Posted on 01/05/2018 7:07:23 AM PST by deplorableindc
Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson reacted angrily to President Trump's apparent abandonment of a campaign pledge to leave pot policy to the states, saying he hopes the pivot ends Trump's shot at re-election.
Johnson, who served two terms as a Republican governor of New Mexico, said the Trump administration is "grossly underestimating the anger this will create."
"I hope it dooms his re-election. Trump promised to leave marijuana to the states," Johnson told the Washington Examiner.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
The point is this is the one issue which could stir the potheads to get off the couch and go out and vote.
Gary is having his broken clock moment. This is a sleeping dog I would have left lie.
My position is a bit more “nuanced” than what I posted in a short internet post. ;)
I believe and sincerely hope that more and more millenials are seeing why its called dope, and are understanding other fundamental truths and natural laws, much against the will of their social-Marxist indoctrinators (PBS, pubic schoolteachers, college profs, musicians, actors, unions, MTV). God put the sense of truth in each of us.
I see a power struggle of epic proportions on the horizon with the feds using every tool in their arsenal to push back on states, particularly those that have shown a propensity for repeatedly snubbing the current administration's policies and federal law. When the time comes, not being bound by the previous administration's back door approach to marijuana legalization will provide the Feds a substantial tool when dealing with rogue states.
I think you would be shocked how many conservative pot heads there are. I know many. Personally I am ambivalent on the issue (I see the arguments of each side) other than I believe it is definitely a state issue.
So, did Trump promise to leave it to the States or say he believed it should be a State issue? Sessions move just says we have a law on the books and it isn't right to arbitrarily decide to not enforce it - up to the Congress to do their jobs if they are fine leaving it to the States and get rid of the Federal prohibition.....
“The fried brain contingent always votes Democrat so it will have zero impact.”
71% of voters in Florida voted in a medical marijuana program. You honestly think we were all a part of the “fried brain contingent”?
Prohibitionists in my experience are not much different than progressives.
Johnson is wrong again.
Marijuana is a dangerous and debilitating drug. The responsible action by the Trump Administration will call attention to the downside of dope.
In addition to being a gateway drug, marijuana causes permanent brain damage, reduces IQ, and increases risk of lung cancer (and other cancers). There are substantially more DUI vehicular accidents, ODs by children and animals ingesting the substance in states and jurisdictions that have legalized the drug, or have turned a blind eye to enforcing the laws on the books.
Greed, stupidity, lots and lots of money, and ignorance has led certain states to stupidly approve the use of this drug, thus compromising the health and safety of their citizens.
I know many professionals who smoke it recreationally occasionally on weekends. Their brains are not damaged. I also see a lot of people with lung cancer and COPD who die early deaths due to smoking. I also see alcoholics in liver failure who drink themselves to death.
Alcohol and cigarettes are much more damaging to ones health than marijuana, and yet they are legal.
WA state has legalized marijuana. I dont smoke. but drive past these shops on my way back and forth to work. The people who frequent these shops are clean cut, some look like soccer moms. It has not created an issue.
What I see is federal law enforcement wants MJ to be illegal, it gets them more funding to hire more police and increase their beauracracy. Jeff Sessions should focus on the meth and heroin users, instead of the MJ users. This is going to be a political bomb for Trump, he needs to get rid of Sessions.
I dont use MJ, but when my dog gets too elderly and has difficulty walking, I will try it on my dog as I have heard it helps with their mobility.
I absolutely agree. The judicial branch should enforce our laws as written. In this case, changing the federal law would allow the states to choose for themselves...just what Trump promised. Selectively enforcing laws is all about exercising power. I don’t know why people like Cory Garner don’t want to address this by introducing legislation to change the law rather than attacking Trump and Sessions (of course, I know exactly why).
I see what you're saying, I think. For consistency's sake, rather than have federal laws we don't enforce due to "policy" (ahem: immigration) we need to set a precedent that a federal law must be enforced or overturned.
Abortion is legal under the Supreme Court. Some states have laws prohibiting or restricting abortion. If you believe that Fed law supersedes state law, then you must also agree that abortion should be legal.
Or to you pick and choose which laws should be governed by the fed or states?
You must know the only way to overturn abortion is through the states?
I agree.
It is politically unwise to agitate the pot smoking community. If you do nothing, they don’t show up to the polls (in places like CO, for example), and Trump wins.
There are bigger fish to fry: Deep State. Let’s win where it counts, not deflect attention to little stuff. In a second term, go after pot like hell. Just not quite yet.
I see your point, but it's kind of the opposite thing, isn't it? For something to simply not be illegal at the federal level doesn't mean the states can't outlaw it. But for something to be illegal at the Federal level and to have the states undermining it... I mean, the whole point of something being illegal at the Federal level IS TO MAKE SURE it is illegal at the state level. I mean, there is nowhere in the US you can go where you are only under Federal law (that I know of).
To try to make an analogy, imagine you're a child and your parents say, "No soda after 8pm, bed by 9pm" and that's their regular rule. One night they leave you with the baby-sitter, and the baby-sitter decides you are too hyper, so no soda tonight at all. Now, the child can wail "Mom lets me!!" but if the baby-sitter says, "Well, not tonight," it seems a little less egregious than if she said "I don't care what your mom says, let's fire up the bong!!"
Do you see what I mean? The state can be stricter than the Fed, but it shouldn't be looser.
“As if potheads would vote conservative.”
Just about everyone who voted for Trump has a family member that uses pot. Some responsibly, some not.
And, the number of people who want strident enforcement of pot law is minuscule...for various and diverse reasons.
If The federal government states illegal immigration is illegal, does that give the states rights to execute illegals?After all, the state is being stricter than the feds using your analogy.
” I have too many examples in my family and friends that prove it. Its undeniable. Forcing it under the table is political suicide.”
The Drug Warriors here don’t care.
They would rather emote that time warp...you know, that time the cool hippy dude banged their girlfriend.
They have a visceral and irrational hatred for any and everything associated with Marijuana. In their world there can be no benefit whatsoever to this plant that God his own self gave us.
I agree with you ... I have friends who use MM just before they go to sleep so that they don’t feel the high. The ones I know don’t like that high. Anyway they swear by it. One in particular says it lowered their BP and BS to near normal. They were able to quit taking the Metformin and other medication. One said that they dropped 20 lbs in a few months because their insomnia and apnea went away. They said that they were able to get a full nights sleep in many years. Another Vietnam vet says it help tremendously with their PTSD where the “zombie” pills that the VA gave him only made him a ... well a zombie. IMO ... and I’m very conservative ... is that it IS big Pharm blocking MM and indeed Sessions looks like a stooge for them. I also agree with you that stopping MM could be a VERY bad mistake. Whether it affects the re-election or not ... I most certainly hope not BUT why is Sessions tilting at this windmill when there are so many bigger fish to fry.
You must be a senior citizen or else incredibly naive or both.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.