FRIDAY UPDATE!!!
Here’s another way you can let the White House know what you think. The Drug Czar’s blog, Pushing Back, is asking for the public’s feedback regarding Thursday’s Town Hall Meeting. You already know what they think; let them know what you think here.
UPDATE!!! UPDATE!!! UPDATE!!!
Since many of you are writing President Obama on your own, NORML would like to assist the process by providing you with a link for contacting the White House directly. Please log on and send your e-mails by going here.
Also, please check The Hill.com (Read and comment here) and HuffingtonPost.com (Read and comment here) on Friday for updated versions of this commentary, and please post your feedback to those forums as well.
Speaking live moments ago President Barack Obama pledged “to open up the White House to the American people.”
Well, to some of the American people that is.
As for those tens of millions of you who believe that cannabis should be legally regulated like alcohol — and the tens of thousands of you who voted to make this subject the most popular question in today’s online Presidential Town Hall — well, your voice doesn’t really matter.
Asked this morning whether he “would … support the bill currently going through the California legislation to legalize and tax marijuana, boosting the economy and reducing drug cartel related violence,” the President responded with derision.
“There was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation, and I don’t know what this says about the online audience,” he laughed.
“The answer is no, I don’t think that [is] a good strategy.”
Obama’s cynical rebuff was short-sighted and disrespectful to a large percentage of his supporters. After all, was it not this very same “online audience” that donated heavily to Obama’s Presidential campaign and ultimately carried him to the White House?
Second, as I’ve written previously in The Hill and elsewhere, the overwhelming popularity of the marijuana law reform issue — as manifested in this and in similar forums — illustrates that there is a significant, vocal, and identifiable segment of our society that wants to see an end to America’s archaic and overly punitive marijuana laws.
The Obama administration should be embracing this constituency, not mocking it.
Third, will somebody please ask the President: “What is it that you think is so funny about the subject of marijuana law reform?”
Since 1965, police have arrested over 20 million Americans for violating marijuana laws, yet nearly 90 percent of teenagers say that pot is “very easy” or “fairly easy” to obtain. That’s funny?
According to this very administration, there is an unprecedented level of violence occurring at the Mexico/US border — much of which is allegedly caused by the trafficking of marijuana to the United States by drug cartels. America’s stringent enforcement of pot prohibition, which artificially inflates black market pot prices and ensures that only criminal enterprises will be involved in the production and sale of this commodity, is helping to fuel this violence. Wow, funny stuff!
Finally, two recent polls indicate that a strong majority of regional voters support ending marijuana prohibition and treating the drug’s sale, use, and distribution like alcohol. A February 2009 Zogby telephone poll reported that nearly six out of ten of voters on the west coast think that cannabis should be “taxed and legally regulated like alcohol and cigarettes.” A just-released California Field Poll reports similar results, finding that 58 percent of statewide voters believe that regulations for cannabis should be the same or less strict than those for alcohol.
Does the President really think that all of these voters are worthy of his ridicule?
Let the White House laugh for now, but the public knows that this issue is no laughing matter. This week alone, legislators in Illinois, Minnesota, and New Hampshire voted to legalize the use of marijuana for authorized individuals. Politicians in three additional states heard testimony this week in favor of eliminating criminal penalties for all adults who possess and use cannabis. And lawmakers in Massachusetts and California are now debating legally regulating marijuana outright.
The American public is ready and willing to engage in a serious and objective political debate regarding the merits of legalizing the use of cannabis by adults. And all over this nation, whether Capitol Hill wants to acknowledge it or not, they are engaging in this debate as we speak.
Sorry Obama, this time the joke’s on you.
I’ll vote for someone else next time if these dumba** laws are not changed before that time
I cannot believe the Presidents actions concerning the clearly highly popular questions concerning ending cannabis prohibition! On the budget list for Open For Question were no less than three questions concerning this, ranking by a PUBLIC VOTE IN THE TOP TEN!!! He did make mention of questions like it, and in addressing it he disrespected all the people who voted for those questions by regarding them as “what kind of people online”. Truely intellegent people. I myself manage a business that is doing well and have to hide the fact that I even believe in ending the prohibition, yet the customers who come in can buy beer, alcohol, and cigarettes lawfully. I do not disapprove of the later I simply hate the hypocracy of the forementioned. He asked for our input and when we ask a question steeped in dogma he ridacules those who ask it. I am truely outraged. Please will tell the truth about the highest, absoulutely no pun intended, voted questions and the outrage we all feel for being regarded as stupid hippies who are incapable of thinking clearly. However somehow can mobilize on a website in 48 housr? We are tired of hiding and we are not going to do it anymore. Much like in April 1933 for my business the prohibition must end!!! PLEASE HELP!!!
what a dick.
Marijuana legalization will always be #1 when he is ‘Open for Questions’. How many more times can he laugh at it before he realizes it’s a serious issue?
I expected this. He is very smug, and will likely just perpetuate the existing clime of prohibition.
High,
My response–YO, MY NIGGAH, WHY YOU DIS ME LIKE THIS??? YEAH, YOU –BARRACK OBBAMMER, WHAT UP??? Homey don’t play dat!!! The whole purpose is to let the public speak; do we have another Clinton Clone sell-out???? When I asked Dr. Elders for her support for MMJ in ’92, I got a straight answer and Clinton fired her for her honesty. President Obama has promised to listen to the voices of the people, if we don’t count as people, FIRE him!!!
I have already sent an email at whitehouse.gov about the disregard of the real question. They chose a question that was maybe not the one we would like to have addressed. I think that showed how weak they really are. Millions of lives ruined is funny apparently.
I was so angry when I first read that he laughed off the topic as he did. Our president clearly cannot see the easiest, most sensible, most profitable and most healthy way of solving the US drug problem, and it’s saddening.
Thank you NORML for standing up for the rights of the millions of Americans who have been forced into criminal behavior due to an unjust law. This is the reason I am a monthly donor, and will continue to be.
We saw this week the amazing outcry of Americans who used the system to try to enact change. We then saw the President of the United States ridicule and turn every one of us into a stereotype.
I turned off the town hall meeting immediately after that comment, and I can now say he has lost my support. This is the first time I have ever voted for a democrat, and now I don’t know if I ever will again. I put my faith in Obama, and I just found out what that means to him.
I sent a letter immediately to Obama through whitehouse.gov immediately after I shut down the town hall in disgust. I wrote what amounted to a full confession of my marijuana use, including my full name and address, and invited him to turn me in. He was a regular smoker in his younger years, and the only reason he was able to run for president is because he was one of the lucky ones, unlike millions of others Americans, who didn’t get caught. Had he been caught, he’d have found himself ineligable to vote let alone run for president. Now, he is making a joke of the millions of others who had their lives ruined. People who have lost jobs, lost years of their lives, and time with their families.
We are not all stereotypes.
Well, maybe if we are serious about legalization, we should vote for a nominee that is willing to legalize and would be willing to spend political clout on the issue, regardless of party affiliation. Even if we don’t get our choice elected, politics is all about demographics and a dem or a rep will see all the votes and pick up our demographic the next go around.
Often quoted, and now seldom followed.
If you’re going to say it, MEAN IT!
“change we can believe in?”
Not today
Let me start by saying I think pot should be legal in all 50 states.
But to start the ball rolling I e-mailed Pres. Obama about a very serious health conditon I have and asked him about making it a national thing instead of a state thing for medical purposes. I went into detail about my condition and how no pain killers help me. I have even had drs tell me marijuana may help my daily pain.
Never heard back from anyone in his office.
I’m not sure why he’s ignoring this issue?
I really can’t see why it’s illegal at all. He needs to step up to the plate and listen to what voters are saying.
Obama is a hypocrite… he’ll smoke it all he wants, but won’t even bring the issue to the American people and let us vote on it.
I knew this would happen. Did anyone see all those people laughing when osama obama brought up the pot issue? This pisses me off to no end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\
And everyone thought he was going to do something about it. hahahahaha, the joke is on whoever voted for this sorry ass to be our president.
I will NOT vote for him again, what an ASS! I am extremely upset he feels he can just laugh at us! I hope his ratings go through the floor.
It’s called skirting around the issue. So convenient for president Obama to mock the idea of marijuana based on how it might help the economy. However true that is, it was an easy out for the president to suggest that that should be considered in the same vain as what most Americans know about our economic crisis. The question needs to remain should we legalize marijuana and and regulate it like alcohol given the reality of the failed drug war, Americans disregard for the law, and so on. Focus on the fact that the “black market” remains the only means for attaining marijuana despite many state laws which have decriminalized possesion. Nice, you can possess marijuana and have a civil citation, yet you can’t get it anywhere legally. Keep it up Mr. Obama, you support the next time around might not be there!
I feel so insulted and outraged at his remarks and attitude on this. I am very supportive of his administration, but this is a slap in the face.
we, as a large part of this nation, are disapointed and feel like the butt-end of a joke. i really thought you would take this seriously, as we did. hope you take the time to think on it. maybe you did, but your scared.
I Fear My Own Government
Why wont they listen
“Hey here’s a great idea, let’s open a public poll into the white house to see what the public is thinking! Then let’s just laugh at them for coming up with such silly questions. Ha Ha ha! Did America really think it belonged to itself?”
Man, I am fucking pissed.
No just no that all we get. I spent my time and energy on this cowards campain sending emails etc. and he has the oddasity to laugh at us. wow the times change only 5 years ago this is the same guy that was for marijuana decrime and now he laughs at the thought. You rode are coat tails to the top and know u act like we dont matter.
As a 60 year old man and cannabis user for 39 years, I feel that President Obama dismissed our serious questions as a childish joke. We are not “Cheech and Chong” stereotypes. This is the treatment that racist whites treated the serious demand of blacks for their civil rights or how the homophobic straight community used to treat the gay communities demands for equal rights. The cannabis using community and their friends should feel rebuffed, patronized, and dismissed as a stoner joke. I, for one, will continue to make my views known proudly and openly, and Mr. Obama, as much as I voted and supported many of your viewpoints, I am very disappointed with your attitude toward 40 million Americans.
He was laughing because he is a hypocrite who told all the thronging masses what they wanted to hear to elect him and the sheep did!
Here is a youtube link of his response:
Read today that the DEA raided a dispensary in SanFrancisco. Thats Strike #2. If you count the earlier diss on change.gov questions. That makes three.
Forget this douche. He is bought and paid for like all the rest. While his treasury loots our tax money to give to his wall street buddies; we go on asking for the pittance of a right to ingest a fucking plant that grows everywhere on earth except the arctic in the privacy of our own homes!! Change you can’t believe in.
*now
Unfortunately this is about what I expected to hear… Thanks for nothing Mr. President.
As a participant in numerous rounds of the open for questions both during and following the election, I am grossly offended at his flippant attitude and comments. Not only is he ridiculing the base which has supported him over the last two years, but he is mocking the very people (internet crowd) this program was intended to engage. I thought for certain this time around the President would have to address the question of cannabis formally and truthfully, but never did I think he would turn such meaningful, thought out questions into a fucking chuckle. The time is coming near when our voices won’t be so easily cast aside.
Feel free to give them some hell and make it clear that we are not going away, and this is certainly no joke.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
As if I needed another reason to be suspicious of Obama..
Some of the most important contributions and discoveries made in the Ancient world still relevant today were all discovered by individuals who self medicated themselves with “natural” remedies of the day, i.e.: Cannabis, Opium and Opiates, Hallucinogenics and other naturally occuring stimulants and nacotics. These People “under the influence of mind destroying and toxifying substances” gave us inventions and theories like, “the Atom”, the modern theory of the earth rotating around the sun, incredibly advanced mathematics, and lets not forget the “7 wonders of the world” just to name a really scant few. Even the most succesful generation of American’s “the Baby Boomers” were able to legally injest substances like cannabis, LSD, Cocaine, and Ecstasy without the horror of government persecution, especially so with Hemp because the government WANTED farmers to GROW HEMP for the war effort (WWII).
The only difference today is that a general air of ignorance and superfluous excess of ideology prevent us from living the normal, productive and happy lives of our ancestors. It should stand to reason that our Ancestors used the scientific method (or ancient equivalent) on everything. EVERYTHING!!!! But American politicians’, too full of themselves and their self-riteous zeal, believe that their omnipotence, and omnipresence can suddenly change and will snuff out practices THOUSANDS of years old.
THAT IS WHY THE ALCOHOL PROHIBITION did not work. Not because Americans’ were wrong, not because of the potential billions (modern equivalent) in tax revenues, but because America is fighting a war that is rooted hundreds of thousands even millions of years old.
Accurate research with the support of Imperical data should still be the presedence upheld today in our *highly enlightened* society, not the belief that “you know what is best for me and mine”. True research is something that our predescessor’s knew all too well to be the ONLY means of changing the minds of everyone. YES even back then! Let us practice what we preach and study the data concerning prohibition, and to hell with the federal governments’ stance.
Prohibition only increases the threat to ANY government authority from its constituency, just look at data concerning American & Canadian Bootleggers from the 1930’s Alcohol prohibition and look at the American & Mexican Cartels (also bootleggers just of Marijuana).
I think it’s pretty clear what must happen.
A better remark at least would have been, “I won’t stand in their way of the California And Massachesetts legislation”
It’s sad, that he does not acknowledge, that pot yes pot helped get him elected, that hope of change.
In the back water southern state I live in it seemed having an Obama for President bumper sticker was illegal.
Obama’s presidency today, is the very emotional and prejudiced reason cannabis labeled marijuana was made illegal in the first place. The congress in 1937 heard how marijuana would make a “black man look twice at a white women”. It was just another tool to use in their Jim Crow minds.
But he probally just wants to get his budget, and he has found that their outside forces raining on his parade.
Jim
I would just like to say I was outraged that he simply laughed about legalizing marijuana. I waited and waited. I voted and voted, all for what? Him to not touch on the subject that actually got most of the votes? Blow it off, laugh, and have all of those idiots applaud? I really don’t know what to do anymore… Legalizing marijuana has fallen upon deaf ears. I was an Obama supporter but sadly have changed my mind. Laugh at that one Obama, I have a feeling I’m not the only one…
Obama showed today that he is like all other politicians-slick and slippery.
Politicians do not make decisions based on what is the right thing to do. They only do what is in their own personal political interest. If, and ONLY if, doing the right thing also coincides with their personal interest will they do the right thing. But make no mistake as to what controls their actions. Obama today proved that he is just like all the others.
ONLY when it becomes a political liability for a politician to be a prohibitionist will the situation change. ONLY when politicians start losing their jobs because they are prohibitionists will the laws change. We need to focus our efforts in that direction: Throw the bums out!!
Listen, I don’t want to be one of those people who says I told you so… but I highly encourage you to check out http://www.campaignforliberty.com and help us win this fight for marijuana legalization. We need more Ron Pauls in congress and as a president. Godspeed!
Very disappointing to see this, I thought he would govern with reason? Instead just blows it off. To think I actually gave him some of my money….I won’t do it again now.
(Sent to WhiteHouse.gov)
Mr. Obama,
The questions about Legalization of Cannabis are valid and important questions concerning our nation’s economy and our Constitutional promise of “Freedom”. We the People WANT CANNABIS LEGALIZED and we KNOW that it will indeed help the economy. Please do not brush off the majority of American citizens with a joke! This is no laughing matter! The U.S. Government’s policy of arresting nearly 1 million of its citizens per year for Cannabis is no laughing matter.
Let me tell you “what this says about our online audience” – It says “Mr. President, We the People demand the restoration of our original freedoms to consume Cannabis! We know Cannabis to be a plant that will solve many of the issues facing this country now, and if you will study real facts you will know this to be true. We the People want the Medicinal Pproperties of Cannabis, the Economic Boost from Cannabis, the Green Ecological Benefits of Cannabis as well as a Safe Alternative to the horrible and very deadly Alcohol and Cigarettes that are totally legal under U.S law.”
Not all of us can handle hard drugs like Alcohol (which I hear the U.S. Government can and does drink large quantities of). Yet we are asked the question – as they take over ¾ of a million of us yearly to jail – “Why don’t you just Drink?” Alcohol is NOT a safe alternative!
Please Legalize Cannabis!
I was sooo mad, Mr. Obama’s response was crude, disrespectful and childish. I expected at least a serious answer to something that had received so many votes and was asked in several of the categories related to helping the economy. For shame
Mr. Obama will no longer get my support until he justifies his actions. Maybe he will be a 1 term President. When most of the states pass their own laws and he can’t control it all, we will see who laughs last.
Thank you NORML. I’m joining today because of Obama’s dismissiveness. I’m also writing an actual letter so he knows this isn’t just an online concern.
Very good article. We will get there. with or without OBAMA. I can not even express how upset i am with him. He mad me more angry than any president has ever.
To those that voted for Obama, please do not vote for him in 2012. He promised you guys the moon and you all fell for it. This does not surprise me. I did not vote in the past election because I knew this man was nothing more than a clever marketer. A shill. The Obamatrons fell for it and now you have your MTV President. Nothing has changed people.
In 2012 please vote for Ron Paul.
I just heard President Obama’s comment on cannabis and boy am I pissed!
Not only does he not think it’s a good idea, he disparages what it must mean that so many cannabis adovcates are checking into this site!
Well here’s what it means:
Unlike many of the mindless sheep blindly following idiots to their detriment we pay attention to what the hell is going on and we care enough to voice our opinions!
Looks like its onward ho without him.
Let’s all BE SURE to send him our regards on April 20th. And for good measure, lets all stay home from work and BUY NOTHING that day.
I already emailed the White House to tell them I don’t think cannabis prohibition is a laughing matter and I was sure I wasn’t the only one that felt demeaned and belittled by his response.
sigh =/
we must not give up though!
SAN FRANCISCO—A medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco that gave out free marijuana to poor people is mostly empty after a raid by federal agents around the same time President Obama said this morning “I don’t know what this says about the online audience,” and chuckled. http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12000899
Wow, I honestly did not expect this. I was excited to come home from work to see the response to the questions i voted for. This truly disappoints me that Obama is so uninformed on this issue that he laughs at it. I would love for me or any other mj advocate to debate him on this issue; i dont think he would be laughing anymore.
I am disappointed when I heard him say that. I think he doesn’t have the balls to talk about marijuana and what should be done about it. Stand up for the pot smoking Americans, Obama!
Obama is a snake. I dont know why people really think he is a man of “change”. He is an elitist wanker.
I want protest! Any day after May 3rd is good.
