Pakalolo and the Choom Gang

[runawayjimbo]

I'm proud of him.

I know you guys are somewhat joking, but let's not forget that Richard Nixon would be proud of the escalation of the War on Drugs under President Interception.

I finally got around to reading the recent Rolling Stone interview with BHO, and they pointedly ask him about that. While I may not like it, I have to acknowledge that Obama is correct in saying that the executive branch's job is to enforce laws, and it's Congress, not Barack Obama, who's to blame for marijuana being illegal.

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

[Hicks]

I'm proud of him.

I know you guys are somewhat joking, but let's not forget that Richard Nixon would be proud of the escalation of the War on Drugs under President Interception.

I finally got around to reading the recent Rolling Stone interview with BHO, and they pointedly ask him about that. While I may not like it, I have to acknowledge that Obama is correct in saying that the executive branch's job is to enforce laws, and it's Congress, not Barack Obama, who's to blame for marijuana being illegal.

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

Did you hear that Obama is in favor of gay marriage?

[runawayjimbo]

I'm proud of him.

I know you guys are somewhat joking, but let's not forget that Richard Nixon would be proud of the escalation of the War on Drugs under President Interception.

I finally got around to reading the recent Rolling Stone interview with BHO, and they pointedly ask him about that. While I may not like it, I have to acknowledge that Obama is correct in saying that the executive branch's job is to enforce laws, and it's Congress, not Barack Obama, who's to blame for marijuana being illegal.

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

Did you hear that Obama is in favor of gay marriage?

No, although I did hear him endorse NC's ban on gay marriage when he said he supports states' decisions to handle marriage as they see fit.

[Hicks]

I'm proud of him.

I know you guys are somewhat joking, but let's not forget that Richard Nixon would be proud of the escalation of the War on Drugs under President Interception.

I finally got around to reading the recent Rolling Stone interview with BHO, and they pointedly ask him about that. While I may not like it, I have to acknowledge that Obama is correct in saying that the executive branch's job is to enforce laws, and it's Congress, not Barack Obama, who's to blame for marijuana being illegal.

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

Did you hear that Obama is in favor of gay marriage?

No, although I did hear him endorse NC's ban on gay marriage when he said he supports states' decisions to handle marriage as they see fit.

I think you are thinking of Ron Paul.   

[runawayjimbo]

I'm proud of him.

I know you guys are somewhat joking, but let's not forget that Richard Nixon would be proud of the escalation of the War on Drugs under President Interception.

I finally got around to reading the recent Rolling Stone interview with BHO, and they pointedly ask him about that. While I may not like it, I have to acknowledge that Obama is correct in saying that the executive branch's job is to enforce laws, and it's Congress, not Barack Obama, who's to blame for marijuana being illegal.

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

Did you hear that Obama is in favor of gay marriage?

No, although I did hear him endorse NC's ban on gay marriage when he said he supports states' decisions to handle marriage as they see fit.

I think you are thinking of Ron Paul.

No, Obama was quite clear that he personally thinks gay marriage is cool but that he supports the states in deciding how they want to define it. As I pointed out elsewhere, contrast Obama's position with Ron Paul's who personally believes marriage is between a man and a woman but that the no gov't (neither federal or state) should be in the business of deciding who can and cannot get married. You tell me which position is more supportive of gay rights.

ETA: coincidentally, Obama's federalist stance on gay marriage is in direct contradiction to his position on the drug war.

[VDB]

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

I did say I didn't like it. Look, I'd be plum tickled if the gov't decided to selectively not enforce laws that I don't agree with. But I don't think we necessarily can or should expect them to do that. And on some level, wouldn't it be troubling if the enforcement branch of gov't just decided to outright ignore the will of our lawmakers? Isn't that not supposed to be how it works?

