Former DEA heads urge Holder to speak out against pot ballots
Nine former heads of the Drug Enforcement Administration urged Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday to take a stand against possible legalization of recreational marijuana in three western states, saying silence would convey acceptance.
All nine spent their time on the public dole working to make drugs profitable to criminals at great cost to the people. They not only built the black market narcotics business into a massive world-wide industry, they also built the DEA into a $2.4 billion agency with office all over the world.
Legalization? Yeah, that’s like telling oil executives you’ve come up with an alternative fuel.
Naturally, perennial prohibition prop Kevin Sabet is called upon to add his completely useless 2 cents to the article.
[Source of the title euphemism.]
These 9 are the lowest of lows there nothing but the BED Bug of society. There collectively have ruined million of lives and are responsible thousands of deaths
“dangerous initiatives“…
… really? Is that like “evil drugs” I wonder?
When our gov’t “leaders“ (past or present) say that we the people petitioning our government is dangerous… now that’s dangerous.
I think the ‘dangerous initiatives’ reference is to their potential for revealing the DEA as a visibly obsolete bureaucracy once these initiatives pass.
If I were running a Cartel, I would feel very secure in knowing the fact that the DEA was supporting my profit margins. This looks more like partners in crime to me.
Pete, your jerkishness and name calling to Kevin is inappropriate.I don’t like his policies but lay off the personal attacks.
Roh?
Kev-Kev deserves what, praise? As a prohibitionist sycophant perhaps? Or as a Cartel subsidy supporter?
Do tell…
All things are known by their names, Fact Based. Some fact based names for Kevie would be: Liar, mendicant, prevaricator, dissimulator, fabulist, scoundrel, swindler, and equivocator. None of them would constitute an ad hominem attack, since all are provably accurate. Yet in reading Pete’s post above, I failed to note where he called Kevie a name. So here I thought I could fill the missing piece. Kevin Sabet Is a Liar and a doody head.
I don’t think the comment “useless 2 cents” was being applied as a personal assault. I think he was referring to the opinions and misinformation from a stated source. A stated source that is certainly not fact based.
Anonymous defenders of a completely fanatical drug warrior on a drug policy reform blog…I don’t think so. Hi, Kevin.
False concern trolls are a dime a dozen.
Kevin Sabet, the only person in the whole world who actually wants to be the Director of the ONDCP and has been working at it his whole life.
*whine* That’s so cruel! No one in their right mind would want that job as it is unless they were a social policy authoritarian, an empathy lacking control freak with delusions of grandeur, and a greedy opportunistic boob! Stop being so mean to him! *whine*
Wow, 0 and 28. I think that certifies that “‘Fact’ Based” is not a false concern troll, but a sycophant’s sycophant. That’s no small feat.
This should be of serious concern to us and drug policy groups should issue strong statements condemning these efforts to subvert the will of the voters. Holder’s statement 2 years ago may have turned the tide against Prop 19 and at the very least likely shifted the polling.
Sabet’s point is also ridiculous that there would be “no legalization”. Have you looked at the medical marijuana landscape, Kevin? The fascists in the DEA can enforce the law as “vigorously” as they want and they still don’t have the manpower to send 20 of their high school dropouts to shut down every marijuana dispensary. We’ll see the same thing with full legalization.
This is an attempt to get the US Federal Government to involve themselves in States politics in the hope of changing the outcome of the vote.
Its an absolutely totalitarian concept to introduce interference, manipulation and control from a Federal level over their desired outcome into the State voting processes.
Are they Americans?
NO….They are liberals of far left La La Land.
Not familiar with reality are ya?
They’ve been doing that in every State where a MMJ legalization measure was put forward, the drug czar (McCaffrey was arguably the worst of the lot in this respect) went to those States and campaigned against those measures every chance he got. It is completely unconstitutional (therefore illegal, so why is he not in jail?) for any federal government employee to get involved in State or local elections whether arguing pro or con.
Well, there is some credit that needs to be given. These past drug Czars take the mandates of their office seriously. Whatever it takes. Apparently it doesn’t matter that they are retired. I’m sure we all will agree that the fact that they have all wormed their ways into the drug enforcement industry has nothing whatsoever to do with it. /snark/snark/snarky snarky snark snark…..uh…winky-face.
(sorry I’m stoned)
I’ve never been sorry for being stoned. Well I told a judge once that I was, but I lied.