Can you imagine what the outcry would be if the President of the United States said he was in favor of legalizing marijuana? Imagine him standing there giving one of his wonkish answers on what the problem is with marijuana currently being illegal, why he wants to legalize it, and how he’s going to go about doing so. The press would go apeshit! All of the work he’s done changing the perception on the economy would vanish and the topic of the next few weeks would be about pot. His message on the economy and his budget would take a sharp hit and he’d lose political capital. It would make it that much harder to get the votes he needs from Democrats, and the Republicans would have had a field day.
The best course of action for the greater good? Do what he did and dismiss all talk of decriminalization. Nothing good can come of talking about it now when we have so many serious problems he has to contend with. I’m a major supporter of fully legalizing marijuana, but there are MANY more important issues on the table right now. I am hopeful this could be addressed in his second term.
I was very discouraged with his response. So I emailed him and said so. We are making strides, but its going to be baby steps and I hope its in time.
Yes, I believe we will have the last laugh. Whats the matter with these people are they blind. If you take the polls that Paul pointed out we find that 44% of Americans want legal weed up from 34% a couples years ago. It’s not that hard to figure out that 51% is going to happen on President Obamas clock so he better take it seriously soon. BTW, The Media coverage of this on cnn and fox really sucks and we should let them know it. Todd
To all the people who thought it was a good idea to spam this “online town hall” with questions about marijuana, CONGRATULATIONS you have been officially treated like toddlers by the President of the United States. I also stand for the legalization of cannabis, but I do not stand for a bunch of people taking a serious online experiment and spamming it with clearly nonsensical questions about marijuana (does this really belong in the “home ownership” and “auto industry topics?!) just so my government can laugh at people like me with legit opinions. I just feel so disappointed to be associated with all the people that made this a fucking joke.
The economic sense of legal marijuana is overwhelming. Not only will legalization take a huge bite out of the budget towards “the war on drugs” , it would also create revenue at the same time. There would also be the residual effect of a decrease in violence from drug cartels. It would also be likely that most Americans that had a legal high available would be less inclined to risk the consequences of pursuing a harder drug such as cocaine or heroine.
This isn’t too surprising. When he first started talking about it people began laughing, and at that point he had to bow to the room. The importance of political capital is quite unfortunate to our cause, isn’t it? Continue to support on a local level and change will come.
Completely disrespectful and unprofessional, it isn’t a joke and more than a few people will be with me on this one…its not a war on drugs now, it’s a war on the public
That really pissed me off how he laughed.
At least it’s getting national attention.
High,
Just sent this to the White House–let him know we are PISSE by the bullshit act today.
Mr. President,
I am one of the many thousands of people who believe in the ideals represented by the American Dream. We used the open forum today to tell you that we feel cannabis legalization IS important. I inhale and have been since long time now. I was inhaling on the streets with Reverend King in Memphis, i was inhaling when Dr. Elders told me she would support medical marijuana,.like you said, “That was the point.”
Please pay attention to us, we are the last “niggers” being abused in America. I will not bore you with the numbers–we represent too many people in the prisons and too much money to be ignored– I want to sit on the front of the bus for a change and inhale as I please.
Get real and keep the peace.
Sincerely, very sincerely,
Sam Smith
I can’t get over this. Does he not realize that we vote? He is no different from any other president. Legalize abortions but not weed? Good job America on electing this moron. Legalize murder but not weed!?!?!? Can you say anit Christ. Ok maybe not but i mean CMON!
The answer given sidestepped the question and is disappointing to an avid supporter of Obamas commonsense/intelligent approach to this countries issues. With that being said I felt cheated because he only addressed one aspect of the question, the economic aspect. The real issue is the unfair penalization of responsible adults using a substance that has been unfairly classified as a class 1 drug. Use common sense and focus on meth and coke and swallow your pride on marijuana prohibition.
President Obama had his good times. Partied around a little, then moved on. All by his own choice, he partook of drugs and then walked away from them. All well and good. He was lucky, he didn’t get busted. A simple possession charge and he wouldn’t be president now.
Now he want others to pay the price he didn’t have to. There is a word for that Mr. President: hypocrite.
O-bomination………..
Although I myself am a Liberatrian this past election I went against my gut reaction and voted for someone from one of the two main parties thinking Mr.Obama would actually be someone who would listen to the MILLIONS who voted for him, well I guess I was wrong. I have already sent Mr.Obama an email as well as a handwritten letter informing him of my disappointment of how he handled the questions relating to cannabis and I hope eveyone else will do the same.
I vote to put picket signs everywhere. I say its time to really look into putting commercials on TV for the entire country to see. Must find a way so that the powers that be have no choice but engage in discussions. Lets let it be known that we will not tolerate being ignored. I say its time to start pissing people off and getting in their faces.
While I agree that marijuana and the effects it has due its illegality is no laughing matter, it’s important to remember that the president is trying to fix a lot of things all at once right now.
Everyone should remember to keep protesting, writing emails, and making phone calls to your local legislators to let them know how you feel, and to hopefully change things at the local level.
They call it grassroots for a reason!
Here goes Obama… being a good little politically correct Democrat again.
He’d have given his crusty V.P. a heart attack if he said anything different.
“I don’t know what that says about our online community…” Well, Mr. President, it “says” that we’re right, and that we’re not going away!
To whomever is reading this, I implore you to barrage this Administration with the “human element” and “collateral damage” aspects of this failed War on Weed. This is about PEOPLE, and 20 million arrests is ENOUGH.
I’m not in a joking mood about this, and neither is the MAJORITY of my state of California. It’s not funny to me at all that thousands of lives are ruined, millions of lives are affected, and billions of taxpayer dollars are spent because of these hypocrite politicians and lobbyists.
Obama, here’s my questions to you:
“Why do you view marijuana users as inhumane criminals?”
I’m so dissapointed. After yesterday when the Obama administration (Senator Clinton) commented about how WE are fueling the mexican cartels. The obvious solution to some of the issues with this cartel violence is GROWING OUR OWN WEED! Come on president Obama, Clinton set you up to tell us that we were going to start growing and legalizing marijuana to stem the violence and give us the billions that go to mexico instead of sending our guns, money and countless lives to these DAMN CARTELS!
He gave about 3 seconds to say no to our 1400+ votes/questions… What a let down- Fox news just covered the growing violence in Mexico and how the US is preparing for the worst in terms of total loss of government there to drug cartels. Will he ignore us when we have thousands of refugees crossing our borders? Will he continue to ignore the obvious- that this war is a product of our own doing. It’s time to take the power back. Enjoy you’re one term Obama. Your fucking out.
Thank you norml for saying what so many of us wanted to and did,even though it fell on deaf ears.Now what do we do?I love my home but I do not want to live this way!!I want to live in a free country. Any suggestions?
OK Paul, I JUST got home from the doctors-where HE laughed at ME when I suggested Marinol, at LEAST, for my glaucoma, chronic ulcers, severe muscle spasms caused by frequent dislocations and fractures–all related to a genetic disorder I was born with. I live in a State where a congressman plans on introducing a bill for medical cannabis in the coming weeks: and where Allen can tell you-last night on a local newscast, the subject was all BUT laughed at. *I’M* NOT LAUGHING!!!
I”M IN PAIN, I”M GOING BLIND, and can’t take the eye drops because I’m allergic to them. 10 years ago I lost everything-my career as a healthcare professional, and my insurance which began a domino effect; beginning with my marriage, my home, my car, my children-and because of the latter-I nearly lost my sanity. Despite my deteriorating health, including a fight with ovarian cancer, I’ve pushed on. At 48yrs old, I would NEVER have guessed that in 2009, this valuable, medicinal, life giving, peace loving PLANT would STILL be illegal!! I’ve actually looked forward to the day where I could sit back, smoke a joint, LEGALLY, knowing that those magical cannabinoids that GOD PUT HERE ON EARTH FOR US, even constructing our own bodies complete with a receptive endocannabinoid system–were at work in my body helping me to heal,..in peace.
My fantasy is blown. Do you all realize what kind of effect this insane attitude that Obama portrayed this morning will have on those legislatures that are, right now,debating the possibility of legalizing cannabis? FINALLY?? We’ve come SO close, only to have this man WE BELIEVED IN, that we ALL believed would bring CHANGE–make a mockery of US??!!! A mockery of the suffering that MILLIONS are going through just waiting for the day we can have some HOPE??!!
uuhhmm..wasn’t “HOPE” a pillar of Obama’s campaign??!!
You know folks, I’m REALLY starting to believe that this man is just ONE MORE, bought and paid for, instrument of the almighty dollar, and ONLY the almighty dollar.
Maybe we should REALLY get to him where it WOULD make a CHANGE. A *CHANGE* in poll numbers, support of his other policies-most of which are all leaning towards the corporatocracy anyways.
Obama just DOESN’T “GET IT”. And I for one, am sick and tired of being laughed at, trodden on, and lied to by politicians, owned by special interests.
I’m calling Caseys and Specter office as soon as I’m done here. After that, I’ll start writing-to everyone I can. I REFUSE to continue to support a president who LAUGHS at the suffering and VERY hard work of others.
My fantasies about “CHANGE” are gone, the bubble has burst.
sorry folks–a rather emotional issue for a sleep-deprived woman in extreme pain right now….Keep up the GREAT Work Paul, Allen, and everyone else. I may be giving up on Obama, but NOT this cause….
elaine
I agree it was very disrespectful! Maybe Mr. O doesn’t realize that responsable marijuana smokers are a huge part of his working middle class that put him in office and with this kind of attitude can try to vote him out next term. Mr. Obama it’s time to sit down and talk respectfuly about marijuana legalization. We are not a bunch of hippy pot heads. Marijuana prohabition hurts more than it helps. Before Prohabition now one got hurt or killed over weed. It only became dangerous when it became illegal. I thought President Obama was smarter than this?
This is an opportunity to take the high road in this debate (no pun intended). If the legal MJ movement can keep its own house in order they have a chance to do to the prohibitionists now exactly what Obama did in the election – presenting a mature, fact-based, well-reasoned argument prevails over preaching and hysteria in the end.
I think we deserve an apology. NORML- please support and publicize a national letter writing campaign so that maybe we can make it clear: we demand respect.
Also, he didn’t even explain why it’s not a good idea, which he does with pretty much everything he talks about, so that leads me to believe that he knows it’s a good idea but he’s too scared or possibly he doesn’t want to be seen talking about this now while he’s trying to get his budget through. But to completely dismiss it with no conversation whatsoever is troubling.
once again the politicians have used us to get elected.pot legalization is a non-issue to these pin heads in washington. the drug war will continue. the prison systems will keep locking up pot smokers. the drug dealers will keep getting richer and the status will remain quo. we live in a country that wants to control every part of our lives. the suits in washington and in the corporate world are one big country club of shit. it is a real sad view of our world that they want us all to be part of.this is another sad day of many ahead. we as taxpayers and hard workers are just pawns in this government! we are not really the home of the free. the DEA busted another medical marijuana dispensory in san francisco. this is the future…sad…so sad
I can’t believe that anyone believes this government cares about what the people want. There is only one party, and it has been this way for years. That would be the banker party. If you believe that the government is for the people, and of the people, then you haven’t studied history or even current politics. We haven’t had a real president since Andrew Jackson. Okay, Kennedy did try and be one, but that didn’t last for long. War is here already, that is what the bailout is all about. It is a war on us. They do know what they are doing, they are not ignorant of what is going on. If you believe differently, then you are delusional.
I absolutely cannot beleive the ridicule from this man toward us. Thanks alot for your consideration in this matter Mr. PRESIDENT!!!! You just proved what kind of president you really are. You disrespected us and you tried to humiliate us, My vote will surely go to the other candidate next election.
Wether or not you think it is a good strategy to help our economy grow, the majority of your fellow Americans do.
When I heard this guy’s answer today, I said to myself, that sounds like a George Bush answer….
I think Obama is taking baby steps on this one. He just eased off the medical shops in Cali. I dont think he wants to make all the conservative republicans filp out if he straight out supports it. Politics….pfft.
Maybe he won’t think this issue is so funny when we choose not to vote for him in four years. What does that say about your “on-line audience” Mr. President? You sure needed us and our money when you were trying to get elected. Change? Really? looks like more of the same to me.
Oh yeah, and why did a San Francisco dispensary get raided yesterday? I thought we weren’t going to do that anymore.
Mr. President, millions of americans succumbing to the horrors of the criminal justice system for their recreational drug of choice is no laughing matter. This issue deserves the attention and respect that was given to the other questions. On the upside, the anchors at both MSNBC and CNN were noticeably upset at the President’s response to the publics question.
It most definitely is not a laughing matter! And I am having trouble supporting his initiatives now knowing his genuine feelings are in favor of PROHIBITION!
This war (on a plant) is unjust and highly immoral!
I think it is time to rally we need to march on D.C. AND STATE CAPITALS. We need to let the powers that be know that we are here and want prohibition to end NOW.
This is not just about getting a buzz it is about where we want our tax money spent and how to get the black market and the drug cartels out of it and regulate it so kids don’t have the access to it and medical need patients do, that industrial uses can be explored and taxes can be collected to help the national debit brought down.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE DEFINED BY CHEECH AND CHONG (no offence to tommy and cheech) WE ARE HARD WORKING VOTERS AND WANT HONEST AND SERIOUS DISCUSSION.
WE ARE NOT A JOKE
LEGALIZATION, TAXATION, REGULATION
FREE MOTHER CANNABIS
In a previous post here on NORML, this was said: “one e-mail represents 100 people. one letter represents 500 people. one phone call represents 500 people. one personal visit represents 1000 people”
There are 300 million people in the US. 3 million people voted in the online town hall meeting. According to my math, those 3 million people represent our ENTIRE population. So if marijuana law reform was among the top questions, that would mean that it is a top question of the entire country. I dont understand the reluctance of Obama to address the issue, and I dont understand, if he is so smart, why he cant see how big of an issue it really is right now.
I agree, it is no laughing matter. He asked us what we wanted to see done, then laughs at a legitimate concern. Correct me if I am wrong, but is that not against the whole scope of the reasoning behind asking the American people what we want to see change? I am an Obama supporter, but this threw a splinter into the mix…
Legalizing Marijuana wont help the economy?? That is so funny because its so not true!!
Marijuana is a cheap and effective medicine, you can use hemp for clothing, paper products, fuel, housing, food, and various other products that we need in our everyday lives. We spend 44 billion dollars a year on Cannabis prohibition, when in fact we could be making 30 billion dollars a year in revenue, create millions of jobs for growers, manufactorers, and distributors.Cannabis prohibition is responsible for 1 our of every 3 prisoners in our jail cells. And these aren’t drug dealers folks, these people are in jail for possession charges. Cannabis even replenishes our topsoil, so our crops could reap the benefits.
And why is this amazing plant illegal? Because it is nearly impossible to regulate and tax something that is FREE.
Obama, you let down millions of pro marijuana advocates. For shame.
Obama was my hero until today. We had George Bush. One of the most fanaticle right wing nutts of our time as president. He pushed his agenda without a second thought about what the left thought. Now, we have apparently the most “liberal senator” as our president now. He wont even back his own agenda. It just shows he is trying to pander to the right still. Even though George Bush didn’t care what the left thought. Obama seems to care what these right wing nutts still think.
My vote for the next term will not go to Obama, it will go to republicans, because at least with them, they stick to there guns.
The people will not go away quietly!
Change will be made!
I think it says alot about an administration that made us believe in change. Obama played the game and did it well but when all is said and done he’ll still be just another politician who speaks for votes. The only reason he’s president is because of people like me and he completely disrespected my beliefs without even having a reason to back it. He has just made me feel like my opinions are unfounded and spoken out of complete ignorance. I don’t think i’m alone on this but Obama needs his base to be positive and support him in order for his ideas to succeed. He turned his back on me and conformed to become everything he said he wasn’t. This article is absolutely correct… Sorry Obama, this time the joke’s on you. Good luck you’ve lost my support.
yea obama is full of it also hes a puppet for the new world order the truth will set you free
a step too far, as i see it. This spectacle prompted me to send the following email to the president:
Mr. President,
I must say that I am sorely disappointed in the manner that you dismissed the various marijuana questions that were posted and ranked #1 in terms of votes in several of the categories listed for the online town meeting this morning- categories, incidentally that you avoided addressing at all.
This is not a laughing matter. Millions of our children and fellow citizens are being arrested and incarcerated every year for a crime that is only such because of outdated and racist views held by our political establishment. Prohibition has done nothing to curb the demand and availability of marijuana- as any teenager can tell you, it is a lot easier to obtain that a bottle of liquor would be (for some reason drug dealers do not seem to be interested in any sort of age enforcement). What it has done is swell the ranks of incarcerated, non-violent offenders in our jails (swelling our budget deficit to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars) and boost the bank accounts and financial wherewithal of criminal enterprises.
Neither myself, nor I daresay the majority of your constituency who feel passionately about this issue are asking you to agree with us. We are asking that you treat us with the same amount of respect and dignity that you would accord to any other sizable constituency lobbying or supporting another issue. Ultimately we expect that you provide a fair forum for debate and the dissemination of corroborating evidence, and in the end make decisions based on evidence, not political factors.
I have been a supporter of your career and campaign ever since your debut on the national stage at the democratic convention in 2004, throughout the primaries and the presidential campaign and since. Unlike the other party’s base, this is not unequivocal, blind support. This is support which was gained by your intellectual prowess, your amazing ability as an orator, your demeanor, and an overall agreement with you on most issues.
All that I am asking of you is that you treat all of us equally, giving us the same opportunity to state our views and make our case for such, regardless what those views may be, and whether or not you agree with them.
Thank you,
I don’t like how he gives any reason behind being against legalization. Why can’t he atleast admit there are positives behind legalization? What’s the point of opening up that site for questions if he’s not going to adress in alittle depth the top issues?
Looking more and more like just another politician.
personally i believe that he would not say yes given the fact that this whole questions and answers thing was meant as a way for him to sell his economic plan and budget and that he would in no way endorse anything that is not in his proposed plan. ANYTHING outside of his plan or that could overshadow his plan would be considered a joke and/or absurd. But on the brite side almost anything in the media about our cause is a definate plus in my book, it only extends the topic. im sure there will be comments throughout the media about this and more conversations will stem. What we need is to get our own marijuana sleeper cell candidate lol
I was pretty hopeful for once-I expected no reply at all. This was much worse.
The town hall can certainly laugh all they want. Yuk it up, President Obama. You just encouraged each and every one of us to put more pressure on you than we ever would have until you actually deal with this issue.
