks his is G-D.

Soros: “I Fancied Myself As Some Kind Of God.” “A passage in his book The Alchemy of Finance, published in 1987, distinguishes Soros from all other financiers, ever. ‘I have always harboured an exaggerated view of my self-importance,’ he wrote. ‘To put it bluntly, I fancied myself as some kind of god or an economic reformer like Keynes, or, even better, like Einstein. My sense of reality was strong enough to make me realise that these expectations were excessive, and I kept them hidden as a guilty secret. This was a source of considerable unhappiness through much of my adult life. As I made my way in the world, reality came close enough to my fantasy to allow me to admit my secret, at least to myself. Needless to say, I feel much happier as a result.’” (Stephen Fay, “Profile: George Soros: God Of All He Surveys,” The Independent [London], 5/17/98)


79 posted on 10/26/2010 7:33:28 PM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
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To: qwertypie

I’ve heard the same. I think it’s wise to listen to the people on the front lines of rehab so when they say it’s a serious problem, I believe them.

There is a huge difference b/t alcohol and pot anyway. A person can drink a beer or two/glass of wine or two with dinner as a way to enjoy the meal. Pot is smoked ONLY for one reason - and that is to get high. And wine actually does have some benefits to it. No benefits from pot, except perhaps some cases where it supposedly helps with nausea and I’ve heard even that is exaggerated.

My mother was prescribed the stuff IN pot when she went through chemo. She didn’t like it. So, there’s no reason for the pot itself if they can do that. It’s just a lame excuse.

Meanwhile, do you want to be the guy working with the poor soul who has medicinal pot prescribed for him? Not me. Sheesh.


80 posted on 10/26/2010 7:33:59 PM PDT by Paved Paradise
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