*gasp*
Remember the world-famous “Three Tenors”? Say hello to “The Nine Failures”. They sang off-key for years, false (as in lies) notes galore, but because they played to a very small audience of equally tone- (and reason-)deaf horrible music fans, they were able to maintain themselves for decades in very comfortable – albeit, wholly unnecessary – positions at the Federal sow’s teats. As the people of my father’s generation used to say (sneeringly) “Nice work if you can get it.”
But music tastes change, and there never really was a market for such sour tunes. Over half the country says it wants a new style: legalization. And that means that, for the gang that couldn’t get anything straight, not even their lies, the gravy train stops, the meal ticket doesn’t get punched and there’s no villa in the Hampshires for them come retirement.
And they think that by singing their false notes (lies) even louder, they’ll garner the necessary public support? When that public that wants legalization knows they can’t sing worth a damn?
It’s sad, it really is, to watch them publicly embarrass themselves. They should toddle off and enjoy what they have gained with their support of the morally unsupportable and defense of the Constitutionally indefensible while they can…before the DrugWar Victims Tribunals begin
I almost feel sorry for these guys. Cannabis re-legalization is coming to this country in the near future. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. When that day finally arrives, the very fact that cannabis enthusiasts are exercising their rights openly and without fear of government persecution will operate as an implicit rebuke to all the years the drug warriors spent terrorizing and caging them. It will suggest to the drug warriors that their life’s work work was not merely a misguided waste of time, but a barbaric injustice — which it of course was. I imagine their emotions will be somewhat similar to those of former slave owners in the post-Civil War era encountering their former slaves now living as free citizens. Is it any wonder they want to put that day off as long as possible?
How can they paint themselves as doing they’re patriotic duty serving as admin of a terrorist police force and then call for federal pressure to influence a legal vote by American citizens,,they just unwrapped the flag they have worn as a cape for years are now trying to walk on it,,they are their own worst enemies.
I agree !! The moment is finally upon us !!
‘”To continue to remain silent conveys to the American public and the global community a tacit acceptance of these dangerous initiatives,’ said a copy of the letter obtained by Reuters.â€
The three allegedly dangerous initiatives are democracy in action. To oppose such a democratic activity in order to continue to create victims where no victims existed before, and particularly when the intent of the democratic action is to reduce harm and tyranny, is itself an act of tyranny. This is what is really conveyed to the American public.
This is what really needs to be conveyed to the American public.
Unless whacked over the heads – the public is hardly guilty of being collectively perceptive – such overt obviousness could (and prolly would) go unnoticed.
Of course… in the docufilm I Am ( http://www.iamthedoc.com/ ) the point is made that animals in herds and flocks do a group think on decision making. When the 51st % is reached the decision is made… and off they go. Here’s hoping we have enough connection left to our base group instincts.
Which is exactly why Jefferson and other Founders railed against democracy. Jefferson’s most famous quote on the subject of democracy:
“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule,where fifty-one percent of the people may vote to take away the rights of the other forty-nine.”
One of the commenters on this quote wrote:
“This is absolutely true. Unfortunately, people today believe the founding fathers brought a democracy to this new nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was originally created as a Constitutional Republic with a constitution made to restrict what the government could do and empower the States and the People – not the other way around. This was such an important idea that it was not only implicit in the body of the work itself but brought forth, once again, in the form of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. The fathers of yesterday wouldn’t recognize this country at all.”
“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” (Winston Churchill, from a House of Commons speech on Nov. 11, 1947).
From Ronald Hilton ‘The timing of this famous remark is significant. Churchill won the war, but in the election of July 1945, he was defeated. At the time I thought the public showed gross ingratitude, but I am willing to accept the interpretation that Churchill was not the man to organize the peace.
When the news came out, Churchill was taking a bath (was there ever a statesman who spent more time in the bath?) He remarked “They have a perfect right to kick me out. That is democracy”. When he was offered the Order of the Garter, he asked “Why should I accept the Order of the Garter, when the British people have just given me the Order of the Boot?”.
He returned to power in 1951. The remark about democracy was made when he had lost power and had every reason to be bitter. Fortunately he kept his sense of humor even in the most trying circumstances.’
Here’s a working link for Ronald Hilton:
http://wais.stanford.edu/Democracy/democracy_DemocracyAndChurchill(090503).htm
“I know that most men, including those at ease with
problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.” -Tolstoy
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I’ve noted very little, if any discussion about the veto referendum on Montana’s ballot this coming election day. The voters of Montana will be deciding the fate of last year’s de facto repeal of that State’s medicinal cannabis patient protection law. I certainly would enjoy watching the voters kick Senator Essman and his henchmen to the curb like the voters of Oregon and Arizona did to their respective legislatures in 1998.