This is very disappointing. For someone who usually seems to be well educated on all major social issues in our country, the President has really dropped the ball on this one. Not to mention how insulting it is to be scoffed at as an unimportant simply as a supporter of fair and reasonable drug laws.
i think that was VERY DISRESPECTFUL to laugh at 3 million people it was one of the top questions so WHY would he shrug it off after all he smoked marijuana when he was in collage so next time he wants your vote mabey we should just laugh at him!!!!!
Wow…OBAMA makes jokes at our voted questions… Not a 1 liner answer but laughs at the American people for their thoughts.I Voted for Obama, i held Obama signs on the cold Dec. street corners of Oklahoma City during his election. I’ve lost all respect for Obama now. I say we fight ever bill OBAMA brings up from here on out, He cares nothing about the Will OF The People,Freedom, locking people up and making money instead of spending money. I will be standing in someone else’s corner next time and fighting like hell to see that he does not get a second term. I thought he was about change and about the american people, I WAS WRONG, As i watch him laugh at our question, I really felt ill. Lets see who’s laughing next election.I’m NO longer PRO-OBAMA.
It won’t be a laughing matter if we march on Washington post-haste.
CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN !!
Typical assclown politician!
I am sure had he or the other past 3 President’s been arrested for possession (since one didn’t inhale or have sex with that woman) and lost student loans and subjected themselves to public humiliation and prosecution that goes along with our current prohibition, they wouldn’t think it’s funny then. I guess it is a damn shame that this prohibition we are under didn’t nail the past 3 Presidents we have had, because they sure wouldn’t have made to the White House under these laws. We would have been a lot better off as a country.
This is the guy that campaigned and said that the war on drugs is a failure. Sure is interesting that he likes to compare our economy and loss of jobs to the 1930’s, yet laugh at prohibition. I am glad I didn’t vote for him, I knew he would CHANGE his tune once he got elected. I hope this will stick in voters minds when he starts talking about re-election. He has certainly “discriminated” and disrespected a large group of our Nation’s voters (all races, ages and genders) today. Go have a cigarette now Mr. President.
This is very disheartening, also cynical. I don’t understand how can he laugh about it while he himself has smoked pot in the past. Would he have become the president if he got caught? He just got lucky, but somebodies’ else life got ruined. Obama=ungrateful, cynical, hypocrite!!!
How disappointing!!! He will never get my money again!!!
One more comment, before we hate on Obama too much – he plays the long game. He may be spurning the legalization community right now because he has higher priorities, like the economy, and it’s just too much of a political risk for him to take this on too, REGARDLESS of what he personally believes. So he may have hurt the community for now but we need to let cooler heads prevail and focus on the issue – let Obama focus on the politics. If we screw this up it may hurt our chances later.
I am disgusted and disheartened with the message the President sent today. NORML, do not think that by challenging the administration on this matter you will be in anyway biting the hand that feeds. Obama exposed his true political self today: “let us all laugh at the dumb potheads; we are so much better than them!”
He could have used the opportunity to say, “I don’t believe legalization will result in the economic boon that some tout it as, but there are many social issues that could be advanced by a reform in drug policy, something my administration is working on.”
Instead we got (ugh) “more of the same”. I really expected more from a man I believe is smarter and knows better.
Resoundingly well said!
I hope that Mexican citizens are even more outraged by this than the cannabis community is. I’ve given up on the notion of “citizen participation” via their ridiculous websites. Work at change at the local level where you can still get the ear of your local reps. It’s obvious the guard has changed at the White house, but the same agendas prevail. Take our your frustrations at the voting booth. Considering there appears to be NO difference between dems and pubs, save for the special interests they choose to represent, may I suggest not voting for EITHER party next time around…
What I don’t get is why everybody fell for the idea that Obama would do something about this particular injustice. Hate to break it to you, but Obama is just another politician. You can’t trust him or Biden anymore than you could trust a rabid dog not to eat your face.
The fact that he’s poking fun at us doesn’t surprise me. I definitely think that the marijuana community deserves an apology. I just don’t understand what you all thought was going to happen. A federal level move toward legalization? Yeah, if this was a perfect world in which candidates could be trusted to follow the will of the people who elected them. But this isn’t a perfect world. This is America. The politicians have been screwing us for years. What did you expect to change?
Obama’s a crook. McCain would have been no better. But hey, we picked our poison. Prepare to drink it for the next four years.
When I first heard about the “Open for Questions” section of the White House’s website as well as this “town hall” meeting this morning, I have to say I was very elated at the fact that Obama was not going to be able to avoid the question regarding the legalization of marijuana. I am thoroughly disappointed in his remarks. One, he laughed this question off and two, I felt like he should have spent more time talking about this issue considering this was one of the #1 questions on the site. When Obama ran for President, he had a similar set up on his campaign website. And again, Marijuana legalization was the #1 question on his site. His staff dismissed this question at the time as well. I am more than disappointed with this administration at the current moment. I really had high hopes for Obama as far as making significant change. It’s time to change our old barbaric ways and turn to science and reason. His dismissal of the issue really hit me hard. He reminded me that our society still is all about politics and not the well-being of our country. At least this has fueled me to speak out more about legalization and educate folks that are otherwise swayed by the media and big business institutions.
Dennis Kucinich in 2012!
I sent this to the president’s email. Maybe he will read it, doubt it will make a difference. Someone on NORML should draft something similar and post a link for people to send a letter to the president to the same effect.
My letter:
Mr President,
I, and many of my peers, voted for you. Congratulations on winning the election. We voted for you based on your attitude toward change, and your attitude toward hearing the voices of the American people.
What I saw this morning, your response to one of the highest voted on questions in your online town hall meeting, surprised, shocked, and disturbed me. I have also already spoken to several groups of people about your attitude toward the question and they are equally taken back.
When you receive an email, how many people does it represent? Does this email only represent me or does it represent the ten people I have spoken with? Or does it represent even more? I was once told that an email to the president represented roughly 100 people’s voices.
You said 3 million people voted on the topics nominated BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE for the virtual town hall meeting you held. By my count, that would mean the number of voters actually represented the entire population of 300 million Americans.
So if I understand this right, 300 million people were represented, one of the TOP discussions was reform of marijuana laws, and whatever number of votes that discussion got, multiplied by 100 are the number of Americans you chose to laugh at this morning.
We thought you meant what you said during your campaign: ‘Yes WE can’. It appears now that you meant ‘Yes I can, if I’m not too busy laughing at your foolish ideas’.
Do you really think that we are not smart enough collectively to know that marijuana law reform WILL in fact improve our economy? Are the Americans that elected you to ignorant to know better? Is that how you got elected, ignorance?
Mr. President, we the people are responsible for your presence in the white house. We were smart enough to choose you as our president, are we not smart enough to have our voices heard now?
I haven’t figured out where your reluctance to address marijuana is coming from yet. But I know that we wont stop fighting for reform. If it means giving you the boot in 3 more years so that someone else will take us seriously and not laugh at us on a national stage, so be it. At this point it seems that your loyalties do not lie with the Americans that put you in power. I hope you realize the number of voters you laughed at this morning before the end of your term. You still have time to apologize.
Good day.
why arent you allowing my comment? you guys know its a good one!
god watching that video of his response makes me nauseous
@ orion.
Your not the only one man, the new world order will not prevail due to a useful tool called the internet.
most norml members probably voted for this ignoramus
All he had to say was, “I acknowledge this important subject and will begin to explore the possibility of utilizing this very versatile plant to solve many of our current challenges such as bla, bla, bla…” We know how it can save the world so let us try!
Yep! He is a pompous ass, and I’m being kind. What he said today is that we are all morons and he knows best! His view on this is completely and founded igorant!!!!!!! He can count my vote gone! How the hell do we get this in teh mainstream media?
This just goes to show when it comes to being fully open minded about articulately discussing any issue, Mr. O simply is not there…..yet. I think he needs to be pushed by the American people- HIS BOSS. Maybe one day there can be a very large, organized and well spoken rally with intelligent people on capitol hill. The time needs to happen….and I don’t know how much longer I can see news reports deamonizing a harmless organic plant and generally consistenly downplaying dwi’s or drunks on mainstream news outlets. And Im tired of people relying too much on the government and not being skeptical enough! Believing the majority of what they say…someday. Someday soon!
Viva La Revolution!!!
Let his response be his downfall. Get more active than before. Marijuana reform is in the spotlight, at least for the week. Seize the opportunity, educate, get more active. I support Obama on many things, but this upsets me to my core. If any of you get polled, drop his approval rating, like it’s a 2 ton brick. I can only hope that an MMJ using cancer patient is at his next town hall meeting.
I am sorry I supported him. I wish he would haul his skinny little ass down to the mexico/us border and try laughing at the mess that this prohibition is creating.
And by mess is mean the beheadings and kid nappings. Yeah that’s really funny you jack ass.
I hate politics. I think they suck, but I’d be happy to discuss them with somebody.
Here is some info:
http://www.thenewamerican.com/files/Freedom_Index_110-4.pdf
It ranks Senators and Representatives on their constitutional votes. Check out the difference between Ron Paul and Obama’s scores. Now, do you really think that Obama has the constitution in mind when he legislates? Based on this info? Really? He’s sworn an oath to it twice. 3 times if you count the botched one.
Honestly, I don’t care who you voted for or what your political beliefs are. I just think it’s interesting that Obama got elected president AFTER he voted this way. Hell, people, he SAID he was against legalization. People with dispensaries in CA will have to watch their backs even more now.
Sigh… well, enjoy the next 4 years.
To quote a great leader of our time “We just need to vote.”
Every time a town hall comes up, vote. Vote for the questions that are most important to you. Vote for what you think is right.
In the meantime, write, call, and visit your state and federal law makers.
Make yourself heard. No one’s going to come to you and ask your opinion. Tell them what’s right. Educate people. Yell, scream, and holler from the roof tops if you have too.
The attention that this issue’s gotten over the last few weeks is not coincidental. It’s people talking. Talking, discussing, arguing, debating. It’s YOUR job to create the dialog, and you’ve been doing a good job.
Keep it up. Keep asking questions, keep showing the truth. The longer we’re ignored the louder we’ll get.
Well, I think he is just hoping this is going to go away. But I have news for him! When you laugh at me, it just makes me more determined. I though he might be a two term president, but if he continues this, he will not get my vote in the next election. I think he is afraid it will ruin him politically if he were to come out and really speak his mind. He’s simply taking the easy road on this topic, but we need to keep the pressure on!
Very lame.
I simply can not believe he laughed at a serious question, as our president he is suppose to care about what we consider important. I honestly lost a great deal of respect for him.
He definitely didn’t explain himself at all. He beat around the bush just like every other politician that has tried it (marijuana), but doesn’t support it just because they think it will keep them in office. If this country is such a democracy, then why isn’t the majority being heard? I hope that when NORML puts the ads on TV that they tell the masses how to voice their opinion. Not just by donating money, but also by writing letters and emails, and by informing supporters on how to be more proactive in general. This isn’t going to change unless everyone that wants it, does something about it. It’s like they say about voting: ‘If you don’t vote, then you have no right to complain about the government’. The same with this, complaining to your friends isn’t going to get you anywhere. You have to do something about it. It’s our right as Americans to vote on who is mayor, and the judges, and the governors, and the president. It’s also our right to encourage what laws are introduced and passed. Let’s do this people…we are closer than ever before. I don’t know what everyone else thinks but this seems like the best chance we’ve had in a long time and could potentially be it for many more years depending on the next person in office. Tell your friends, to tell their friends, to tell their friends to go onto this site and write to their state politicians.
What are you waiting for??? GO!!!!!!
Im really upset by the lack of respect by Obama after asking Americans how they feel and when they tell him its nothing moe than a joke,,,the majority of the people who visted his whitehouse website was in favor of legalizing marijuana and the majority probally voted him into office,,,
I lost alot of respect for the man I voted for!!!
This posted at Thom Hartmann.com in the Hot Topics Thread:
Obama Jeers Disrespects those who would legalize Marijuana at Today’s Webcast
So I need to explain myself for starting this thread. Today on the Obama webcast, the President addressed all the questions which were rated per numbers of votes.
He almost did not even address the question, then he did- but in a disrespectful way.
He did not even know the issue. He does not understand the connection between the desire to keep this herb illegal and the Drug Cartels we are having problems with that murder anyone who undersells marijuana.
He does not understand the uses for medicine, food, and other products hemp and marijuana provide. He was laughing at the notion in a belligerant way.
We must educate our legislators. I called a few today in light of this and asked they swifty bring the president up to speed- just as we did on nuclear power- and the bankruptcy bill- where I have seen even an effortless phone call to his office finding an ear that did listen and learn.
SO as much as I love our new president, we need to keep working on our own.
Paul, it’s well written POV’s like this that keep me supporting NORML…well done.
Also, cable net G4 is doing a tribute to 420 again this year…they say last year was their HIGHEST RATED day in history…let’s support their effort to make cannabis a bigger part of mainstream American popular culture.
I found it disheartening that President Obama sidestepped the question that was voted on by his constituents. I voted for the guy and still support him, but answering a legitimate and serious question that effects millions of Americans with smug laughter is disrespectful.
Posted over at Thom Hartmann.com in the Hot Topics Thread
If Tom Ammiato’s Bill would pass in California, we could tax the herb and yield an estimated annual one billion dollars. Please educate yourself on it before disrespecting the issue. This would reduce significantly the Mexican drug cartels and keep medical doctors out of jail. Do you outlaw clover on your front lawn. Do you have any background in herbal medicine. Your response today really offended me. Read Dr. Sperling’s book Rebel with a Cause. Marijuana has shown a big part in healing cancer. Stop making fun of the idea of making fun of legalizing marijuana and at least educate yourself on the matter or put in place. I’ll tell you what to laugh at- Clean coal.
You have the audacity to tell us herbalists what does and does not cure cancer when you are supporting the ficticeous clean coal that does? If the nation won’t allow marijuana, then be intellectually honest and prohibit alcohol. Eric Holder came out and said there would be no more federal raids in California and sure enough there was another raid at a medical marijuana club in San Francisco just a few days ago.
We have a problem with Western Medicine in general, I doubt many would have need spinal taps or unnecessary surgeries or additctive pain killers to mask their true health problems.
Maybe NORML should run a TV ad showing obama laughing at all of the facts/figures in this article. (mexico violence, prison population, casualties, gangs, cartels) hell lets include a picture of his brother getting arrested. What a disrespectful unprofessional ass.
the first time i heard of norml. I laughed, they approached me at a concert i believe, and I took the marijuana leaf sticker, becuase i thought it was cool. it is years later, and im not laughing anymore. Im impressed with the organized push, toward reform that you all have orchestrated. And your ability to continue toward greater results from our govt. despite all the criticism, and backlash from those who are afraid of change. kudos, and keep up the good work, it will in time.. ( ihope) pay off for all of us.
I voted for Obama hoping that the archaic drug laws in this country would be changed. Looks like Obama is doing what Clinton did. Obama does have a funny way of laughing at things he does not want to deal with.
Jim.
He just lost my entire households votes. Hopfully the Republicans can win next time if the choose Ron Paul as their candidate because that’s the only person I’ll ever vote for from now on
I actually feel insulted. for once in my life I actually feel insulted.
We might consider thia another gaff just like the Special Olympics statement and get him to invite us over to the Whitehouse and perhaps put a little of this natural herb right into the vegetable garden.
He might have at least demonstrated knowledge of the issue and not some juvenille joke.
norml should have posed the questions and then directed people to vote for those rather then asking people to make one up themselves. The dumbed down question gave Obama an easy out
Can we sue him for the lies?
I really didn’t expect Pres. Obama to give us much on this subject. However, I did think that we would be treated respectfully. I did expect the subject to be taken seriously and that we would not be treated as the stereo-typical ‘pothead”.
My support for the president is now in question. I did not vote for him because I thought he would legalize cannabis, I voted for him because I believed he would at the very least study the issue and open it for political discussion. Not reticule the very voters that put him in office.
If the online town hall meetings continue, we need to keep asking the questions. We need to stay in his face and let him know that “we the people’ will still be here, believing as we always have until our fight has been won.
Damn Mr. Pres….dude you really let me down!
On the behalf of the intellectual community that knows the facts about marijuana, I know offer my response to Mr. Obama: The answer is no, you are not the intelligent reformer we had hoped you to be. You did not even address any of the issues related to marijuana legalization. You thought it was more appropriate to make a joke of it, to the delight of your brainwashed, corporate controlled audience. Clearly, you had no problem leading on the anti-prohibition movement enough to get them to support you over John McCain, but you have now proven yourself to be, on this issue, not a man of his word, not a man of substance or intelligence. And you’ve provided very little change any of us can believe in. I say very little, because at least the Attorney General has vowed to end federal raids on medical marijuana dispensaries, which is still more of a concession than John McCain would have given us. However, now that we have forced to finally make clear where you stand on the issue, it is time for us to make clear where we stand with you. Our answer is no. We will not support you for re-election in 2012. You have blown any chance of obtaining that support with your ill-informed remarks today concerning the great travesty to democracy that is prohibition. My only hope now is that you don’t completely destroy the economy before I can vote for Ron Paul in 2012.
Wow, obviously his agenda wasn’t to really address the issues that citizens have. He used the internet and technology to push his own agenda.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
from the front page of yahoo.com
i watched and turned off as soon as the people around him started laughing. I was so angry. The people around him laugh and then go home and drink alcohol. Hypocrite’s, I voted for Obama and ever since he has made me regret my vote. All hes trying to do is have these meetings to get you on his side, by falsely making americans think its still their government, well numbers speak for themselves. If it was still our government people would not be put in prison for committing non-violent crimes. Obama “im gonna restore the constitution”, reality is we are not a government for the people and by the people, and haven’t been since the fed highjacked our government in 1913. Get informed on whats really going on behind the scenes, and lets take back our government.
i watched and turned off as soon as the people around him started laughing. I was so angry. The people around him laugh and then go home and drink alcohol. Hypocrite’s, I voted for Obama and ever since he has made me regret my vote. All hes trying to do is have these meetings to get you on his side, by falsely making americans think its still their government, well numbers speak for themselves. If it was still our government people would not be put in prison for committing non-violent crimes. Obama “im gonna restore the constitution”, reality is we are not a government for the people and by the people, and haven’t been since the fed highjacked our government in 1913. Get informed on whats really going on behind the scenes, and lets take back our government.
you know what F*ck him. We’ll see how his next term election goes. I’de say he just pissed off a couple million voters.
