Posted on 08/31/2017 9:29:54 AM PDT by Kaslin
I’m no saint, nor have I ever professed to be. There are too many people currently living who could give testimony to the contrary should I ever decide to, so I won’t here. With that out of the way (it’ll make more sense later in the piece), there is an area on the issue of this country’s drug laws where Republicans could both do the right thing and win some support.
Let’s be honest: there isn’t much to vote for in the in 2018 midterm elections.
For Democrats it’s all about not being Donald Trump. They aren’t offering up much, just that they won’t be Trump. No one would have suspected them of being remotely Trump, so this isn’t exactly an inspiring message. It’s kind of like running on ensuring the sun will continue to rise in the east every morning. Yeah, sure, but that was always going to happen.
For congressional Republicans, it’s also about not being Donald Trump, though to a lesser degree. Having watched these clowns fumble their 7-year promise to repeal Obamacare and cower in fear of the liberal media, no thinking person was going to confuse them with the president in the first place, so they need a little more than not being Trump to run on next year.
Since big-ticket items appear to be off the list of possibilities, that leaves smaller, but more personal accomplishments available to validate them retaining their jobs.
Luckily for Republicans there are a number of principled stances they could take, and pass legislation on, that would help them make the case that, until they reach some sort of miraculous consensus on, they deserve reelection.
I’ve been writing about them lately, and will continue to do so, because smaller but important accomplishments are at least steps in the right direction.
One of those “baby steps” that the GOP could move on is medical marijuana.
I’m not a huge fan of legalizing pot for fun. I’d be happy to have that conversation once they develop a reliable test to see if someone driving a car is high at that moment or was just high the night before. Only the former should be a serious crime.
I also think if you’re going to smoke pot for recreation in your wayward youth (remember the opening paragraph), you should be required to think about the consequences of that action and the possible ramifications of that choice. (Plus, why should younger generations have it any easier than I did? Just kidding…mostly.)
That said, when it comes to people who are seriously ill, all bets are off. Companies should be free to research the benefits of marijuana without fear of the feds shutting them down, and sick individuals should be able to manage their disease in whatever way makes their lives better.
Moreover, the idea of medical marijuana should be a state issue. States should be free to choose if they want to allow it. The closer the level of government is to the people the more responsive it is to the people.
The current debate is being played out in the appropriations process with 29 states and DC having medical marijuana laws and relying on the federal government not going after them. Since 2014, Congress has blocked prosecution of states allowing medical marijuana by the Department of Justice. The Senate voice voted an amendment by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and is pushing for the House to do the same.
The end of year appropriations bills are likely to determine the fate of medical marijuana prosecutions and whether a new war on drugs is fought by Attorney General Jeff Sessions against states allowing it.
As you might imagine, this idea isn’t wildly popular among some Republicans, but it is firmly rooted in the Constitution.
The 10th Amendment reads, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” That concept that states have rights and the federal government’s power is limited by our charter document has been ignored by Democrats and the federal government for decades, mostly because feckless Republicans are awful at explaining it as a concept or they don’t really believe it. This gives them a chance to allow people to see it in action, and us a chance to see which GOP members don’t really believe in it. It’s a win-win.
Republicans tried to “free the states” approach with Obamacare, but health insurance is a different creature altogether. People are confused by it, afraid of it, and would prefer someone else make that decision for them. On medical marijuana, it’s a no-brainer. It has wide popular support and even President Donald Trump, himself a teetotaler, spoke out forcefully in support of it on the campaign trail.
And you never know, once people try a little federalism strange things could happen. They might like it, and they might get other ideas. It could, dare I say, be a gateway concept.
Congress will be justifiably scorned as a pathetic bunch of losers if this is the best they can do before the 2018 mid-terms.
After reading columns like this, it's starting to become more clear to me why Steve Bannon left the White House. He didn't do it because he thought he could have more influence over White House policy decisions from the outside. He did it because he's going to be spending the next 12+ months exposing Congress as the useless, ineffective @ssholes they are.
Only if they want to continue deceiving people. "Medical" marijuana was never about sick people. It was never about helping people. It was never about compassion. It was all about making pot socially acceptable to pave the way for it's legalization everywhere. It was all about removing the social stigma of getting stoned. Anyone who advocates "medical" marijuana is either knowingly or unknowingly carrying the water of hardcore leftists who want to destroy America.
Why should it be “legalized” when under the current system users of pot will be paid for by non-users.
Rome is Burning, and this jamoke just wants to make the smoke a little more fun.
Conservatives are supposed to believe in all 10 of the Bill of Rights, including that pesky 10th.
L
If pot is declared to be a medication, will I be able to get a one month supply from the Wal Mart pharmacy for $10?
If the GOP couldn't deal with that "pesky 10th" to get rid of ObamaCare, then who the f#%& cares if they use it to legalize medical marijuana?
As a medical marijuana patient here in Florida I think this is a great idea!
More constitutional freedom is always better than less.
Oh goody more crap from another hack
Derek Hunter is Washington, DC based writer, radio host and political strategist. He has previously worked for several prominent conservative non-profits as an analyst in health, education, technology and judicial policies, as well as a press secretary in the US Senate.
Yes, the REPUBLICAN CONGRESS is as bad as any national institution has ever been.
These guys are lower than whale sh!t.
However, it’s going to be a lot of fun watching these worthless turds toward the end of this month as the debt limit approaches and Trump refuses to sign a CR in lieu of a real budget that funds his priorities.
They’re gonna need Medical pot when it’s over. Hell, WE may need it too.
“Anyone who advocates “medical” marijuana is either knowingly or unknowingly carrying the water of hardcore leftists who want to destroy America. “
I’ll go you one better: I advocate total legalization.
I am not now, nor have I ever been a leftist. I am a decorated and disabled vet, honorably discharged. I place my very first vote for Ronald Reagan in the 1976 CA primary over Ford. I have voted Republican in every 2 year election since. I have contributed MONEY and TIME to the Conservative cause and have done so for over 40 years.
And I advocate for the total legalization of pot.
You would be in category 2...
Only in your world, which is a small world indeed.
“... It was all about removing the social stigma of getting stoned....”
In your entire post replace the words ‘pot/mj’ with the words ‘alcohol/booze’; then replace ‘stoned’ with ‘drunk’, and tell me why alcohol is ok, but pot is not.
And fwiw, I seldom drink, and have no interest is smoking anything.
“Anyone who advocates “medical” marijuana is either knowingly or unknowingly carrying the water of hardcore leftists who want to destroy America. “
As a medical marijuana patient in Florida who no longer suffers from chronic depression & horrible anxiety because I use cannabis as medicine I disagree 100%.
I abhor leftism. I abhor the nanny-state. I am thankful to God in Heaven that President Trump is in the WH vs Cankles. I am the proud parent of a Air Force vet. I love America, the Constitution with Liberty & Freedom for all.
I am also thankful to God in Heaven for cannabis as it’s allowed me to be happy after decades of sorrow, depression & crushing anxiety.
GOPe = the enemy = DNCe
Who are they trying to trick into voting for a RINO with this diversion?
Stop your bitching
Stop your bitching
Oh I forgot Blah, blah, blah
Everything legal has no social stigma?
Anyone who advocates "medical" marijuana is either knowingly or unknowingly carrying the water of hardcore leftists who want to destroy America.
Legal alcohol hasn't destroyed America - legalizing the less addictive drug marijuana won't either.
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