OH…..ME TOO !!!
I will be voting to do just that in November, Duncan. Right know we are just pissing on the curb…
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I’m glad to hear that someone in Montana is aware of that veto referendum. I’ll admit that I’m not very hopeful. It appears from the east coast that the Montana medicinal cannabis law reform advocates have been emasculated by the State and Federal governments. Shit, they even killed Richard Flor, albeit using neglect as the murder weapon.
I hope that there’s some Montanans that will remind their fellow residents that Essman & Brady used bald faced lies to get that stinkin’ law passed. In particular they swore that youth use had skyrocketed between 2009 and 2011 going as far as trotting out a teenage trollop who claimed she sold her body to get “medical” merrywanna. A month after the law passed the 2011 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey demonstrated that the anti-medicinal cannabis patient protection assholes were just a pack of bald faced liars, with youth use falling 2% between 2009 and 2011. Not just those 2 years either, youth use fell 4% between 1999 and 2011. How in the world do people let these bald faced liars act as if they’re on the moral high road?
I don’t know how they keep getting away with it, but they’ve been getting away with it for a very, very long time. It has something to do with money, it looks like.
Paul ryan stated in a speech today that states should have the right to setup and administer medical marijuana, and that the federal government should stay out of the way and accept the states decision…..A step in the right direction ? I hope so !….In any case you have to hand it to the Republicans for attempting to grab that whole voting block that Obama has disenfranchised with his lies and subsequent escalation of the “War on American Citizens”.
I hope they caught his fingers crossed behind his back because his pandering is making me sick,,,and I hope no one believed him.
That is 180 degrees from what Romney thinks, and Clay is probably correct that Ryan doesn’t actually believe that, that he is just pandering.
Just forget the GOP, they’ll always try to take freedom rather than protect it. Donate to Gary Johnson, choose him polls when you are able, and whatever else you do, VOTE for him.
But, but, until Romney selected him for his VP he claimed to be a ‘die hard’ Libertarian, and Ayn Rand Devotee = until someone told him she was pro-choice in the (60 or 70’s = IDK, I’ve seen the old talk shows can’t recall if they were all black and white or some were in color?)
He’s caught a serious case of “Flip-Flopper’s Syndrome from Mitt – victims present w/ signs of “Fiscal-Conservative”, Claim to be “Strict Constitutionalists”, & mixed signs of what is called “Social-Conserv-Authoritarianism” (a tentative term = used due to a lack of know wtf goes thru their heads) – scientists haven’t been able to study these folks in depth as they don’t believe in science = and avoid it like the black plague if they sense it may threaten to introduce cognitive dissonance into their already cluttered minds.
In the most recent legislative session, Paul Ryan voted against the Rohrabacher-Hinchey-Mcclintock-Farr Amendment.
Actions speak louder than words.
Dude, you are guys are so angry at Kevin but you should direct your ire at DEA. you’re such little children sometimes
Yeah.. I think most have enough emotional capacity to be angry at both and a whole lot more.
And despite everything also be hopeful.
have we on the couch been lacking? if so I think darkcycle has a tote over next to the couch marked DEA ire. Just in case any of us – miraculously, somehow – are lacking in same.
Of course then you do realize that the whole notion (as I see it) as it seems to exist here at Pete’s comment section (aka the couch) is that if one lacks, another fills. More of that Hannah Arendt civil participatory politics thing.
So go ahead transistor, let that ire fly!
And interesting that ire and irie are polar opposites…
So…just because I called Kevie a Doody-head I’m a “little child”? When we go to recess, I’m gonna kick your ass on the softball field…hey! who took my juice box?
He is a spokesman. A mouthpiece. The guy that does the snowjob for prohibition. He is like an ivory snow salesman.
Otherwise, he seems like a very nice guy.
He is a punk.
WORSE, He’s a Punk & a *Reformed/Forever “recovering” Addict*… I bet he still goes to 12 stepper meetings to fill-in the gaping hole in his life, a sense of fellowship among people (many who preach his same style of manure to the masses), Others are pragmatists and have a clue. The folks that think Marijuana Anonymous is a fraking joke = literally *See: ‘Half-Baked’*!
But, It’s not his fault he a simply “powerless” bastard! He can’t help himself, he has to count on a higher power to due the “heavy lifting” for him… Presuming of course that a “Higher Power” would – and not just because of the irony/pun…
Hi Kev!