I have sent three emails to the president. One with my personal thoughts. One quoting people here, so he can see I am not alone, and how detrimental his attitude can be to his presidency, and one linking to this page so he can continue to read the comments everyone posts.
Keep em coming people!
Mother Fucker grows it behind the White House
i am disgusted with this hypocrisy. i just hope he’s a one term president.
Its interesting how Obamas “transparent government” finds the will of the people humorous. Maybe i’ll be a transparent voter in 2012.
Come on!! For those of you who still really think he is making small moves and still believes it should be legalized… why did he promise to stop the federal raids and conveniently for him another one happened today in SF: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12000899?nclick_check=1
I never thought a man could break so many campaign promises in so little time. This will be your last term Mr. Obama.
Don’t blame me, I voted for Ron Paul!
this is ridiculous. if the president wants to know what the people want, then he cant just ignore them. when i heard about the open questions i voted for several ideas. after hearing his remarks, i lost a GREAT deal of respect for him. it’s not that marijuana should be legalized because it actually will work. but that his whole idea of asking the peoples’ oppinion was not at all what it was about.if president obama doesnt want to hear the people’s say then apparently he’s not the right guy for the job. if he continues with this, he can guarantee A LOT LESS votes for his next term.
Should have voted for Ron Paul.
people should really look on youtube and google videos for a free video called “The Obama Deception” its like (a full unsegmented) 2 hours, and will put things in perspective.
WILLACY COUNTY – Vice President Dick Cheney and Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. are tied to the GEO prison company because they both made money off the GEO group.
The indictment says that the Vice President has $85 million invested in a company called the Vanguard Group. The Vanguard Group has investments in prison companies such as the GEO group. The indictments states that the Vice President has a say in how much money the federal government pays those prison companies to house inmates. According to the indictment, it’s a conflict of interest because the more money prison companies make, the more money that goes back to the investors such as Cheney.
As for Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. the accusation against him is that he was paid to be a consultant for the prison companies and that he made a profit as a result of his senate office.
WOW just WOW, so very VERY disrespectful to all of us. I supported him to all my friends & family, not any more. Where can I vote to lower his approval ratings?
I feel deeply disappointed, animus and above all, I feel ridiculed. My heart aches at having just been laughed at by our president.
I now feel ashamed for having voted for him. I believed in “hope” and “change”. I now stand corrected by those notions. I’ve learned my lesson. I will vote independent next time around.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt this harshly slapped in the face before today. I’m simply dumbfounded. God…I feel so stupid for putting my faith in a politician.
I am offended and disappointed at President Obama’s response to our questions… and then making a joke of what we collectively think should happen is simply not ok. I am so tired of the same old attitude and stereotypes… I thought he was a fresh thinker, a brave new political maverick… Someone that could see past previously held beliefs and find truth… I voted for this?
I’d like to ask NORML to organize a good old fashioned “smoke in” on 4/20….only this time we can put down the bong for a minute and pick up the phone.
How about at 4:20 am and 4:20 pm on 4/20/09 we jam the white house phone lines?
We’ve got Obama for 4 years…he better consider the fact that he’s got us for 4 years too.
I think the problem is most pot usre dont want to get out and march because the cops are bigg enough dicks that they would follow some people to try and bust them , or their boss finding out and firing them.
Guess the only thing that can be done is to focus on state legislation, especially in California and Massachusetts, since this guy is apparently going to do nothing on a Federal level.
wow its almost 420 again…and nothings changed…
Why did we vote foR Obama again?
cause hes black oR bcause he USED to be a pothead???
Ron PauL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1012
I hope this sends a wake up call to all of you who voted for him, thinking that because he’s a leftist he will support your civil liberties and natural rights. Remember this:
He is a statist, and The State will always be opposed to the liberalization of society, the loosening of laws, and concession to individuals of the freedom to run their own lives. You either have freedom or you have The State, you cannot have both.
Personally, I think that those of you who voted for Obama expecting him to be principled and not beholden to the corporate interests that got him there are naive and deserving of this rebuke.
I say we take all these and find many more and send them all to his website hes a hypocrite and a jerk for laughing he lost all my respect obama dont be the next nixon …………
Organize. Write a clear, personal, error-free letter, check it twice, and send it to whitehouse.gov. So many of the suggested questions for Obama’s forum today were badly written, simplistic and not formed with the care we need to have to be taken seriously that I only voted for several. Here’s what I just sent him:
I’m a grandmother, and was a delegate for you, just organized my town to get 13% of the 1300 pledges gathered in WA state for you and ourselves. But today, you laughed and dismissed marijuana reform as if it hasn’t landed over 20 million people in jail or prison. As if the arrests and imprisonments haven’t ruined hundreds of millions of lives of family and friends of marijuana users. As if a urinalysis isn’t keeping millions of disabled people from even part-time work.
My brother’s a retired cop, he wishes it was legalized so they could stop wasting time going after pot smokers and deal with the crimes that really hurt people. I’ve read of entire associations of cops that feel the same way.
I had a stroke when my son was arrested. His wife and kid suffer the money lost to court and probation costs. But you know what makes him turn from a sweet caring man who works hard for his family to a dangerous beast who can’t get up to work with a hangover and remorse, Sir? Yep, you guessed it – alcohol. Alcoholism killed a grandparent on both sides of his biological parents.
Your dismissive and dare I say immature response was wrong. A natural drug that yes, makes some people lazy and eat too much, but yes, also relieves pain, has a strain that energizes rather than stupefies, helps people with life-threatening illness, and generally just does so much less harm than the alcohol you serve at your cocktail parties, is not that big a threat, Sir.
The biggest threat is the violence and death that results from keeping a plant that is non-addictive in the illegal column. You could end most of the violence at our southern border as well, with a stroke of the pen. I’m hugely disappointed in your response. You blew that, big time. I’m a Truman Fellow, a policy nerd, I’ve supported or at least accepted most of your proposals, but on this, I’m against you. I’ll keep organizing for the Top 3, but I’ll probably join, if not even help organize, a mass smoke-out and arrest on your front lawn. Being reasonable has gotten marijuana users nowhere, while alcohol flows, women get beaten, families ruined, and a drug war makes the funeral business the only secure work in town.
We really need to start planting our seeds everywhere. They want to laugh at us? Lets take our seeds and plant them in the neighborhood green areas. In parks, national forests, anywhere there is dirt. They call it “weed” for a reason. They want a war? Lets give them one. Let’s make it so difficult for them to keep up, they don’t have a chance.
(sure, most of it will end up being ditch weed, but its the principle)
I just have to say I am shocked. Today we watched Obama speak during my contemporary issues class, and to see how the people in the crowd laughed about legalizing marijuana, obviously that means they haven’t researched what it could do for us. Also the way he just barley touched on the topic with no explanation at all was really disappointing.
I am very appauled by the way this whole thing went down. Obviously if so many thousands of people voted on this specific question to be asked- people are concerned about it, and the way he just kind of threw it out like a rediculous question. . . . it seems like at that moment he felt under pressure from all of the people in the room, due to the fact that laughed at the question. So he hurried and switched the topic without going into an explanation of the pros or cons for either side! He should of at least given us a reason for why he was choosing not to change things.
i think his comments were bad for his voter base
CHECK TiS OuT
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
Change.org is running a petition that will be sent to Obama:
http://www.change.org/drugpolicy/actions/view/stop_marijuana_arrests
Sign it and tell your friends!
we need to start a list of all those who will refuse to re-elect Obama in 2012. We need our own candidate even if this is his only issue i for one will vote for them. Perhaps then it will dawn on politicians the size of this constituency.
I’m on hold with the White House comment line right now, so that I can express my disappointment in his handling of this question.
I have already written via the whitehouse.gov website, and I welcome anyone to take my letter and make it their own ( I listed under Congratulations rather than a question or comment ):
Dear Mr President,
I voted for you, but I also wanted to thank you for giving me the courage to speak out on issues I feel strongly about. I wanted to congratulate you on your exceptional ability to trivialize the waste and inefficiency the nation has come to know as the War on Drugs.
I want to reiterate the sentiments expressed by Jack Cole, executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition:
“Despite the president’s flippant comments today, the grievous harms of marijuana prohibition are no laughing matter. Certainly, the 800,000 people arrested last year on marijuana charges find nothing funny about it, nor do the millions of Americans struggling in this sluggish economy. It would be an enormous economic stimulus if we stopped wasting so much money arresting and locking people up for nonviolent drug offenses and instead brought in new tax revenue from legal sales, just as we did when ended alcohol prohibition 75 years ago during the Great Depression.”
I was shocked and disappointed to see your comments in relation to the Town hall question regarding cannabis hemp legalization.
The Schedule 1 Status of cannabis hemp as a completely dangerous and useless commodity is outrageous. It has many applications, including non-psychoactive lotions and ointments which have been shown through recent scientific inquiry to treat inflammatory skin conditions without any affects on the brain.
The negative impacts of marijuana on the users and our society are only be made worse by our current policies.
Study after study, including the Shafer commission report has stated that criminalizing adult use of cannabis is only harming our efforts to keep it away from kids, deal with the real problems of addiction and invests billions of dollars into an illegal criminal market where murders are common place.
Addiction is a public health issue, and treating it as a criminal justice issue only exacerbates the negative impacts on society and the user.
Hemp as an industrial agricultural product has thousands upon thousands of applications, and we import hemp made products into this country including textiles, plastics and foods.
I don’t understand why our farmers are unable to take advantage of this highly renewable plant, and I’m shocked that you would like to continue to ban the cultivation of the plant our founding fathers used to their advantage in our revolution. Well, I understand it has to do with a corporate monopoly of the agricultural sector and a racist and unscientific passage of unjust laws only a few generations previous.
I guess, what I don’t understand is how we can still allow these laws to ruin peoples lives while supplying billions of dollars to murdering cartels and not stop to ask “Why don’t we try something different?”
I was at a local Town Hall meeting this last weekend, with my state representatives and took the time to express my questions about the effectiveness of the war on drugs. I received applause for my statement that these corrupt, wasteful and counterproductive policies need to be changed, just like you received applause for making a joke at the expense of those 300 Million Marijuana Convicts that have served time, lost educational opportunities and experienced suffering because of our War on Drugs.
Again, congratulations for being able to find humor in a situation so many Americans view as a travesty of justice.
Thank You
I went to the website left my name number and address here is what I put
I have a policy question, Why would you laugh at the legalization of marijuana when many people think its wrong that you did. Why would you make fun by laughing at “all the people online must be stoner’s” joke you have. I don’t even smoke pot and I found that very disrespectful. You can thank us stoner- internet people for helping you become president
thank you for your time,
Mr.Very ashamed
My grandfather used to say,”The reason weed’s still illegal is that pot heads aren’t violent enough.”
He of course was refering to the 13 year prohibition of alcohol vs the 70+ year of Cannabis Prohibition.
I am very insulted an actually cried when I realized that the dream I had for change in this country is a lie.
President Obama, you have just lost my vote, my families votes and any future contributions.
You are insulting and you lack intelligence. Your absolute ignorance on this subject is abhorrent.
This has got to end!!! TO everybody that red this comment…..We have got to unite….STOP HIDING. We got step up….If we all i mean everyone in the USA that is for PRO CANNABIS MUST GET TOGETHER AND START SMOKING OUTSIDE…..ON 4/20 IS COMING REALLY SOON……..LETS MAKE HISTORY ON 4-20-2009….LETS STEP OUT AND CONFRONT THE GOVERMENT AND CHANGE THE LAW.
REMEMBER WE CAN ONLY DO THIS IF EVERYONE GETS TOGETHER…..AND STOP HIDING
Excuse me but it wasn’t only Obama laughing, in fact everybody there was laughing at your naive attempt to legalize dope, and I must say people laughed rightfully so. I must say shame on you for wasting an excellent opportunity to be heard and make a difference. Now you are all laughing matter everywhere.
Here is the deal, and pay attention because this is good advice: You don’t simply ask to legalize and tax a recreational drug–which is what it sounds like when you utter any words in this regard. You have to give it a better spin and a better approach. Dope use for medicinal purposes is a old bone, so throw that away for another dog. We all have to think globally, in terms of preventing crime first, then in terms of treatment (both for addicts and terminally ill dudes), and ultimately to save money and resources so that these can put to work in better education, health and security inland and across borders. And listen to this: ALL DRUGS NEED TO BE LEGALIZED!! Forget about your recreational dope use for one freaking minute pals, if the right approach is taken, people will seriously consider drug legalization without laughing at yo like they always do. Then you marijuana will be included as part of the drugs legalized. The legalization of drugs could be an important matter to all, but nobody will ever pay attention to foolish opinions such as yours because you simply come across as dopeheads trying to get by easy and joyfully. So, please get a grip and educate yourselves, and keep your secret craves for later, for if you fight the right way your wishes will become true. Now go out and mend bridges and amend all the nonsense on this website so that it can truly educate its users.
Let me begin by saying that I have great respect for President Obama, even though I did not vote for him. He is taking risks, and juggling multiple tasks at one time. I’m not huge into politics, although I’ve been learning alot these last couple of years. I am a very BIG supporter for leagalization of any marijuana issue although I have not touched the stuff for over ten years. My line of work holds me hostage to random drug testing and the Federal Law. I feel like I’ve been sentenced or put on some sort of probation for nothing.
I have lived the last tens years by the law and yet I feel like a defendant the has just been living a guilty sentence before the trial even began. I have never given my employer a reason to drug test me. I produce quality work in an efficient manner with the level of professionalism my company expects. My attendence is impecable. My work is above average. And I get along with everyone. I expect the same in return from my company. Instead they make me pull down my pants and collect my bodily fluids while someone is watching. The company has 0 respect for the employee. First. I am not trusted to abide by the law and I am required to random drug test. Second there is an observer whatching urine flow from my body into the collection device because they dont trust that I will give an honest sample. And what warrants this? Nothing. President Obama has been working hard, in an efficient manner with the level of professionalism that I expect…. Until this morning when he laughed in my face. Are top execs. from AIG getting drug tested? Are members of congress being drug tested? Should you, Mr. President, be drug tested? Even though you made my life seem like a joke to everyone. I would not want anyone to degrade you like that. I ask you Mr. President to please open this subject up to a debate and not pass it off just as a punch line to some joke.
I watched this in the library when i was at school and was very disappointing when everyone laughed and Obama smiled as if he was a stand up comic telling jokes instead of the President of the United States. It pissed me off even more when he said “I don’t know what this says about our online audience.” Ya because only people who smoke pot use the internet right?
What did you think he was going to say? Public perception matters far more than what an individual believes in politics. There is no way he is going to get in front of the entire population and endorse marijuana law reform until the public accepts marijuana as being less harmful than they currently believe. He would be building a wall between himself and more than half of the population. He may fully believe that it should be legalized (I mean, he already admitted to using marijuana when he was younger. He must know that it’s not THAT dangerous), but he won’t let that be known. At the current rate, it seems that national acceptance of marijuana will be high enough in a few years to support legalization, especially with the recent developments in legalization of medical marijuana, and California’s and Massachusetts’ proposed legislation for legalization. The public conversation has begun, and in my opinion, the public needs to be swayed before you will ever convince a politician. That’s just the nature of the game.
More numbers next time.
I bet you wont get elected again for decieving the public
Given the state of the economy and all the legislation that Obama is trying to pass to fix this mess, the only way to answer that question was the way he did. The last thing he needs now is an issue like pot that the Republicans can go into hysterics over and ruin his agenda. Once things are settled on the budget and economy he can move to legalization… It’s all politics. Just be patient.
Ron Paul!
All you that speak out against the President’s answer are missing a very important point. The question was “if legalizing pot would create jobs and help the economy grow.
The answer to that is NO.
The President understands that cannabis law has to be changed. But at this point in time there are really more pressing issues to be taken care of.
So, lay off your hate for a while. The change will come.
Why are people so surprised, there was only one candidate running that would legalize and it wasn’t Obama, his name is Ron Paul, ya know the guy who has been warning us about the economy,want’s to really end the war and end the war on drug’s. Oh yea , I forgot he’s crazy.
This is why i didn’t vote for him.
The people should of voted for Ron Paul instead, he is th only one who hasn’t sold his country out like those other ass clowns.
I truly do believe if he were president, i think he’ll bring back propersity to our fading republic.
This is an example to us all. WE MUST ORGANIZE into a cohesive political UNIT> I VOTE FOR HIM, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM AFTER THIS, in fact I will aggresively Vote against him, and seek to sway all against him that I can. He has insulted us, and all those who have suffered or who have relatives who have suffered. Not to mention friends, do not think because our friends or relatives have been persecuted that there isn’t a meaningful, large constituency that will impact your re-election, or LACK THEREOF. This is similar to HIS large misstep against the VETERANS of this country, many of which support the Marijuana Reform Laws. He insulted them by stating they should pay with there own insurance, against there bills. He was attacked viciously and rightly so by the Veterans Organizations, WE SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME. No mercy, he has insulted, and angered us. WILL WE DO NOTHING? or will we make our presence felt for once, do not FORGET THIS, print this out, let this be our rallying moment to strike against the government, with out vote. Do not let it defeat you, do not let it get you down, strike back, strike with your voice, strike with your heart, strike with your vote. They will feel that in the deepest way. Create a list of all who are against this and have a drive to sign for those who will not vote for them. To show the enormous amount of individuals who are against this.
One possible aspect to consider. While I am sure we can all agree that what goes on behind closed doors we may never know what is said. I honestly find it hard to believe that he is not aware of all the votes that this topic receives. That said, maybe; just maybe this is actually being looked at and they are just not ready to discuss it yet. While Obama says he will not spend money or what not on this, he could be setting up a situation to where the individual states make their laws regarding this. I mean, if he scratches pot off the schedule I list, that should immediately open the doors up to the states to do what they want without having to deal with the feds. Maybe we are not being patient enough and things are being done about it and we have not been made aware of it yet. Time will tell, it wont happen over night. There are several other things going on right now that is taking precedence, which I am fine with. Regardless of what we say and post on websites, I dont see how the government can duck this forever. If the states continue doing what they are doing, eventually someone will have to look at this. There will be a time when we are the majority and not the minority. Eventually someone will look at this and say “There might actually be something to this, this many people cant be wrong.”
As one who has supported and defended President Obama I feel saddened and dissappointed at his jovial dismissal of the burning question ( no pun intended) of millions of pot smokers.
We have jobs we have families and we thought we were voting for change not oft handed laughter at a very serious question, I fail to see the humor.
