Pat Robertson Backs Legalizing Marijuana

Clem Britt/AP ^ | Jesse McKinley

[AnTiw1]

Of the many roles Pat Robertson has assumed over his five-decade-long career as an evangelical leader - including presidential candidate and provocative voice of the right wing - his newest guise may perhaps surprise his followers the most: marijuana legalization advocate.

"I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol," Mr. Robertson said in an interview on Wednesday. "I've never used marijuana and I don't intend to, but it's just one of those things that I think: this war on drugs just hasn't succeeded."

[AnTiw1]

Mr. Robertson's remarks echoed statements he made last week on "The 700 Club," the signature program of his Christian Broadcasting Network, and other comments he made in 2010. While those earlier remarks were largely dismissed by his followers, Mr. Robertson has now apparently fully embraced the idea of legalizing marijuana, arguing that it is a way to bring down soaring rates of incarceration and reduce the social and financial costs.

"I believe in working with the hearts of people, and not locking them up," he said.

[Vaquero]

WOW....another Paul-sey druggy.

[6ppc]

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I would do the same thing. It used to be legal. It is a waste of time and resources to put teens or adults in jail. If they want to be idiots, I don’t care.

[backwoods-engineer]

It’s a surprise, but Mr. Robertson is right, and I agree with him. We’ve got bigger problems than pot dealers right now. The FedGov would get far more revenue, and far less criminal activity, if they would just put marijuana enforcement under the BATFE, and legalize the drug. Tax the living snot out of it — like maybe 10x the taxes on tobacco — but not so much that the stoners can’t buy it.

[dfwgator]

I’ve never smoked marijuana, nor do I plan to, but I agree that it should be legalized and treated like alcohol....Do we ban alcohol just because some people can’t handle it? I would also however, allow employers to test for it and they should have the right to fire or not to hire those who do use.

[MNDude]

I’m starting to agree with the idea. If it were taxed, for once liberals would be getting the tax increase.

[Harlan1196]

The war on drugs is an bottomless money pit that I am tired of seeing my tax money shoveled into.

[AnTiw1]

Job 12:12 Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.

Psalm 37:30 The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.

Psalm 107:43 Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.

[Thorliveshere]

I would do the same thing. It used to be legal. It is a waste of time and resources to put teens or adults in jail. If they want to be idiots, I don’t care.

I am not for legalizing, but I agree, this is not the answer, to lock up users. The laws need to be reformed.

[dfwgator]

Well if you think there’s a war on drugs now...just wait until the government has a skin in the game.

[ejonesie22]

Oh here we go, all the Ron Paul pro pot guys are on the way.

[ctdonath2]

No, another anti-drug citizen who realizes the war on drugs is far more damaging to non-users than users & suppliers. The war on drugs is lost; stop with the prolific collateral damage already.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

WOW....another Paul-sey druggy.

Yep, he's been in deep cover for the past several decades.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

The FR Drug Warriors have said so many clinically insane things that even the wildest sarcasm can be mistaken for a sincere utterance.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

Oh here we go, all the Ron Paul pro pot guys are on the way.

Is Pat Robertson a Ron Paul pro pot guy?

[kempo]

Just decriminalize it. If someone wants to grow it next to his/her tomatoes so be it. It would completely take the money out of it thus the violence that goes along with the current situation. The dope dealers wouldn't be able to give their dope away because it would be worth hardly nothing.

[ctdonath2]

Not pro-pot. Pro-rights, anti-excessive-taxation. Don’t like the consequences of legalization, but the consequences of prohibition are much worse. Dopers still have no trouble getting dope, but I have to be treated “guilty until proven innocent” in a host of non-dope-related normal activities (transferring nontrivial cash, buying Sudafed, etc), I have to pay high taxes for the ineffectual cause of dope prohibition, and innocent lives are destroyed by the inevitable mistakes & collateral damage of stopping those who won’t be stopped.

If dope prohibition worked, great do it. But it doesn’t, and allowance is not as bad as prohibition.

Sometimes ya gotta pick the lesser of two evils. Choosing the greater evil because the lesser evil is evil is stupid.

[gdani]

Oh here we go, all the Ron Paul pro pot guys are on the way

Given a choice, I'll side with them over so-called "conservatives" who gladly advocate the Government telling people, under threat of force, what they cannot put into their bodies.

[Wagonboy]

The wars on murder, rape, burglary, prostitution, speeding, white collar crimes, illegal aliens, arson and poverty haven't worked either. Which ones should we repeal under the same “it hasn't worked logic”?
Go spend an afternoon in a rehab center or primi ward at a hospital and tell me we should legalize this sh*t. Spend a few weekend nights with an EMT crew responding to O.D.s, car crashes and the families affected by someone else’s idea of a good time and tell me we ought to encourage more of this sh*t in our communities and easier for our youth to access.
Build more prisons and up the punishments and costs to dealers and users. -Wb