May I remind you that subsidizing criminals by letting them reap huge drug profits without paying taxes is a crime against humanity.
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Let’s not forget all of the sick people that have suffered more than needed because of the prohibitionist obsession with limiting people to using only drinking alcohol to get high.
Let’s see, it’s almost 4 decades since the first compelling evidence that cannabis may in fact have the cure for cancer in its genetic makeup and assholes like Kev-Kev are more concerned with forcing people to do their will than allowing science to investigate this very real possibility. Perhaps we’re a bit childish because we’re upset that our birthright of liberty that we’re all promised as Americans is being violated. I doubt that, but I know that millions of Americans are suffering more than needed because of this obsession of bald faced liars like Kev-Kev. Kev-Kev has volunteered as the spokesmodel for this group of total fucking assholes and therefore has volunteered to be denigrated and hated. People reap what they sow.
Just as a point in fact I hope everyone remembers that we call him Kev-Kev because he’s nothing more than an ankle biting lap dog. Frankly that characterization of him is generous in the extreme. More accurate would be to characterize his as an ankle biting lap dog’s droppings.
Some fellow over at weedblog.com made a bubbler out of yo juice box….dam hippies
Ah, yes, ‘American ingenuity’ strikes again. Which is why anti-paraphenalia laws are a bad joke.
I’ve made my own pipes from scratch, bowls and all, from easily acquired materials that would have aroused no suspicions from hardware purveyors and craft-shop owners…and they worked better than the store-bought stuff. (I am an engineer, after all.) And I am certainly not alone in doing so.
Just one more demonstration that the prohibs are like lumbering, walnut-brained dinosaurs if they think that by passing a law they’ve solved the ‘problem’. They can’t sink in History’s tar-pit fast enough to suit me.
I ain’t no engineer. I use to love using an apple. In high school we were mostly smoking brick mex and jamaican. It had no taste worth tasting…the apple made it a treat. It was all I used, other than joints. My first piece of honest to god paraphenalia was a three foot plastic bong named “Kif, the Crazy Camel”.
My younger son has often used an apple, among other things, he is the most ingenious of my kids.
The easiest procured and constructed device is still a beer can and a sharp object,,throw away pipes are priceless.
Yeah, but I have this thing about breathing in aluminum smoke.
As long as you throw them away nicely! 😉
The local teens have found that the back of our office park is awesome for getting high and drinking in the middle of the night. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve come in on a Monday morning to find soda cans and plastic bottles littering the area. Though now that school is back up it’s gotten better.
I really really really wanted to put up a sign that says “Clean up your shit. You’re giving all stoners a bad name.” But then I might get hauled off for child endangerment or something?
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I don’t know what I have the greatest contempt for: those who thoughtlessly implement socially destructive policies (as in the variation of the ‘Nuremberg Defense’, “Just doin’ muh jahb” as lives are needlessly destroyed) or those who are hired on the equally mercenary basis of justifying those destructive policies.
Most of the former lack the education, background, etc. that allows for deep introspection as to whether their actions are moral or not. In may cases, they simply wouldn’t care.
But the latter? They have no excuse. None. Whatsoever. They have the benefits of better education and experience that the grunts in the trenches don’t, and thus have the means to realize when a policy is patently, demonstrably socially destructive. As it is, it’s inarguable that the DrugWar fits that category.
And so, as to motivation, the latter group will continue to shill for that hopeless cause because they are either fanatical True Bleievers…or really are at heart nothing more than a well-educated merc willing to pimp himself to the highest bidder. Neither motivation is worthy of respect.
So I feel not the slightest twinge of conscience when I say, “Doctor Sabet, a certain person in Hell is waiting to meet you; he’s very pleased that you took his lessons to heart.”
Which is why Bourne is just as big a turd as the dumbest Drug Czar to hold the position,,he knew better and he still took the job,,granted that they had not gone into the full marijuana incarceration ploy when he was in office,,but he knew that prohibition did not work,,hell,,they all do.
The white stuff on top of chicken shit is just more chicken shit.
Herr Doktor Sabet is an idealist. Nietzsche nailed the Sabetical style of idealism as “Not to know oneself: prudence of the idealist. The idealist: a creature that has good reasons to be in the dark about itself and is prudent enough to be in the dark about these reasons too.†– Nietzsche, Will to Power, Kaufmann trans., Aph. # 344, p. 189.
Had Dr. Sabet read Nietzsche, Hesse or Huxley as a teenager, he might have spared himself the tragedy of working for the dark side.