He was so wrong for doing that. marijuana is less harmful than alcohol it should be legalized taxed and sold LEGALIZE!
The violence on the Mexico/US border is in the media all the time as well as states like California and many others now broke.
How about legalizing mariquana, collecting tax money for the states and federal coffers? And mitigating the violence at the border.
Obama talks change but there is no change..We need change and now!
It’s too simple!!! Legalize it…
I no longer support Obama. He is allowing this racist policy to continue going on. The story speaks for itself. This is your last term Obama!!
This is why I voted Ron Paul and NOT Barack “Phoney” Obama. So much for listening to the american public and science; or even having a real discussion. Lets make sure this doesnt blow over like they want it to.
we all must vote ron paul 2012 he will listen to what we have to say and wont think its a big joke
What a jerk! He will never get my sacred vote.
I wasn’t expecting him to say yes, let us legalize and tax marijuana. I was not, however, expecting him to completely disrespect the millions of people in this country who smoke marijuna like he did.
“I don’t know what this says about the online audience,”
You mean the same audience that helped put YOU in office? You could not have come across worse than if you said our voices and our votes mean nothing, which apparently they do not.
Mr. President, if you don’t want to hear what Americans
have to say, then DON’T ask us.
Gee, hard for me to support this Harvard lawyer any more. I have a disability and use cannabis, and this guy seems to be making fun of me and like individuals..and I don’t have medical insurance, either…no joke for me. Please tell me what the joke is Mr Obama…think about it while you have a cocktail party at the white house, or maybe when you sneak off somewhere in the whitehouse to catch a smoke to satisfy your nicotine habit. I’m trying to be positive, but..
High,
See #6 above—I wrote to the white House and shared my disappointment and concern. All of you, please do the same—it is easy and takes just a few minutes of your time. Tell it like it is–there are phone numbers as well. I will be calling from Amsterdam. We flooded the town Hall with our questions, so let’s use the e-mail, snail mail and phones to let the homey know we be real people who vote and all. http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Thanks to NORML for the rapid response—you guys are tops.
Barack Hu-same Obama. So much for change, eh? Where’s Ron Paul when you need him…
Digg this stuff guys, the public must know!
http://digg.com/politics/
Obama_Laughs_at_Marijuana_Issue_Ridicules_Online_Community
obama is a worthless political hack after all. shoulda known. who knew those crazy republicans could be right about something…
Now on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/caffertyfile
The question posed is:
Is it time for the US to legalize drugs?
Hey Jack C. isn’t laughing…already 3 times today on cable, the talking heads poked fun along wih our president’s tone.
I can not believe he made a joke of the question that ranked #1 in this poll and the 3 others he has held. I have supported Obama with my voice, vote, and money and I do not appreciate his disrespectful response. I am very disappointed by his response and he will loose my support in the next election if he does not change his tune and actions by that time.
High,
Marijuana is like SEX, even educated, concerned adults have a hard time discussing it in public without nervous giggling and pretentious bullshit!!!!
Strike One!
Whitehouse Phone 202-456-1111
I am taking his politically motivated response as a call to arms. I sent an email and a physical letter to the white house today voicing my displeasure with his comments. I also will be contacting my state representatives in the same way. This is not a laughing matter Mr President!
i am sorry for each of us, what a pompous phony hypocrite politician he’s becoming.
Mr President,
I am very disappointed and angered by your choice to dismiss the questions regarding marijuana legalization as a joke during your online “Open for questions” webcast. This is a muti-billion dollar issue that affects millions of people in our country on a daily basis. A large percentage of voters are interested in hearing your opinion on legalization and for you to belittle the question and dismiss it as a joke is reprehensible. If you have legitimate rational arguments against the possible legalization of marijuana please let the American People hear what they are. I have great respect for your oratory skills and I appreciate your viewpoint on many issues and I would like to hear the reasons you would oppose rethinking the failed marijuana prohibition.
I am not personally a marijuana user, but I do think it is time for a rational discussion on this issue to occur. I have a 14 year old daughter in her freshman year of high school and my perception after talking to her daily about her school environment is that marijuana is at least as prevalent in her school as it was in mine 25 years ago. There is no doubt that the current drug war policies have done absolutely nothing to change the supply or demand for marijuana. I also believe that there is no reason to expect any different results in the next 25 years.
It is time for the government to rationally and scientifically reevaluate the schedule 1 designation of marijuana. It is also time to end the snickering and winking type of mentality that you displayed yourself during the webcast and take the issue seriously. There are too many reasons relating to economics, basic civil rights and foreign policy surrounding this issue to laugh it off or dismiss it as unimportant.
It is my belief that the actual effects of marijuana as a recreational drug are less harmful to society than alcohol. In my opinion the costs and repercussions of the prohibition of marijuana are more costly to society than the actual drug itself. I also believe that the only way to decrease demand for it is to treat it as a public health problem and address it in a similar manner as tobacco. I believe that in order to make any difference in the way that the drug is perceived it has to be regulated and controlled and the only way to control it is through legalization.
Yup, Obama broke my heart today, no question.
I cancelled my membership on his website and when prompted to explain why, I did so explicitly, citing his flippant answer to the legitimate question at the town hall.
I encourage all of you who belong to barackobama.com to do the same. Remember, politicians live on donations and if they see their membership numbers drop, they’ll notice!
Well…
I’m disappointed.
Everyone, the only way to get anything done in this country, is to get offended.
Get offended, and let it be known.
At least Obama isn’t like other presidents we’ve had though.
I believe that if we show him the exact consequences of his actions, he will genuinely turn around, and listen.
After all, he’s the first president I’ve ever heard, say that the drug war is a failure.
Obama is a joke.
I sent a email to the President as well. I guess our voice is not loud enough yet. Really disappointed. Only two causes I have ever given money to: Norml and Obama. Wow, that hurts Barack.
Please, you all, don’t throw your vote away on Republicans! They will be just the same or even worse than the Democrats.
It’s been so obvious for so long: neither the Republicans nor the Democrats give a single shit about the American people. They’re only interested in enriching their banker buddies and keeping their jobs.
VOTE THIRD PARTY IN 2012!
This makes me kind of depressed. I wouldn’t have cared if he said no to legalization and actually addressed the issue. But, to laugh it off as if it’s a non-issue ugh. Every day on the news there is something about the Mexican drug war, and how Americans are responsible for creating that demand? Apparently, it’s our fault for using a perfectly harmless and benign substance but the lawmakers who keep it illegal are not to blame.
da ways he laughed was der same as he doded on de j leno we must be special olymipianz das whys wes sos funnys to hims…har har har!
I too was fooled by emty promises!Americans should be able to vote on these issues.I wonder what he would think if we didn’t pay any taxes and didn’t suport his stimulis package? WE THE PEOPLE what a joke! WE THE PEOPLE are going to have to protest.I mean everyone must come out of their closets and stand up for their WRIGHTS! AS AMERICANS WE OWE IT TO ARE SELFS!
What a let down!!!!! I worked on his campaign, he said he would hear the voice of people. The real joke is this “War on Drugs”, oh but nobody in Washington wants to talk about that subject. Damn it, I thought we finally had someone in office who cared:(
I’m never voting again.
Obama lost all of my respect today.
I’m not sure the Social Contract with
this country is worth it. Today will be
begin research into other countries to live.
How can I raise my children in a land where
Freedom is an illusion?
Where the government is an elaborate puppet show?
I cannot.
When something this obvious is laughed at, America, you know there is someone pulling the strings, somewhere in an office there are people getting paid to continue this ignorant “war on drugs”.
Sip your beer and ponder prohibition.
This is a step backwards, not forward.
Our government was highjacked long ago,
it is clear now that no push to reform marijuana laws will ever work.
No marijuana, no gay marriage, nothing you take to the streets for will ever be resolved. Until the Puppet Masters find a need. Transparent government is a lie.
Fair well America.
Maybe we will return one day,
when you awaken from your narrow minded torpor.
Don’t blame me, I voted for Chuck Baldwin.
Don’t blamce me… I voted for Ron Paul!
AMEN!!!!
He needs to intellegentlly defend why he feels that alcohol & tobacco are still legal and be in favor of keeping alcohol & tobacco legal when there is an organization specificly formed to treat the alcoholism desease call AA. He mentioned Tueday night that he likes to know what he is talking about before he speaks…. I would be very curious on his knowledge of the cannibas plant and its potential uses and why he felt to dismiss and ignore the positives of regulating it, but so quickly to condem it??? How can he logically and intellegently be in favor of keeping such a destructive product like alcohol & tobacco legal when they have NO health benefits and only increase the reasons why health insurance is so high and difficult to get for people who use them!? At least Marijuana/Cannibas/Hemp has shown to be beneficial economicly, medically and environmentally.
Short sighted and narrow minded. That’s how I would describe Obama’s comment (and position) on the legalization of both medicinal marijuana and industrial hemp.
I was moved to actually write a letter.
For those of you who wish to read it, here it is:
Mr. Obama,
I found your comments on the issue of legalizing marijuana and it’s potential impact on the economy to be unacceptably callous. It seems you are cow-towing to the establishment and enjoy pandering to the status quo for the sake of a good laugh.
By making a joke about one of the greatest natural resources available to us in terms of its medicinal and industrial uses is, at the very least, unimaginative and narrow minded. I might also point out the disrespect it demonstrated to a huge number of constituents that helped you become president in the first place.
I am a veteran who deals with severe chronic pain and am always incensed when I am denied an effective medicine to help me cope with my malady without the severe side effects that other medicines have (ie: kidney and liver damage, et al).
It makes me wonder why I came out of the disenfranchised-closet to support your election in the first place.
Why don’t you shake off the stigma that you so obviously have bought into on this issue and consult those with no monetary agenda (unlike the pharmaceutical companies and others).
There is also the issue of industrial hemp for manufacturing. Imagine (if you dare) a thriving textile industry producing some of the finest, bio-friendly, rope, cloth and paper from a renewable resource grown right here in our own country.
You may just dismiss this issue out of hand but, if you do, you will be missing an exceptional opportunity to do the nation a tremendous service.
As you probably know I could go on and extol the benefits of the decriminalization of cannabis from the positive effects it would have on so many issues, from helping to relieve overcrowded prisons to lessening the violence of the so-called drug wars.
I am skeptical as to whether or not you will take this criticism seriously or even read this message as I see very little interest in truly achieving the change you promised when it comes right down to classes outside your own on virtually every issue from education to healthcare. In a country where we are denied our choice of food, living in a land where whole raw dairy products are illegal (for no other reason than its availability would disrupt the profits of large dairy agribusinesses) and government agencies are out of control, dictating what we can or cannot eat, drink and wear, I am not surprised that so many folks are feeling powerless and disenfranchised.
Sincerely,
Stephen Hale-Garland, Rev.
This guy is making Bush seem intelligent and open-minded.
Fire him.
I am so disappointed in Obama right now. It was the “online audience” that got him elected so by blowing off this question it only makes me respect and support Obama far less than I had. Come on California! Looks like it is just up to the states now to make the rational decision of ending marijuana prohibition.
I know, we’re all annoyed. Griping about it here is all good and well, but don’t forget to write your senator, representative, state reps, and the big cheese himself. If you’re not much on writing, adapt the form letters from norml.org and mpp.org. Here’s mine from earlier today, feel free to pass it along.
Peace
Huck
Dear President Obama,
Why the giggles? In this morning’s “Open for Questions” dialogue, you laughed off the number one question posed to you by voters regarding legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana. My question to you now is: What’s so funny?
While it is difficult to make an accurate estimate, it is commonly cited that roughly half of American adults have used marijuana–yourself included. Recent polls indicate that more than 40% of adults nationwide–and 58-60% of adults in California–are in favor of regulated legalization. That level of support doesn’t seem like a questionable “online audience” to me. It seems like serious public support.
So who are all of these people? We are doctors and lawyers, scientists and aid workers, truckers and cashiers. Many of us, me included, don’t use marijuana. But we do see the monumental hypocrisy, waste, and utter failure of America’s “War on Drugs” as serious issues.
With the exception of a few hippies still hanging around Golden Gate Park, we don’t think that marijuana will save the world. We have, however, figured out that the federal government’s disingenuous anti-drug campaigns-—a la “reefer madness”, “the gateway effect”, “amotivational syndrome”, and my personal favorite, “men will grow breasts”—-are bogus.
Most of us are well aware that regular marijuana use, like regular use of alcohol or tobacco, is not a healthy lifestyle choice.
Most importantly, all of us also understand that responsible marijuana use by adults should not be a crime.
So, President Obama, what is so funny?
Sincerely,
Send your comments to the whitehouse:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
I’m kinda sad I fell in love with this guy. I’m disappointed after donating so much money to his campaign, I’m dismissed like a child. So much for hope.
This is what we can come to expect from a political standpoint from a president who is trying to keep two political ideals (conservativism and liberalism) happy in this time of economic struggle.
Quite frankly i am fed up with that kiss-ass type of system.
I am a Libertarian. I think that the philosophy of such ideal is a perfect one for ppl to adopt in these dark days that we face. It is really is a hopeful cause. Obama has lost my support.
Here is a number to the white house where you can leave comments. Call them up and let them know how you feel about being laughed off as a stoner stereotype.
202-456-1111
I am never voting again.
I lost all respect for Obama today.
great article..I saw the cyber town hall meeting and was very dissapointed about mr. presidents “laughing” and basically mocking me and millions of other regular cannibus users.
You laughing at me FUCK YOU lire. He said right before he started that this is a unfiltered way for the people to talk to me and ask me questions. Then right before he laughs at all of us he says we prescreened these questions ummm oooookkkkkkkk FUCK YOU AND I’M OUT tired of being lied to by the people that have are lives in there hands and I really really don’t like being laughed at
Damn…I am furious. Where is the “change” we voted for? Where are the scientific underpinnings of this administration’s policies. I dont expect to be laughed at on a serious matter. I’ve lost all respect for our new President.
Just watched the Cafferty file, not bad. Except for one idiot from Kentucky. No offense to KY, I’m originally from there, but some of their citizens aren’t the brightest.
CHANGE??? YES WE CAN ?? Yup..” YES WE CAN ” fool those people. “CHANGE” No we won’t suckas . Come on Obama . even if you weren’t thinking at the time you said what you did .. this is SERIOUS and Logically come on. it should NOT BE ILLEGAL .. seriously. NO ONE ever died from an OverDose of Marajuania .. other pain meds have killed 1000’s of people.. You want to SAVE MONEY. legalize MJ and all states. towns and cities will save THOUSANDS OF dollars HELPING them out !!
how sad
Business as usual in Washgington. Doesn’t everyone feel screwed right about now. As for me personally I will begin my support of Ron Paul. If Obama emails me one more time regarding “His Issues” then he can screw himself. He contact the Senators and Reps if you want bills passed. Long time Dem leaves ship after Presidential slap in face.
I’ve never felt so defeated.
watch the “obama deception” and you will understand who obama really works for.
Lets impeach him i want champaign money back its sad to see his approval rating drop as low as bush’s so early in his term.
watch obama deception free on google or youtube,
What are we as Americans supposed to think, when our President laughs at common sense. What happened to policys made from facts and science Mr. Obama? This doesnt sound like change to me.
Everyone want the easy loophole to this shit? Look up the laws regarding the use of homeopathic medicines. Plants medicinal properties do not fall under the jurisdiction of the FDA. In other words a plant that can be used medicinally is ours to use freely as we see fit. If they won’t listen when they ask us, I say it is time to take to the streets, light up on the courthouse steps, in DMV, every government institution shall smell of our demand until are freedom is returned!!!!!
Very nice. Critical review is one thing but calling the president names serves no purpose whatsoever. We are all disappointed but we need to approach this situation in a mature, adult manner or else nothing will get done. Votes put him in office and votes will get him out. I can personally deal with a lie but hipocracy is one thing that I can not tolerate. He knows there is nothing wrong with the consumption of marijuanna but wants to cater to the people who say they don’t want it legal yet smoke in the privacy of their homes. What a crock! The facts will surface sooner or later.
what the fuck obama? nice way to stab us all in the back. Isn’t the online audience the ones who made him advance and win in the polls? hmmmm sounds a little strange. but that’s why i voted Nater. haha just a bunch of bullshit. we will find our way if not le resistance.
in the very last sentence of the article, click on the “Obama.” Write the president!
I don’t know why I had even the remotest hope that Obama would be just as open minded and thoughtful about this as he has about everything else.
I’m one of those “internet users” he was ponderously referring to and I’m fucking insulted. I’m sick and tired of having to hide a signficant part of my life for fear of being fired or ostracized as a junkie or a criminal. I’ve actually lost friendships based on the mere knowledge that I smoke pot and even though we were friends for almost 20 years now I”m just a loser druggie that shouldn’t be around anyone’s kids. And that’s largely due to government propaganda that is just a big pack of fucking lies.
Maybe we all need to march down to DC, all 40 million of us, on July 4 and show him what a bunch of loser burnouts we all are (not).
NORML and other pro-marijuana organizations need to raise holy hell in the mainstream media over Obama’s ridiculous reaction to the highest voted questions for his online town hall. The seriousness of this issue, its impact on lives, the economy, and personal freedoms, needs to be brought to the forefront so that the average apathetic American realizes this isn’t just about burnouts wanting to light up, that there are real costs to prohibition that directly and indirectly affects them.
This is a copy of my post to the MPP website about Obama’s flippancy in regard to this very serious issue of marijuana legalization:
Fuck losing respect, he’s lost my vote. Marijuana is not the only issue that’s important to me, especially with the economy as it is, but as others have stated, marijuana legalization is not a joke. Millions of lives have been destroyed over the decades because of the illogical, unethical, and racist prohibition of this plant. He’s gotten my vote, he’ll do mostly the job I elected him for, but I don’t owe him anything more; he works for me, not the other way around.
There is a groundswell in the legalization movement, but it can peter out without coviction and fortitude. I’m sick of the bullshit ideology and politicization of the “demon weed,” and I’m not standing for it anymore. I am no longer going to hide my affinity for the plant. We as a group need to do a gut check–how important is marijuana to us? It may sound silly, but if it is important to you (as it should be for the multitude of reasons others have mentioned and that you probably already know about), then you need to speak up for it, give money to organizations such as MPP and NORML, go to marches and rallies, and send letters (not just emails) to your senators and house representative (and let them know they’ve lost your vote). There needs to be coordination between MPP, DPA, NORML, and other pro-legalization organizations to put together marches in the tens of thousands, to generate an email database of hundreds of thousands of people, as moveon.org did, to create a grassroots movement with the power to get serious attention.
