Donald Trump: Legalize ALL the Drugs [wayback machine]

The Daily Beast ^ | August 8, 2015 | Asawin Suebsaeng

[Cincinatus' Wife]

".....The reform-minded Trump of decades past is a far more attractive figure than his current incarnation, at least in the eyes of the pro-legalization advocates of today.

“Well, I certainly think he had it right in 1990, and what he said then actually seemed to understand the situation,” David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute, told The Daily Beast. “My sense is that looking for consistent philosophy or even policies in Donald Trump’s statements is a pretty fruitless exercise.”

Boaz also pointed out that Trump recently voiced his support for medical marijuana, and that when asked about Colorado, the 2016 GOP contender essentially said that states should be able to decide on legalizing recreational weed. “That actually puts him on the liberal wing of Republican presidential candidates in terms of drug policy,” Boaz continued.

“I’m much more surprised that [Trump] ever got it right than I am that he’s getting it wrong now,” Matt Welch, editor in chief of Reason magazine, wrote in an email. “Probably goes to show that if you spend decades just mindlessly and confidently blurting out whatever comes to mind, you’ll eventually hit on the right answer.....”

...“What I’d like to do maybe by bringing it up is cause enough controversy that you get into a dialogue on the issue of drugs so people will start to realize that this is the only answer; there is no other answer,” he said 25 years ago...

[fieldmarshaldj]

He was a rock star in 2012, the most prominent Republican in the country. He needed to step up and stop another ringer for Zero, and he’d have had the entire base behind him.

In 2012, it was not Trump’s time. Now it is, and the polling data and widespread support from the base bears that out. Walker’s candidacy now is pretty close to moribund, and he’s not coming back from that.

[Impy]

Based on FR threads at the time and the pathetic field of candidates where the best choice (not that most people here realized it) in the end was a Senator that had gotten his ass kicked badly in 2006, Trump would have had the same level of support in 2012, possibly diminished only by the fantasy that Palin was gonna run. If the “he didn’t run” argument is valid for one it is for the other AFAIC. It’s not an argument I put any stock in. It’s ALWAYS time for the most successful conservative Governor to run for President, ALWAYS, especially one that’s won thrice in a state like Wisconsin.

It’s September, this is yet the preseason, Walker seems to have been hurt by the master debate where he was seldom called on and asked a stupid abortion question when he was and constant attacks by the media who fear he would win and brake the back of big labor as President. His fortunes could easily change again. I’ll not have Fox News and pollsters make my choice for me while it’s still hot outside. I’d never back Trump over ace choices like Cruz (a close 2nd choice for me and still your first IIRC) or Walker. If it comes down to Donnie or JERB/Gay’s Itch, so be it. But I don’t concede that, before a single vote has been cast. You’ve dismissed this argument before but where was Perry polling at this time (high), where was Santorum polling (no where) Trump is made of hype, as wide as you think it is, it’s shallow.

This is early yet, we have a long way to and I refuse to believe that serious conservatives with records won’t have a horse in the race.

In any case “Walker is dead” is no valid reason to dismiss criticism of Trump any more than “It’s all over, Romney is the nominee” was any reason to dismiss criticism of Romney or “It’s Newt/Rick or Mitt!!!” was any reason to dismiss criticism of Newt/Rick.

You may trust him, the majority here may trust him, a great many do not and have plenty good reason to not if you ask me. “Woo look at his poll numbers” does nothing to allay our concerns.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I look at the field of candidates as a whole and then break them down on viability. Walker SHOULD HAVE come into this race as the top two leaders, but something just didn’t gel with him. He didn’t break out as a strong leader, despite his record in WI. Sometimes we see a candidate that possesses the right ingredients on paper but for some reason or another, they come up short. For me, Walker went flat.

Remember, I still support Cruz, but I’d have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to see Trump’s ascendence and bold, take-no-prisoners leadership. That’s been so amazingly lacking in the party for decades. If there’s no strong leadership, the rest isn’t going to matter. It’s why I’m making my conclusions at this point in time. Trump has taken this weak and corrupted party by storm (at least the base) and there’s virtually no equal to him as a Presidential candidate in decades. A lot of people don’t like that, they don’t think he’s earned it. I can understand that. But this is an outsider candidate, and the people are sick and fed up of insiders (which also shows why Dr. Carson is in second place in the polls behind Trump).

I will not go so far as to say I “trust” Trump, a fool would trust any person running for public office, but that he has become a force of nature unequaled in the modern era, and is loathed and despised by the people that have put our country in the horrible state of affairs it is in now. We’re going to need a strong, powerful, and unapologetic person occupying the White House to begin to address and roll back the terrific damage of the past 8 years (or 16+ counting Dubya’s willful ineptitude on illegals). As I said, I may not trust him, but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he can and will begin to set us back on the right course.