BTW, Goebbels knew when to lie, and when not to lie. Sabet doesn’t.
OT, sort of:
Efforts to pave the way for Sativex supplanting herbal cannabis continue.
The League of California Cities, so active in the dispensary-banning effort (Jeffrey Dunn kicked ’em out wherever he could!), is trying to bring more federal attention to the North Coast.
A recent meeting included local officials, federal drug agents, and environmental scientists.
While local Congressman Mike Thompson would like to see a Mendo-style regulation program, the feds say they’ll never let that fly.
In fact, Tommy Lanier–the big “coup” attendee for the prohibs–said herbal cannabis is a non-starter as medicine, and you’d better get ready for Sativex:
“Lanier said he began his remarks by explaining why marijuana is not a medicine and urging officials to educate themselves and citizens about Sativex, a cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical alternative to marijuana.
Lanier said his other major goal was to make sure local officials knew they could not implement policies or ordinances that in any way facilitated, or were complacent regarding the medical marijuana industry.
‘We hit that home pretty hard because what we don’t want is a safe haven for people,’ Lanier said.”
http://tinyurl.com/95aus9u
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They really need to talk to the FDA about giving Sativex approval because it sure isn’t going to be available without FDA approval. I know, I know, FDA approval is imminent and has been imminent since at least 2010.
Can we at least amend our conspiracy theories about the evil profiteers to include only those actually making money? Private prisons and GW Pharma just lose their luster as some sort of master puppeteers when you look at their pathetic returns over the last 5 or 10 years.
Did I actually say that GWP.L was cheap when it was 180% of today’s price? I did, and if I loved it then I love almost twice as much now.
I’ll never grasp what you people have against GW Pharma. Don’t waste your time explaining it, I’ve been following along for years and your demonization of that particular company makes no sense. No sense at all.
Toodles!
Duncan, IMHO it is deceitful, hypocritical and wrong to profit from the distribution of a substance that is commonly available and cheap. They would gladly patent a substance and a process that is clearly and unequivocally NOT novel. And they will gleefully watch their patents being protected as you and I are sentenced to long prison terms for making the same thing. Even though we probably were making it long before G.W. Pharma started this process. In fact the idea that they came up with dosage controlled sublingual tinctures on their own is comic.
that’s a problem in my book.
In many ways, I don’t disagree with you at all. On a comic note though, (which I admittedly might not live long enough to see in this lifetime: we’ll see, (maybe in the next one)), in about twenty years or so, the patents will expire, and then it will be open season for any and all pharma companies to manufacture those ‘new’ cannabis-based drugs. That tickles me and reminds me of the days before prohibition when pharma companies were making many medicines based on cannabis. I just love that history may repeat itself here!
An example of an article in the “from the sublime to beyond ludicrous” category:
They always telegraph their moves, partly out of arrogance. From the article:
“… the meeting was also attended by Tommy Lanier, director of the White House-funded National Marijuana Initiative.”
A ‘National Marijuana Initiative’? WTF? This is just more collusion between ONDCP (begun under Barthwell) and Big Pharma in the form of GWP’s practically exclusive access.
This doesn’t just stink of ‘conflict of interest’ and the government illegally, unConstitutionally acting to create a monopoly for the benefit of certain former bureaucrats and present industrialists, it drips with it. And Lanier’s statements practically admits it.
They are definitely laying the groundwork to shut out domestic, home-growing of cannabis, telling us they’re making legalization moot by saying they have a ‘better’ product, so don’t worry your pretty little heads, med-cann patients, you can still get your meds, we’ll just gouge you for even more than cannabis’ presently-overinflated value. Lanier is the public face of that.
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, sh*ts like a duck…it sure ain’t no platypus.
Can anyone tell me more about this Tommy LaNier and the National Marijuana Initiative for which he is director?
I find several references to him being quoted and he refers to himself as Director of NMI, which is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program funded by ONDCP. Yet, the HIDTA section on the ONDCP site doesn’t mention the NMI (in fact, I couldn’t find it with a search of the ONDCP site.
Another article referred to NMI as being a “group” funded by the ONDCP. LaNier’s Linked-in page lists him as employed by the ONDCP, although again, I can’t find any other reference to it.