[runawayjimbo]

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

I did say I didn't like it. Look, I'd be plum tickled if the gov't decided to selectively not enforce laws that I don't agree with. But I don't think we necessarily can or should expect them to do that. And on some level, wouldn't it be troubling if the enforcement branch of gov't just decided to outright ignore the will of our lawmakers? Isn't that not supposed to be how it works?

The executive branch has some discretion over how it chooses to enforce the law, especially when there is conflict between state and federal law. So it would be perfectly appropriate for the president to say (like he did as candidate) that he would not be wasting federal resources to shut down state approved and licensed dispensaries. Instead, he has increased raids, threatened banks to stop transacting with the industry, and hit them with tax bills they could never pay.

But again, more important to me is that he did not appear to have come to his new found respect for authority until he had a chance to directly do something about it. And he punted. To get re-elected.

[VDB]

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

I did say I didn't like it. Look, I'd be plum tickled if the gov't decided to selectively not enforce laws that I don't agree with. But I don't think we necessarily can or should expect them to do that. And on some level, wouldn't it be troubling if the enforcement branch of gov't just decided to outright ignore the will of our lawmakers? Isn't that not supposed to be how it works?

The executive branch has some discretion over how it chooses to enforce the law, especially when there is conflict between state and federal law. So it would be perfectly appropriate for the president to say (like he did as candidate) that he would not be wasting federal resources to shut down state approved and licensed dispensaries. Instead, he has increased raids, threatened banks to stop transacting with the industry, and hit them with tax bills they could never pay.

But again, more important to me is that he did not appear to have come to his new found respect for authority until he had a chance to directly do something about it. And he punted. To get re-elected.

But does it really? What about the supremacy clause?

[runawayjimbo]

C'mon, VDB, don't tell me you are buying that spin? Why was Obama cheered for pledging to not enforce (i.e., ignore) DOMA?

And the issue isn't who's fault it is, it's that as a state and US Senator he railed against the Drug War and urged us to rethink our strategy in this failing effort. But then, at the exact moment he has the most potential to influence changes to this inhumane approach, he doubles down on the ruining people's lives. While his counterparts in Latin America are increasingly calling on the US to change course (being as we are the largest importer of their cartels' products), he goes to the Sixth Summit of the Americas and openly refuses to even discuss decriminalization (a position he said he agreed with just eight yrs ago in the clip I posted above).

I don't care that Obama smoked pot. I don't care that he changed his mind and now wants to maintain and even harden the status quo. But I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna believe that this is an issue where his hands are tied. Like everything he does, this is a political calculation that he felt he needed to make prior to his re-election bid to head off the "soft on drugs" line from the right. Just once I'd like to see him sac up and do something because he thinks it is right and not because it could help him get re-elected.

I did say I didn't like it. Look, I'd be plum tickled if the gov't decided to selectively not enforce laws that I don't agree with. But I don't think we necessarily can or should expect them to do that. And on some level, wouldn't it be troubling if the enforcement branch of gov't just decided to outright ignore the will of our lawmakers? Isn't that not supposed to be how it works?

The executive branch has some discretion over how it chooses to enforce the law, especially when there is conflict between state and federal law. So it would be perfectly appropriate for the president to say (like he did as candidate) that he would not be wasting federal resources to shut down state approved and licensed dispensaries. Instead, he has increased raids, threatened banks to stop transacting with the industry, and hit them with tax bills they could never pay.

But again, more important to me is that he did not appear to have come to his new found respect for authority until he had a chance to directly do something about it. And he punted. To get re-elected.

But does it really? What about the supremacy clause?

All the Supremacy Clause does is establish that federal law trumps state law and that state judges must abide by federal laws (even when there is a conflict). This is a completely different issue because it is about the lengths the administration is going to prosecute or shut down dispensaries. The administration sets the agenda of the DEA and other law enforcement agencies, so it's perfectly acceptable for the president to implement a new strategy for enforcing federal law. Laying off state law abiding, tax paying businesses would be just one plank of a saner, more effective approach.