I unsubscribed to Obama’s newsletter, and let him know why. I let him know he’s lost my future vote as of now. That’s not to say I’m going to vote Republican, that I wish for them to get back in power. It’s not to say that I don’t support Obama in his other objectives. What I am saying is that marijuana is important enough to me that I am willing to make it the only subject worth voting for, because without massive, coordinated political will (the way the NRA and labor unions operate and achieve their agendas), marijuana smokers will always be a joke only good for a laugh, and, oh yes, to put in jail. Bullshit to that.
Hi, legalizing weed won’t fix the economy.
It will help, but stop saying legalizing weed will fix all of the problems we have.
He also mentioned that he is a true believer in persistance on Tuesday night…. He must realize that just as determined as our ancestorial anti-prohibition supporters were in the past to get prohibition over-turned and still continue to do everything in their power to attain alcohol, that history is destined to repeat itself when you ingnore it and not deal with the issue intellegently.
Instead of spending bilions/trillions on fighting an endless “war” that was created by the government in the first place when they impossed a law that infringes on a persons individual liberty and trying to enforce it. They could easily and simply put regulations in place and actually reverse all that wasteful spending of tax payers money into generating revenue for the economy.
im just curious when you guys are gonna get it that our votes dont count. the country is controlled by higher-ups and they decide who wins. so he really doesnt give a rats ass if we vote for him next time around, he is only there to complete the agenda he was meant to do. the only way we will be free to do as we choose so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else or their property is to stand up and take that freedom like our fore-fathers did so long ago, but the people are sheople and will not unite untill things are so bad that we cant take it anymore. i am willing to die for my freedom if the time comes…are you??
contemplate this and prepare yourselves for the enevitable.
This shows an utter misunderstanding of the issue of the war on drugs. It’s hard not to think we’ve all had the wool pulled over our eyes. Granted the situation would be a million times worse had Obama NOT won, yet I can’t help but think now that maybe he’s not really for any of the change he promised. Let’s look at what he’s done so far. Other than the stem cell issue (which I praise him on), he has yet to really change ANYTHING. He’s all fuckin’ talk. He can’t even keep his promise to end federal raids on medical dispensaries. So laugh it up Mr. President. Just remember the people you are alienating are a good chunk of the people who voted for you (and more importantly, many who DIDN’T vote for you). I have a feeling this has more to do with politics than any actual moral disagreement; but in the end he still looks like an ass either way.
pres. obama invited me and my questions, then he mocked me and my question. where I come from, that is being a jerk!
i called my state senators and representative. i called the dncc. i called the whitehouse.
i’m not happy. criminalize tobacco, criminalize obama.
let him go to inner dc to cop cancer weed. get pinched, sent to diversion, counseling, drug testing, fines, etc.
oh yeah and i was like number 3 or 4 to post on here earlier and somehow my post is missing. why would my post disappear?? i hope it was accidental and not that my voice isnt heard here either lol
“I don’t know what this says about the online audience” Id say it says a hell of a lot more about the dumb ass who decided to ask the online audience
oh scratch that im a dummy it just was moved to like 89 lol sorry
“The body of a U.S. marshal has been discovered in Juarez, Mexico, according to the U.S. Marshals Service — the latest discovery in a wave of violence that has gripped towns along the U.S.-Mexican border in recent months. ”
‘A warrant had been issued for Bustamante’s arrest on charges of criminal theft of public property, Carter said’
Wonder what the” property “was?
Still laughing Mr. President?
obama doesn’t believe in gay marriage either . . . would that have been a joke.
What a douche! Only around 3yrs 8mons till the next election…Here’s my submitted letter:
President Obama,
I voted for you because I believed you would open a serious dialog on reforming drug policies, specifically in regards to cannabis. Our community does not appreciate laughter in response to a topic that we care deeply about. Regardless of the category used to frame our questions, millions of of Americans want a plant to be legalized. Again, please read out loud, “millions of of Americans want a plant to be legalized.” Why should a single person need to specifically ask for such a right? Why does a community of millions deserve to be ridiculed?
I apologize for bursting your bubble, but a good slice of your successful online community this past fall were stoners on their PCs. Every online poll you conduct will be filled cannabis advocates voicing their opinion, and every chuckle will only strengthen our cause. We are not second class citizens, and our questions should at least be considered and not simply waved off. Continuing with your dismissive strategy only benefits a 3rd party candidate in 2012.
Peace.
P.S. How is our cause any different from the countless civil liberty movements in this country’s history? An apology would be nice.
Yeah, and Anderson Cooper on CNN this morning was deriding the popularity of marijuana legalization saying that “those pro-pot websites have basically hijacked” meaning that pot smokers artificially flooded the site with pro-pot propaganda.
Where to start? Earlier in the week when I saw that President Obama was having this online press conference where he would be answering the popular questions submitted by us, I was estatic. I thought finally a President who will hear the people and their concerns. I knew that the Marijuana issue would be discussed but I never thought it and the people who want a reform in the laws preventing us from the responsible use of marijuana would be made a mockery of. In about 1 minute I went from being full of hope to totally crushed.
Being a person that voted for Obama, I feel cheated and lied to. For the past months we have all been promised change. I saw today that another Medical Marijuana dispensery was raided by the DEA in San Fransisco. I could have sworn that Obama had promised an end to these raids? I find that I have been asking myself this question often, WHY IS THIS ISSUE OF MARIJUANA PROHIBITION BEING LAUGHED AT AND MOCKED CONSTANTLY WHEN CANNABIS HAS SO MANY BENEFITS? To me it is such and easy decision to legalize it. I mean when you compare it to alcohol and nicotine, both of with have no medical benifits at all, how is this plant that has shown signs of having great benifits such as killing pre cancerouse cells, still illegal? I just can not comprehend the ignorance on this topic and being a senior in college, after today I lost a lot of hope in the future with Obama and his administration.
TIME TO MARCH TO WASHINGTON!!! WE WILL SHOW THEM LAZY? MARCH MARCH MARCH MARCH MARCHMARCH MARCH MARCH for your rights 7/4/09
Well eh…. oh yea, now I remember, he is messed up man, oh hold on, I have to take a toke…. There ya man, messed up I smoke weed and it has no effect on me what so ever, it helps me keep weight on from all the munchies and such… come on Obama-man lets roll and smoke to peace!
Another typical politician with no nuts. Just proves the prez really aint running the country.
People are so hurt by this… the way he dimissed it like it! This and his comment about how he “bowled like a special olympics person” are beginning to chip away his image of some one “for the people”. You just laughed at your “tech-savvy” country Mr. President… if someone laughed in your face and people clapped would you still vote for that person to be the controller of millions of lives?
Just when you think you get literacy in the government, you learn that history does repeat. Learn about marijuana’s history from how it became illegal (Seducing white women?!?) to its time now… your even African-American! (See why its racist by learning it’s history if you do not know yet!) Its embarassing for him!
Were deleting obama from all of our online social networking sites we would be happy if the rest of you did the same…
Still effective. It got air time. Regardless of “third rail” political guesturing on his part, this gets people talking and keeps the subject alive in the mainstream.
In some ways, he did us all a favor by creating outrage in his response vs glossing it over with some canned response about how it’s illegal for a reason etc.
Like all major paradigm shifts, you have to be willing to see how this profits you and work from the point forward.
The fact the DEA raided a dispensory in California today should have your outrage as a focal point since someone is obviously ignoring the mandate to back off.
He looked us all in the eye and laughed right in our faces…………. People need to donate to NORML and lets get people educated on cannabis and lets change the stereotypes people have towards cannabis TODAY!
That is fine. The next time he has ‘open for questions’ spam that shit so bad that the top 10 in EVERY category is “WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES DEMAND LEGAL CANNABIS” whether it fits in the category or not. Make it completely apparent that that is what we want, and we want it now.
Unless I was mistaken he said he would not legalize to fix the “economy”. That said,he didn’t say it wouldn’t be legalized otherwise. As you can probably see I am an Optomist,so be Positive. LEGALIZE
Damn…I knew there was a reason why I didn’t vote for this friggin’ HYPOCRITE…hell…his running mate “Biden” is responsible for authoring some of the most stringent anti-marijuana laws proffered by the american legislative system…BUT for this HYPOCRITE to actually laugh at out plight…both the medical needy and the recreationally inclined…is just downright blasphemous…He will pay!!!
Puff…Puff…
He quickly apologized to the Special Olympics after the Tonight Show gaff, if he feels that future votes are at stake, he will apologize for this one too. We need to let him know we were offended. President Obama indicated he would not be giving up on Iran when their leaders mocked his video message wishing them a Happy New Year and extending an open hand. He said he will be persistent over the coming years. We need to do the same on this issue. If we are persistent perhaps he will come to his senses in his second term. To do it in his first term would be political suicide for him. As mad as I am I still believe he beats the alternative. John Boner, Bobby Jindal, or Sarah Palin would be worse. I think he is an intelligent man that would have to see the light on this subject given the overwhelming evidence. I really think in his second term he would be far more receptive, but we need to collectively be as vocal as possible so he knows the number of votes. I think another way to do this would be to ask for your political contribution back. I don’t think you’d get it, but it may force them to look at the amount of money we contributed to his campaign.
What a “cocky” response from someone who brought me to tears on election night….relief that we would finally have some sensible change about these archaic pot laws!!! And to be laughed off like that. What a disappointing shame. A SINCERE APOLOGY is needed now! But somehow I am beginning to doubt very seriously if he
isn’t speaking with a forked tongue. I guess all of us on-line “pot-heads” have been just to gullible!
I am shocked an appauled that ANYONE would find a medication that helps many many people in their suffering FUNNY. This is not the change I voted for. Its time to hit the streets now, more than ever. We must be heard, and we must be loud. TO THE STREETS! norml, its time to start organising larger rallys! lets get get these laws reformed! then we will be the ones laughing!
The point here is not whether Obama is “taking baby steps” towards a more liberal plan on marijuana. The point is that he sold out and did the cliché thing by snickering and laughing when marijuana use is mentioned. His laugh was one of those “weed smokers and talking about weed is funny” type of laughs. Totally disrespectful. Apparently, he’s one of the sheep that think people who smoke are good for nothing except a laugh. It’s all Cheech and Chong for these morons. Obama, go win nine gold medals like Cheech Phelps did.
p.s. If obama is for putting marijuana users in jail, maybe he should go serve a mandatory sentence FOR THE POT HE SMOKED!
Thank you norml.It is nice to have a way to connect with people that share my beliefs.I have been e-mailing Mr.Obama Every week for 3 weeks and I will continue to.I think I will hand write too.I was so depressed after seeing how our president behaved.Reading your sight gives me hope again. Thank you again.
I agree with the comment about obama being a puppet for the new world order. If marijuana ,and lets not forget hemp, were legal the economy would benefit too much and therefore help ruin their plans. That’s what all this boils down to! They need our economy to suck so they can easily take over. Good point!
What a chicken sh*t!
Hey, Barrack, I stopped smoking marijuana over 25 years ago, by choice, but I still want it legalized. It’s a serious issue deserving a serious answer. And you’ve insulted serious thinkers. This is not a time for *pothead* jokes. This is about righting an obvious wrong.
Again..chickensh*t!
Even though I am not surprised about this, I am still very outraged.
It’s sad, it’s sickening, and certainly NOT funny!
I’m appalled by Obama’s apparent inability to take seriously those who put him in office – the tech-savvy online demographic who also happened to be particularly vocal about questioning marijuana policy reform.
Shame on you, Obama, for failing to listen to reason (or your constituents).
I do not not see what is so funny about Obama’s response to the question. It seems like he put on the spot with that question. What,s wrong Mr. President, it seems like you have the BALLS for everything else except for the MARIJUANA ISSUES in our country. HOW HYPOCRITICAL of you. I voted for you and this is for the first time I ever registered to vote and I,m 55 years old. Is it the notoriety of being the first black President gone to your head? What happened to the change in this country you are dictating to the voters that voted for you in this country and a big percentage of them are marijuana users that are medicinal or recreational users. I realize that there is a problem on the Mexican border with hard drugs that come across in to the United States that ruins peoples lives, but marijuana is not one of them. As long as marijuana is legalized and regulated and taxed, then the government can take care of business on the hard drugs that come across the border. That tax money on marijuana could go a long way. Instead the government wants to imprison non-violent drug offenders in states that do not have any marijuana laws on the books (except medicinal or decrim). Instead of going forward we are going backwards. The rate your going , we might as well take DEMOCRACY out the English language and replace it with SOCIALISM. If you don’t take care of business NOW, don,t expect another four in office if you don,t get impeached first the rate your going. SHAME ON YOU.
What a total disappointment.
The funny thing is, I’m sure a nice percentage of those enjoying the laugh about the question got high that morning.
The time is not right yet. The larger majority of America doesn’t know the facts about marijuana. They still believe the lies and propaganda.
Obama would have looked like a fool to his peers if he had said yes.. It was obvious that the majority of the people in the background had no clue. They thought it was a ridiculous idea.
We are the ones who put Obama in the office, gave him our questions and concerns when he asked for them also making them the #1 topic/issue in America. And he makes a joke about it while everybody in that room clapped and laughed. I didnt vote for a “joker” i voted for a problem solver who relates to his voters.
I just recently found this site and i just want to say thank you for what you are doing and what you represent, it is just to bad our government is to blinded to help themselves to billions in tax revenue and hundreds of thousands of peoples lives saved by not being jailed for having a dime bag, hopefully before i die i could see America like Amsterdam, lol maybe in my dreams, keep up the good work guys and thanks for giving us a positive voice.
not laughing. I’d love to see California pass it on the 31st…..
I just made my yearly donations to a few MJ advocacy groups,and I gotta tell ya,I’m not impressed with our experts on this WHITEHOUSE.GOV question.
Where was the expert advise we needed to frame the question properly?
Yeah,I felt like shuting down the computer after Obama
disrepected us,but I’m glad I did not because then came
a teacher fom some elementary school asking a education
question as her whole school was viewing back at her home town…I then had to ask myself how did I really expect the president to answer that type of Cannabis question,that just reeked of special interest no less than any other industry like cotton,coal,bannans etc.
Do I have the the magnificent questions?
No! but I’m sure we could have asked a better question that adressed the ISSUE OF people in jail for MJ rather
than going to the issues of the economics of Cannabis.
Where was the Medical Cannabis questions? I guess that issue is ghost now that we got some BS statement from a Govt. that can change in less that 4 years from now
Where the fuck were our experts on this one.
Next time he has another one of these “open to the public” sessions im goin to question and vote non-stop until they are answered and paid attention to as well as acted upon.
This is our time to strike. We need to organize a national march in DC.
What’s so fucking funny? An outdated law that would criminalize a hard working American for his choice to smoke a little pot on the weekend, while I watch the Sunday news programs, or read the paper, drinking my cup of tea in my own home? Ruin a person’s life by firing him from his job due to random drug testing for taking a couple of hits to relax and socialize after work?
It’s OK to get blind drunk every night, but smoke pot on the weekend a couple of weeks ago and you’re screwed?
Time to stand up for millions of Americans instead of treating us like a joke. The joke is on you you chump!
This in not a free country!! I cant go out on my porch and smoke a joint without having to worry if i am going to get arrested for something that should be fucking legal. I am fucking pissed that the president could just laugh at such a thing lets just watch this economy go farther into the ground. I know Marijuana is one thing that would get this country back on track. I will smoke till the day i die.
[a href=”http://www.elpasotimes.com/”][b]VOTE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE[b][/a]
VOTEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
More people need to know the truth about pot. And the question to Obama needs to be rephrased. When/if we get another chance, we need to supply more supporting facts in a single question. Then ask, “Why shouldn’t we legalize marijuana at a federal level and allow the states to regulate it.” Or something to that effect..
hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I am insulted by the way he handled this very serious issue and ignored the voice of the American people. Unless he apologizes, offers an explanation about why he holds such views, and gives the issue of legal cannabis (ranked top 6 in one category and top 3 or 4 in several other categories) the consideration it deserves, I will not vote for this man again.
I’m so up-set with this Crap, I wrote Mr. OBAMA after this so called TOWN HALL MEETING, to bad is doesn’t have anything to do with ALL US Citizens. so here’s the letter i sent Mr Obama.
Mr.OBAMA
Your Town Hall meeting looked like a piece from Comedy Central. Boy, you sure had them people laughing. Now how am i suppose to take this ‘Town Hall’ thing seriously. You asked us the American People to share our thoughts and views, Thoughts and views that you laughed and made joke’s of.
The War on Drugs are no laughing matter,not for me any how. 20,000,000 US Citizens being locked-up and ripped from there familys are NOT FUNNY. People dying in our US streets are NOT FUNNY. The amount of drugs running thur our school is NOT FUNNY. The Freedom that you are kepting us from is NOT FUNNY.
I was a OBAMA supporter, “NOW THATS FUNNY” but i can not continue to support someone who’s so inmature about much needed Drug Reform in our Country and undermind the American People thoughts and views. Why are our thoughts and views such a joke to you Mr OBAMA? Do you really think that passing Legislature to Legalize Marijuana is all about get high? It’s about saving lives and about taking NON-TAXED FUNDS out of the hands of the People who cause real harm to our US Citizens and our Children,THATS NOT FUNNY. You yourself have and had pass bills that were very laughable at the least, but as a US Citizen, a mature US Citizen, I do not laugh or make jokes about what you think is right or wrong and we as US Citizens DEMAND A APOLOGY. Our thoughts and views that you Mr. OBAMA ask for, was not given to you to laugh and make jokes of.
Mr.OBAMA, I can not say that i will support you from here on out or in next election.
Mr.obama you have rode the coat tails of the American People and the Pro-Marijuana Reformers straight to the White House Office.
Mr.OBAMA, We don’t need another Comedian, we need a President, a LEADER. A LEADER FOR the People. Maybe in 2012,we’ll learn from our mistakes.As for now, I can NOT support you at this time.
Thanks for you time Sir
Coby Umsted DEM-OKLAHOMA
Get a grip people. What did you expect him to say? If he had answered that question any other way the hard-core right-wingers would have turned him into dog meat. Give the man a chance! He’s not stupid you know! He is intelligent enough to know that legalizing marijuana could indeed turn a lot of things around, but he’s also intelligent enough to know that a blatant comment agreeing with the question WITHOUT plenty pf time to think it all out is the absolutely wrong way to approach it. AND the surest way to kill the idea before it ever gets off the ground. Plus that can’t come from him anyway! It has to start at the state levels and work it’s way up, just like everything else. So you want it legalized and taxed? Start writing letters and calling your reps. The pressure starts there people! The more pressure, the faster things move. So you think it’s a good idea? Get off your butts and do something about it.