This might shed some light, an (unsearchable) memorandum of agreement for a HIDTA grant:
http://www.agendanet.saccounty.net/sirepub/cache/2/br3ceyfwp3sc2b33hpkrfe55/399714109102012065900413.PDF
It appears he’s a former National Forestry ranger.
http://www.nps.gov/directory/employees.cfm?StartRow=301&sn=&givenname=&pk=WASO
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6129764
And an article from 2003
http://www.govexec.com/magazine/2003/12/losing-ground/15595/ mentions him coordinating the National Forestry services counterdrug initiatives with the HIDTA programs.
He’s listed as a speaker for the 2012 Idaho’s NOA conference as NMI director.
http://www.post.idaho.gov/Calendar_Training/INOA2012.pdf
It seems that he might have started off with the intentions of protecting public lands and fragile ecosystems from unchecked cartel/criminal activity but has now become fully involved in the prohibition machine and the whole “if we eliminate cannabis then we have a perfect world.” Sad really.
Also, interesting little side tidbit from that 2003 article:
Yeah, Idid the same and also came up empty. Interesting this group apparently uses our tax money, but you can’t find any info on them. And I looked at his Linked in profile too. Brand new with zero contacts when I went there…
http://www.nhac.org/pdf/FMHF_PG_v4U.pdf
http://www.lanecounty.org/departments/sheriff/documents/2013%20oregon_hidta_threat_assessment_final_062112.pdf
K. I’m done for the day. Based on all that, I’m guessing that the NMI “facilitates effective investigations” into locating and seizing large scale illegal cannabis grows through the use of forestry personnel and experience, databases of plant DNA history, and the use of existing forestry/resource monitoring satellite/imaging programs.
LaNier is likely branching out beyond their original special mandate or purpose (not that it’s easy to find what that is) into seizing medicinal/legal grows, home invasions, harm reduction propaganda etc. because their MOA (ie. special funding worth millions a year) is up for renewal in 2013.
Am I missing anything?
Gah… someone totally owes me eye-bleach for this, and a lunch.
So NMI did fund the creation of genetic databases:
http://www.newswise.com/articles/unh-forensic-botanist-sets-up-national-databank-for-marijuana-dna-develops-new-method-for-law-enforcement-to-collect-samples-easily
And the mandate is what you’d guess it would be:
http://www.fs.fed.us/congress/108/house/oversight/gaffrey/101003.html
Frankly, rather admirable goals.
But I guess like everything that’s birthed from the drug war, it’s now a mutant zombie blood sucking jaba the hutt money funnel … Used to be the ‘National Marijuana and Public Lands Initiative’ now it’s just the ‘National Marijuana Initiative’. And Tommy LaNier seems to have started as the coordinator of the NMPLI (they have/had? their own logo and everything).
ps. Love the internet. Donate to the EFF.
A few days ago Judge Richard A. Posner said drug laws are “responsible for a high percentage of our prisoners. And these punishments are often very, very severe. It’s all very expensive.†Judge Posner also pointed out that legalizing marijuana and other drugs would save federal, state and local governments $41.3 billion per year.
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“…a waste of a lot of high quality legal minds, and it’s also a waste of people’s lives who could be as least moderately productive with having to spend year after year in prison. That is a serious problem.â€
Check it out from the 54 minute mark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhBBV0aI7lM&list=PL14615B34D2AB9797&index=1&feature=plpp_video
“so that the voters would know in all fairness that no matter what they vote on in Colorado or wherever it is, that federal law still prevails.”
I love this part. A non-elected bureaucrat telling voters their votes don’t count.
“I love this part. A non-elected bureaucrat telling voters their votes don’t count.”
Which has just nullified totally the claim the government practices ‘federalism’. One incredibly stupid move.
Mr. Obama needs better mouthpieces. Mr. Lanier has just made a very serious error. When word of this gets wider dissemination, Obama can forget Colorado. This is exactly the kind of imperious arrogance that folks out West really hate with a passion. Those there who may not have cared one way or another about the issue will care now, because a bureaucrat from The Imperial Capit- uh, er, I mean, a bureaucrat from Warshington, has just told them their votes are of no value.
Obama, your goon just lost Colorado for you. And any other Western State that has had its’ doubts about this Administration has had those doubts confirmed.
As I said, they telegraph their intentions with an almost unconscious arrogance…and care not what the reaction may be. Until said reaction results in a cost of some kind. This could prove very expensive…for the Dems.
Willy Bennett was on the Sunday pundit program on TV. Who voted for any 1 of these guys or gals?
What about the children? Well, apparently some folks realize prohibition isn’t good for kids either:
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/politicsnorthwest/2012/09/10/childrens-alliance-endorses-marijuana-legalization-intiative/
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