Not only was decriminalizing voted number one in the budget category, it was voted number one in three other categories as well. Mr. Obama. You are a deceiver and a criminal in your own right. A criminal who will allow innocent and non-violent offenders to go to jail with violent offenders who actually broke common sense laws, murder and rape included. You are the new tyrant, I supported you, you are the new axis of evil. We will not fear you, we will not bend to your ludicrous aims, and finally, we will prevail! Bless America, not the oppressive gov’t. To all: Petition and let our voices be heard. Thank you norml. You are doing this country a service.
watch “the obama deception” – made by anti-bush film makers. yeah. it’s that bad. google it.
It’s on. I just called the Attorney General, the Wh and wrote a letter. I hit the Blogs and posted to as many sites as I could. I am ready to march, when do we go?
I must apologize for poor grammar… I supported him, and now he is a tyrant. I hoped that yes we could, but now it looks like he doesn’t want us to. What kind of man is this? Or.. monster? Are we really going to let our fellow peaceful friends go to hell for this, innocent and innocuous activity? THE ANSWER IS NO.
Obama supporters need to wake up and see what they did. Obama is bankrupting the economy and spending money quicker than bush ever could, he is weakening are national security more then any other president, he is hiring thugs and criminals to control some of the highest position and now slapping his supporters in the face and making jokes about them. For what? so we can have the first African American president. If anything Obama is setting the black community back 30 years by completely miss handling the nation. I just hope you guys are proud of your self’s. I would of rather had the old guy, at lest he would have not completely screwed up every thing.
Kiss my black ass Obama! I have nothing more to say to you – EVER!
Obamas support is going to plumet after this one.I would like to see him laugh at medcinal marijuana and he will go down in flames for sure (when the angry mob catcthes up with him).
CHANGE THE FORUM: Everyone here that is posting these excellent comments on their dissapointment in someone we thought we could believe in needs to send HIM the message. Its great that we are speaking out, but we need our voices to be heard by the right people. Send the white house letters, emails, and make phone calls of your dissapointment. If we want the change to be enacted we need to be heard by actually doing something rather then expressing ourselves in a forum of poeple who are obviously going to agree with our stance.
Open for Questions: Americans Want an End to the Prohibition on Marijuana and Industrial Hemp
by Mark Faulk
Today, President Barack Obama declared the White House “Open for Questions”. Asking for questions from internet contributors in an attempt to include the average American in the political process, President Obama held a historic online forum where he responded to the concerns of the very people who elected him in the first place.
So what topic is the number one issue people “outside of Washington” want our President to address? The legalization (and taxation) of marijuana. Seventy years after our government kowtowed to big business and began one of the most egregious and effective propaganda campaigns in history, seventy years after the age of “Reefer Madness”, Americans want to know why our government still hasn’t addressed either the prohibition of marijuana or the legalization of industrial hemp as a cash crop.
92,000 different people submitted over 104,000 questions, and 3.6 million people voted on those questions so that Obama could respond to the will of the people. A quick search of the questions using the term “marijuana” brought up 2,139 matches.
The topic dominated seven of the eleven topics, and was the most popular question in four categories:
Green Jobs and Energy:
1) “”Will you consider decriminalizing the recreational/medical use of marijuana(hemp) so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and a multi-billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?””
Green Machine, Winchester,Va
2) “Has your administration given any serious thought to how legalizing marijuana could help solve the economic crisis? We could tax this green product and create an influx of cash while reducing violence created by the war of drugs & illegal trafficking”
Ashley, Brooklyn, NY
Financial Stability
1) “Would you support the bill currently going through the California legislation to legalize and tax marijuana, boosting the economy and reducing drug cartel related violence?”
Anthony, Warrington, PA
2) “Has the administration given any thought to legalizing marijuana, as a cash crop to fuel the economy? Why not make available, regulate, and tax something that that about 10 million Americans use regularly and is less harmful than tobacco or alcohol.”
Sarah, Atlanta, GA
3) “Growing up I have noticed many around me always talk about legalization of marijuana, and I always thought, why not put a tax stamp on it. If marijuana was legalized it could really change a lot of things. America had the same problem with Alcohol.”
Peter McNamara, Minneapolis, MN
4) “Could legalizing marijuana and laying a tax on it, given restriction allow the government make back some of the glaring debt considering it’s inelasticity and the history of economics of prohibition?”
Andy Drake, New Brunswick, NJ
Jobs:
1) “What are your plans for the failing, “War on Drugs”, that’s sucking money from tax payers and putting non-violent people in prison longer than the violent criminals?”
Matt B, West Bend, WI
3) “President Obama, Do you plan on letting Science end the failed “War” on Marijuana for personal and medical use thus taking the strain of our prisons and police forces so that we no longer have to arrest over 800,000 non violent drug offenders?”
Phill, Georgetown,MA
Health care reform:
2) “Why is marijuana still illegal? Cigarettes and alcohol are far more harmful, and with the taxes put on the legal distribution of marijuana the US could make millions”
Ben R, Washington, DC
9) As a person with Multiple Sclerosis, I have many other MS friends who use marijuana just to feel some relief from their bodies. When can pressure be placed to reclassify Cannabis from a Schedule 1 drug (no medical benefit) to Schedule 5?”
Marcia, Texas
And then there was the category headed “Budget”, where the top seven most popular questions had to do with either recreational marijuana or industrial hemp, including:
1) “With over 1 out of 30 Americans controlled by the penal system, why not legalize, control, and tax marijuana to change the failed war on drugs into a money making, money saving boost to the economy? Do we really need that many victimless criminals?”
Ryan Palmer, Dallas, TX
2) “Mr. Obama, Thank you for allowing us to ask our questions to you, unfiltered. What is your stance on legalizing marijuana federally, taxing it and regulating much like alcohol and tobacco? I believe that the Drug War has failed, and needs overhaul.”
Brian, Minneapolis, MN
3) “I am not a marijuana user, but I do believe that making marijuana legal could provide some relief as to it could be heavily taxed and regulated. Legalization of marijuana will also be a detriment to the drug cartels in Latin America.”
Ryan McLaughlin, Rindge, NH / Quakertown, PA
4) “Have you considered legalizing marijuana and taxing/regulating it like alcohol? Marijuana is America’s largest cash crop. The tax revenue from marijuana sales would provide a massive source of new revenue and cut the insane costs of the “Drug War.””
Matt S, Huntsville, AL
5) “Mr. President, we the people continue to ask you this general question, please do not fail to respond: Will you allow science and common sense to reign and end this failed WAR ON DRUGS starting with the legalization and taxation of Marijuana?”
Mark B, Sterling,VA
And a particularly effective way of phrasing to bring home the point of how much harm the archaic laws effectively pacing marijuana in the same category as hardcore narcotics such as heroin and cocaine:
“Our marijuana laws destroy peoples lives. Had you been arrested, you couldn’t be our President. Legalizing marijuana and hemp (Washington grew hemp) would create many jobs, help the environment, and the sick. Would you consider legalizing Marijuana?”
Rick, Tennessee – (Financial Stability)
Other questions focused on the legalization of growing industrial hemp as a potential cash crop, an issue that many advocates and Americans in general wrongly group into the same category as recreational and medical marijuana. A search using the word “hemp” brought up 377 total matches, including this question:
“Hemp is the only crop that is illegal to grow, but legal to import. It’s proven to be excellent for conditioning soil, produces biomass for fuel, can be used to create textiles and food. When will you legalize industrial hemp for American farmers?”
Sophelia Sunshine, Buttercup Meadows – (Green Jobs and Energy)
It’s not the first time the issue of legalizing marijuana and industrial hemp has dominated an online poll undertaken by the President. Submissions for the “Citizen’s Briefing Book” on the official website of the President’s Transition Team (www.change.gov), hundreds of thousands of voters selected ending the prohibition on adults using marijuana as their number one issue. A January 22, 2009 article on the NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) website said:
The public’s demand to “stop imprisoning responsible adult citizens” who use marijuana received more votes than any other issue in the online poll.
A related question calling on the new administration to “stop using federal resources to undermine states’ medicinal marijuana laws” finished in third place.
The Citizens’ Briefing Book poll marks the third time the Obama Transition Team has asked for the public’s input regarding what they perceive to be the most important public policy questions facing America. Questions pertaining to the legalization of marijuana have dominated online voting in each poll, and have twice finished in the #1 position.
A separate poll, conducted last week by Change.org and the Case Foundation, also reported that the legalization of cannabis for personal use is the most popular issue among online voters.
As the Open for Questions forum began this morning, advocates for the reform of our country’s archaic hemp and marijuana laws had to be asking themselves: How would the President address what is still one of the most politically-charged issues of our generation? Would they even ask the questions at all, or would they do as other Presidents have done, and continue the policy of ignore and deny? If he did choose to ignore it, it would immediately destroy the credibility of the entire forum, it would undermine his stated pledge to include average Americans in the political process. Since they had promised to answer the most popular questions as submitted by online voters, it seemed unlikely that they could possibly dodge the issue altogether.
The first five questions chosen were fairly generic, repeats of the talking points of the Obama Administration. Job creation, modernizing the countries technologies, universal health care and health insurance. Was he choosing to ignore the issue altogether, or just saving it for the punch line? How could that even be possible? After all, this is the Peoples’ President. He answers to US, not just big business. (I know, I know, some of of his policies have already reeked of the business as usual politics of the past that he decried during his historic campaigns, but I’m trying to hold him to his campaign promises, not some of his questionable post-election policies.)
Then, between questions number five and six, the topic came up, but not in the form of a direct inquiry as submitted by voters. Instead of the intelligent, spirited debate that Americans are used to hearing from Obama, he instead threw out the thousands of intelligent, thought provoking questions covering the full spectrum of industrialized hemp as a cash crop, the prohibition on recreational marijuana, the potential of medical marijuana, and our failed war on drugs, and reduced the issue to “whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation.”
Here’s how CNN described his one marijuana-related response:
Obama answered seven of the most popular questions, according to a CNN tally. That includes those from several people who asked if legalizing marijuana would improve the economy.
The president grinned through his answer: “I don’t’ know what this says about the online audience,” he said, adding: “The answer is, ‘No,’ I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow out economy.”
Haha. You wacky, unemployed stoners. Break out your bongs and put on that old Cheech and Chong DVD again, and let us grownups worry about the budget, and healthcare, and saving our reeling economy.
Two more questions, one concerning veterans’ benefits and another one about education, and then Obama began to take questions from the audience:
The first question: how do we fix the auto industry?
Next question: Small business.
Health care.
Small businesses being overtaxed.
Education…yet again. (By the way, this one was about teacher training and merit pay vs. tenure. Great question on an issue close to my heart.)
Health care.
And that was it. When it was all said and done, the Peoples’ President all but ignored one of the most relevant issues of our time, really, two of the most relevant issues of our time: Industrial hemp, a plant that no one could get high on even if they wanted to, and that is legal to grow and becoming a thriving industry in every industrialized nation in the world….except the United States. And medical and recreational marijuana, the least harmful of all drugs (including alcohol and tobacco), and one that has huge potential in the medical arena. In the end, the President’s one response to over 2,000 valid questions concerning the topic was to make light of the issue, to minimize the very real issue of reforming our laws on industrial hemp and medical and recreational marijuana.
Mark B from Sterling, Virginia might have summed up what so many Americans were feeling after the “Open for Questions” forum ended:
“Mr. President, we the people continue to ask you this general question, please do not fail to respond.”
And that, my fellow Americans, is the Faulking Truth.
http://www.faulkingtruth.com/Articles/LettersToEditor/1050.html
iMPeacHMENT !!!!!
not yet of course
but if things keep going like they are
team the ****( up
and do what we gotta do
I just watched the video on u tube and almost threw up. Im sooo glad i didnt vote for osama. We cant let him get away with this.
FUCK U, MR. President!!!
Guess I’ma hafta go against my own preferences nxt time around during voting season and vote Republican( I hate those bastards!! but, what the fuck was the point in voting for Obama if he ain’t really listening?)
OBAMA….You promised change….we ALL heard you.
I Know now that you were just lying thru ya teeth in order to trick us into voting 4 you.
What a bitch……..
Ok…Question about the question!
How would you have answered that question if you were the President?
I would have shown more respect and not snikered like he did…but I gotta tell ya,I’m still at a loss as to how I would have answerd that question.
I could give a rats ass about how the right-wing felt about my answer because all they seem to care about is suffering in the here and now so we can all go to heaven in a afterlife.
I’m not hung up about the “what about the children”
argument either but…
How should we frame the issue next time so that we are not just viewed as some cannabis cartel looking to expand the cannabis trade?
Do we even want a concerted question? I don’t know!
Do we?
We don’t need this issue associated in any way with President Obama. His ideas and his popularity are going down in flames… just give it time. We need to keep puting pressure on our state representatives. At some point Congress will feel the pressure of our will. The change in policy must come from Congress, not the President… especially not this President.
I must admit that I was disappointed with Obamas reaction. But it does seem like he was put on the spot. If there is to be any chance of reform it will be with Obama. A squeaky wheel gets oiled. We just need to keep pressing the issue. It is true we are the ones who fought to get him into the white house. He ought to listen.
Today, my eyes were opened. This president is just another politician, too. 🙁
I once truely thought OBAMA had balls….I guess the first lady was holding ’em in her purse this morning.?
Here’s a final thought to mull over: maybe the secondary objective of pro-marijuana organizations should be to push for the criminalization and outright prohibition of alcohol and tobacco, maybe even caffeine and other drugs. Of course, I don’t advocate that, but if marijuana with its relatively less harmful effects is illegal and prohibited, logically these other substances should be prohibited. I mean seriously push for prohibition, because then the average American out there who won’t give up their alcohol and tobacco (along with the industries who won’t) just might actually start pushing for marijuana legalization. At the very least it should shine a light on exactly what objective, scientific standard is being used for the justification of marijuana prohibition and the legality of alcohol and tobacco.
Okay, one more thing: as others have mentioned, Obama very well may have responded out of political expediency for the time being. He is not stupid, and I can’t imagine he is a prohibitionist. Maybe he is biding his time. And yes, the questions could have been framed better. Legalization and taxation could help the economy, but framing the issue primarily like this does reek of special interest and lessens the importance of what is fundamentally an issue of fairness and freedom of choice, and not criminalizing that choice. Our communication as a group could have been better. In any case, whether our president in his heart of hearts is a prohibitionist or pro-marijuana, we need to steel ourselves and commit to a stance, to take action and keep up the pressure; for it’ll either change his uninformed mind, or it’ll give him the tailwind at the right moment to grab for us the freedom of choice that we all deserve as responsible people.
Here is a thought….
Why don’t we get one ounce of parsley, REALLY parsley – nothing illegal please and include a note to this effect:
Dear Mr President,
this bag of parsley represents a plant that could be used to treat illness or give pleasure. It would create jobs and create tax revenue. In my state it would contribute xxx amount of tax revenue from medical use alone!
The following link gets that tax loss for your State. Mail this on April 20th only, that way the letters get there at the same time!
http://www.marijuanalobby.org/States/demographics.php?id=1121&state=NORTH
CAROLINA
writing letters to your reps is good butits frustrating when you just get back emails about how it is. i mean what the fuck! they dont care about our letters and they dont care about a bunch of people holding signs but what they would care about is a million people sitting around the white house packing bongs and refusing to go. they would be powerless except some tear gas popping off here and there so get ur gas masks and go. they couldnt arrest a million people nor control them in any way. its not like they are gonna kill everyone. the media would be all over it and they would be forced to sit down and hash it out. this is the american peoples country that our ancestors fought and died for. stand up everyone all at once and show them that they cant knock us down, that we cant be broken and that we are people and we have rights. they dont own our bodies, we do! but im just a rambling idiot in their eyes so ill just shut the fuck up!
and p.s. i dont even smoke weed anymore because of testing but this is about our rights as human beings period! plain and simple.
This makes me want to cry. I voted for him as did my Mother & my aunt & uncle who also can see that arresting someone for smoking is completly stupid (they dont smoke by the way).
We really believed in this guy & now he laughs at us.
Shame on you “Mr. President”.
Dear Mr. Old President,
Thank a lot that you are a cheater and a another lier just like Bush and next four years we will not vote you will be a laugher at us?
We are not stupid we want you out of office in 2012.
2012 we are going to laughing at you and see how you feel you jerk devil.
Oooooooooooops
Mail the parsley on 4-20 to:
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
we need to march on the lawns of the white house. show them that we arent just hippies, and are very serious about this topic
Hey, we got medical marijuana here in California because of Obama, Obama is president and is willing to talk but this is a hard issue to bring up with all the crisis going on. Yes his laugh seemed out of place and I believe we who asked about legalization deserve a better reply, Yes I believe that legalizing and taxing marijuana will save the country money. I think his laugh was in fear as any answer he gave would cause anger on one side or another. Legalization is an important issue but maybe it’s rude to make him in front of the entire world to legalize when the average person doesn’t understand.
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCH
MARCH MARCHMARCH
MARCH MARCHMARCHMARCH
MARCH MARCHMARCH
MARCH MARCHMARCH
MARCH MARCHMARCH
MARCH MARCHMAR
MARCHMARCHMARCHMARCHMARCHMARCHMA
march
Oh by the way the White House comment line # is.
Tell him how you feel.
1-202-456-1111
Sorry if its already been posted.
He is nothing but a “party line” Demo-hypocrite.
He and Pelosi act like we can can come “out of the closet” and protest in public; What matters to millions of taxpaying, otherwise honest, Americans is nothing but a joke to him and his party.
He talks alot about his socalistic Healthcare ideas, but ignores medical pot; which helped save my own wife from staving during Kemo therapy.
Even the border drug wars could be helped by allowing us to fill our own need for Cannibus, by growing at home and eliminating demand.
Change?
Obama can’t see over “the Green Wall” that hides our hope.
I…..AM…….PISSED……OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LETS UP THE FIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WAS OUTRAGED!!!!FOR 3 HOURS I WAS SO ANGRY THAT HE JUST SKIRTED OUR VOTES!!!!THERE ARE 305 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO OBAMA JUST ON THIS BLOG. I SAY WE SHOW HIM THAT WE ARE SERIOUS. WHAT BETTER WAY TO SHOW HIM HOW SERIOUS WE ARE THAN TO …MARCH THE WHITE HOUSE!!!! ON APRIL 20TH!!! WE BRING THE CROWDS WE BRING THE MASSES RIGHT TO HIS DOORSTEP. IF HE WANTS TO LAUGH AT US THEN I WANT HIM TO LAUGH IN MY FACE
I smoke marijuana and support TOTAL legalization to the point I’m willing to go to prison for it. I refuse to hide on the net, or in my house, or behind tinted windows. Until we all stop hiding and ALL OF US show our faces (MD’s, Lawyers, Politicians, Bankers, Nurses, Firemen, Police Officers, etc.) to the public we serve and dispell the myths and rumors our government have propagandised, we will fail. United we stand and divided we fall. We need a million plant march on D.C. Any real change involved one of two, or both, factors. Violence or passive resistance. Simply emailing and talking to our other users in our homes, while staying hidden, won’t do the trick. In order to earn your freedom, just as our forefathers and slaves, you have to be willing to lose everything to gain whats most important. That’s just not the case. I attempt to organize protests in my home state and typical responses are, “if people find out, I’ll lose my job”. Slave mentality (if I try to stand up to my master I won’t get these slave wages or slave quarters no mo). Stop hiding like oppressed homosexuals have for so long. We need a WEED PRIDE parade in every major city. WE need to organize. We need to stand together and show the communities we live in our faces. Many will say, “wow, I had no idea you smoked that stuff”. Once they realize WE are good people that have been living around them the WHOLE TIME and are harmful, beneviolent, hard working, productive family men and women who are active in our communites. Slowly peoples perceptions change. Action has always spoken louder than words. Until someone can see action that is positive from an outspoken marijuana user, it will slowly dispell all the myths and propaganda. Many people simply don’t know and judge on what the government tells them. Strict conformists born from conformist family that have never entwined themselves with the so-called counter culture. So I challenge all of you, stand up and resist. Be willing to lose it all or gain nothing. Talk is cheap, I think Obama illustrated that point wonderfully. So put your thoughts and words into action and SHOW YOUR FACES. Put a face to the cause. We can no longer be names on the net, scenarios spoken about like ancient legends, or anonymous people. WE ARE REAL PEOPLE, WITH REAL LIVES, AND VALID, LOGICAL CONCERNS.
I know this is long….but…..I have two or three reasons this prohibition has even lasted this long to make many aware of the up hill battle.
1. Go to the DEA’s website and it’s clear that any drug which could compete or eliminate pharmeceutical dependency will meet a lot of resistance. On the site, after stating all of this misinformation and data depicting herb as a seriously harmful drug ( not saying it isn’t for some users), the statement ends with an advertisement for Marinol. If you want weed they want you to buy their synthetic form.
2. Alcohol prohibition ended for a couple of reasons. First, most tried in court were found not guilty due to jury nullification so the legal system wasn’t making money. Once they legalized alcohol and taxed it, the government then created laws that made many side effect of legal drinking, illegal (ie. DUI, public intoxication, disorderly conduct). So in fact, they not only make money on selling it, the judicial system makes money on the effects of the legal drug Alcohol. Big profits. Just like tobacco, money on the front and back end. Health care reform doesn’t mean they want us all to get better, they just want to keep the profits coming in while cutting down the cost. Just like any big business, simple economics.
3. Many of you may not know, that a vast majority of our prisons are privately owned. Like most local and state government matters, the penetentiary’s have been subsidized. When you see how much these profiteers make on the illegality and prohibition, you will realize, they will fight tooth and nail to keep these laws active. Once again, think like a capitalist, you will do anything necessary to make your profits and resist any effort to thwart your business. Much like the cartels. Only difference is, cartels can’t pay lobbyists to do their dirty work. I’m sure the Cartel isn’t making campaign contributions either. Who know’s, if they out contributed the corrupt businessman that profit on making marijuana illegal, maybe the laws would change.
So in conclusion, WE the marijuana smokers of America, are in for a serious battle to attempt to legalize this stuff. We must overcome drug companies, close-minded ignorant people, legal system, politicians, and maybe even your very own family. Is this a fight your willing to partake? If so, open your front door, show your face, and begin going door to door, business to business, just like a Jehova’s witness. Educate and inform one at a time. Eventually we can win this fight, but not inside of our homes preaching to other people who are already willing to smoke with us. It’s the REST of the U.S. that needs to know. Not your buddy next to you who’s is smoking with you. Sorry so long!
He just insulted an entire culture of people! I know i’m not the first one to write him and I wont be the last, i advise everybody to do the same! Flood the whitehouse demanding apologies for laughing at our people, our culture, our way of life!
Let them know that we won’t take this kind of disrespect lying down!
Obama has lost the last thread of respect that I had for him. Now I can honestly say that this government thing is a joke, the people aren’t represented anywhere; it’s just made to look like we are. It’s all being put on by the filthy rich and powerful.
Marijuana legalization is simply a leash around our neck and every time they tug, we come running.
Sent a letter to the Prez-O-Dent:
Dear Mr. President,
Your recent response at the town hall meeting regarding legalization of marijuana/hemp was one of the most disrespectful shows of “business as usual” I have ever seen.
You opened the White House to questions from THE PEOPLE, and THE PEOPLE SPOKE, with a majority of the highest ranked questions about the marijuana legalization issue. It is obviously important to many voters, and you disappointed many…me included. I just can’t believe you mocked us all.
Perhaps you should educate yourself on the issue instead of repeating what the big corporations want you to say. Jack Herer’s book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” is mostly available on his website with plenty of good information on hemp and cannabis: http://www.jackherer.com/chapters.html.
Also, the following website has very informative facts on hemp:
http://naihc.org/hemp_information/hemp_facts.html
This nation’s Founding Fathers grew hemp/marijuana.
“Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere.”
– George Washington, The Writings of George Washington Volume 33, page 270 (Library of Congress), 1794
“We shall, by and by, want a world of hemp more for our own consumption.”
– John Adams
“Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Or why not listen to one of the country’s most famous entrepreneurs…
“Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?”
– Henry Ford
Mr. Obama, each time you blow us off on the marijuana issue, we are going to come back with three times the outrage, three times the logic, and three times the determination! Why not take a look at your own history. If you got arrested for your own youthful marijuana use, you could not be president today. Yet you laugh? Marijuana criminalization is ruining lives.
“Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marihuana in private for personal use… Therefore, I support legislation amending Federal law to eliminate all Federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marihuana.”
– Jimmy Carter
We are not stoner dropouts. We are your neighbors, your small business owners, your Olympic record-setting gold medal achieving Michael Phelps’s of the world. Yet you laugh at our plight?
I am sickened by your “response” to all the people who believed you could bring change to the nation’s marijuana laws. Ever since you took office, I have been giving you the benefit of the doubt. Now, I am immensely glad that I voted for Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party in November ’08.
I’d hate to be someone who campaigned for you, donated, and voted for you right now. I’ve seen some of their comments, and it’s pretty safe to say, you have angered and lost the 2012 vote of many.
Sincerely,
[R.A.C.]
A medical marijuana patient in CA
“All truth passes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third it is accepted as self-evident.”
Arthur Schopenhauer, 19th Century Philosopher
Stage three is next.
The time to protest is now join me in going to your state capital on 4/20/09 or your local your local federal courthouse bring one (1) joint and at 4:20 light it up be ready to be arrested and then WITHOUT VIOLENCE raise holy hell chant “YES WE CANNABIS” or “LEGALIZATION, TAXATION, REGULATION, or something catchy we need to get old school on this and take it to the next level.
it happened before remember the antiwar protest of the 60’s no violence we must remain peaceful but LOUD.
HOW BOUT IT CAN I GET A HELL YEA WILL DO..
i live in st petersburg florida and want to get this done at the courthouse in Tampa who will join me
Everyone needs to come in off the ledge. Obama’s trying to pass a budget with the biggest reforms this country’s seen in seventy years, he can’t pick this fight yet. He’s already shown he’s open to reform, but it would be HUGE news in the media if he openly discussed outright legalization. Health care? buried. Education? buried. Energy? buried.
He does take this seriously. But he’s going to leave this up to the states for now, which is the right thing to do. I was disappointed at first too, but I didn’t take it personal like so many of you seem to have. By the end of his second term I’m confident the prohibition against marijuana will be over. Keep writing your elected officials and enjoy the ride until then.
He is just another politician, he is no different than any other person that is president, he is just a puppet.
I too am disappointed that President Obama took this as a joke. How are 800,000 arrests a year and escalating violence from Mexican drug cartels a joke? I think Obama will come to realize that if he makes blunders like this, it’s going to cost him votes and the American people’s respect.
I bet there were people in that crowd who voted for cannabis legalization on “Open for Questions” or have family/friends that did. I wonder if some of the people who applauded his response today secretly support NORML, MPP, or LEAP.
nodout we need to march in washington dc
Epic Obama Fail
This is especially troubling after the recent raid of one of SF’s most respected Cannabis Clubs yesterday. I thought the Fed’s were done bullying us? No…sigh…
There I sat ready for the greatest afternoon ever. Then I was laughed at and played for the fool.
For the record I did not vote for Obama.
I so did the right thing!
Yet now is not the time to give up, but rather the time to step up our efforts. We should all send letters to our elected officials EVERY week and let them know that we, the “voters”, are fed up and we want change.
Also reach out to your friends and make sure they are registered to vote. Include the number of new voters you’ve helped register and tell our ELECTED officials why they finally decided to register. They’ll get the point.
Or they’ll get fired!
I don’t wish to be disrepectfull,BUT, I can’t hold my toung.
You fuckin piece of shit motherfucker. How dare you laugh at us. We got you elected. I wouldn’t piss on you , if you were on fire. I hope you rot in hell you fuckin piece of shit motherfucker. How dare you laugh , when there are poeple suffering. Like I said I hate to be disripectfull, but, DAMM. How can you do something like that, when there are poeple suffering today that you could have helped. Instead you laughed in our face. FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!
I doubt he is laughing in 4 years when someone else is sittig in his seat. And to laugh at the voice of the American people.
Obama is only out for himself and doesn’t care at all for the American people. Laughing at our voice……..what a fool he is.
Just think what would happen if he did say he supported legalization, the republicans would be going at his throat. It would become a huge distraction, I think Obama supports legalization (espically for medical usage) and he is taking the politically prudent approach to easier access. Just look at what his admin. did a few weeks ago, Holder said that the DEA would no longer be making medical marijuana busts in states where is is legal. They are small steps, but they are in the right direction. Obama I think is doing a great job, also he’s probablly more of a pro-marijuana president than any one in recent history, think about it!!
And this is why i voted for Nader.
I left a very long letter stating how I feel betrayed and ignored,and I would encourage everyone else to do the same. DO NOT LET IT GO and JUST GO AWAY, that is what they want. Bury them in our screams of disapproval about the way our questions were not addressed. I also think that we as a band of like minded people should march on Obama’s house on 4/20/09 and see how funny he thinks that is and if you can’t march, send a letter or a e-mail on 4/20 demanding he address the issues.
next time we should all vote for RON PAUL
Obama lost my vote today.
I was annoyed with Obama’s response. After all, it was his facility with technology, and reaching potential voters via the web, which got him elected in the first place.
It appears he is now ready to dismiss us all, who put him where he is now, with a derisive laugh.
I’ve noticed no mention of previous polls by the president-elect or the president on the internet; they represented the same interests as this latest poll, yet the media has ignored them.
At least we have the attention of the media; that can only be a good thing, meaning it’s now time to step up our efforts.
Let’s just hope he does another one of these soon as we can vote another question to #1. He can’t keep laughing it off.
Seriously we should march. They obviously think our “online” presence is laughable, lets see how they feel when we are standing in their front lawn.
DC MARCH!!!!!!!!!!
@mac
and what news do i hear today?? Medical Marijuana Dispensary Raided in San Fran. This isn’t change.
march to the fore-fronts of democracy 1 joint 1 chant 1 arresst cannabis we can
4-20-09
@4:20
or yes we cannabis…..whoops lol
wow, he just dissed 3.5 million+ people in a matter of less then 5 seconds. disrespect. at least give us a SERIOUS, thorough explanation.
fuk man… just when i thought i was having hope in this country again.
im moving to space… ill toke up there… o wait.. no oxygen… (no fire)…
ahh ill bring an oven ;P
obama is a hyprocrite, he smoked pot and wasnt jailed neither were at least 2 other former presidents, the lies are starting to be upveild. nobody is going to put up with this much longer, i am personally going to not take heed to these stupid laws anymore, and if the people, if everyone had for say a million blunt march, they couldnt arrest every 1,000,000 of us. the people need to speak out and smoke freely and demand recognition of this growing new era
That’s too bad. Here we are thinking that we have a president who is thinking progressively, who declared he would move away from the same old thinking that keeps getting this country into trouble. Instead, his visions are short sighted and lack creativity.
how would the stock market react when California legalizes it ? if not this year in 2.
Just saw our issue on ABC news…it was all about President Obama laughing at the question and at our ‘culture”
I believe WE need to get the word out that President Obama also luaghed/snikerd at the issue of the auto makers during that news interview a few days ago…I forgot which news show and the name of the news-person,
but it was a major big time media event…I will google
it as I’m pretty sure it is out there…the news-person
asked President Obama if he was “laughing because he drank from the punch bowl”
Looks like we just might be the latest victim of our Presidents Nasent actions as a new President.
I think Obama should not laught about the legalization of Marijauna. I not only voted for him but I even call my congressmen and go above and beyond to support him. There are a lot of peoples live that are affected in a negitive way because people like him think it is a joke to legalize marijauna . How about the people patrolling the border ?I just heard they killed another U.S. marshall . I know the mojority of people in CA would like to see it legal and these are the people that rally for president Obama . So for him to act like that is not something that is on our minds will not get him more support. If it wasn’t so many people would not have brought it up… and no I do not smoke the stuff myself!
Maybe we need to ask Mr. Obama the question why wouldn’t it benefit the economy. Because you know what wrong answer Mr. Obama i know it would greatly benefit our economy! How about for example hemp bio diesel lets research that. Production on that would reduce the price of corn. We wouldn’t have to rely on foreign sources of oil as much. The list goes on with what you can do with hemp. You get the point well at least everyone that knows the valuable hemp plant. Mexican drug cartels know how much of a profitable business it is. We know how dangerous the border is and if we shut their marijuana business down and had our own it would solve a lot of problems there.
I wrote through the bluffs i mean i mean presi-dunce…i mean that whole white house website my oppinion did you yet?
I mentioned once before that we shouldn’t hope for a top-down approach in ending marijuana prohibition. Change is NOT gonna start from Washington, but from the local and state level. Let’s focus on AB 390 in California, House Bill 2929 and Senate Bill 1801 in Massachusetts first. Once we get the ball rolling and states begin to legalize marijuana the benefits of ending prohibition will become much clearer and will no longer be brushed aside as a joke.
We particularly need AB 390 to pass, as it may help against the current Mexican Drug cartel problem. Getting this bill passed should be NORML and everyone’s #1 priority right now.
Forget Obama for now and let’s focus on getting AB 390 passed in CA. He will regret his little joke in the future, don’t worry.
Well thank god i voted for Ron Paul who argued a great deal on American’s Rights
Mac is totally right! Everybody needs to calm down. Currently there are only 13 states with medical marijuana laws on the books. Hello!!! 13/50 is just barely 25%! That is nowhere near enough public support for the president to press for legalization. Right now, Obama agreeing on legalization is political suicide. (Have YOU come out of the grow closet and told your boss at work you smoke cannabis? I didn’t think so and Obama shouldn’t take such a gamble either!) We all just need to continue with the baby steps in our own individual states to promote decriminalization and then later, when 13 more states have medical and decrim statutes, legalization will be debatable. He told the DEA to stand down, so the time is right to continue with the movement. Real change takes time!
I just filled out a personal letter to the president on the whitehouse.gov web site. I encourage you all to do the same. Give him intelligent and serious responses- something that strongly contrasts the way he responded to our serious questions. Many of us are Obama supporters who helped vote him into office. Let him know that he let us all down. Don’t keep your frustrations to yourself, make your voices heard!
You know what…I’ve patient for Obama..I voted for him, but I guess that was a mistake because he’s just like the rest of the presidents..you know what Obama I think you deserve this FUCK YOU! I really thought you would be different and try to bring some common sense to this government…but I guess I was wrong. I’m so sick of people playing politics..why can’t they just be truthful for once?!?
quote:
“Can you imagine what the outcry would be if the President of the United States said he was in favor of legalizing marijuana? Imagine him standing there giving one of his wonkish answers on what the problem is with marijuana currently being illegal, why he wants to legalize it, and how he’s going to go about doing so. The press would go apeshit! All of the work he’s done changing the perception on the economy would vanish and the topic of the next few weeks would be about pot. His message on the economy and his budget would take a sharp hit and he’d lose political capital. It would make it that much harder to get the votes he needs from Democrats, and the Republicans would have had a field day.
The best course of action for the greater good? Do what he did and dismiss all talk of decriminalization. Nothing good can come of talking about it now when we have so many serious problems he has to contend with. I’m a major supporter of fully legalizing marijuana, but there are MANY more important issues on the table right now. I am hopeful this could be addressed in his second term.”
This is so true! That doesn’t mean we should stop emailing and asking and voting
No CHAD I DO TAKE THIS PERSONNELLY
You know what…I’ve been patient for Obama..I voted for him, but I guess that was a mistake because he’s just like the rest of the presidents..you know what Obama I think you deserve this FUCK YOU! I really thought you would be different and try to bring some common sense to this government…but I guess I was wrong. I’m so sick of people playing politics..why can’t they just be truthful for once?!?
I also wrote to President Obama…I could not believe what I was hearing and seeing today. I never thought I’d live to see America’s own children scoff at innocent members of their own community…what has happened here? All I can do is sit and shake my head back and forth, simply unbelievable. I still have hope that he can come around, otherwise alot of people will be right about him only serving one term. Here is a copy of what I sent to the white house, I wonder if it will even be read……
Change, change we can believe in…was that not what your administration promised us President Obama? Where is that change now? Why did you brush off a legitimately proposed question such as the legalization of marijuana? You cannot possibly consider anything you say serious unless you approach each questions posed to you serisouly. So, is it change for what is popular, and fear for what is unpopular? How can you change anything if your unwilling to step up to the plate? Today you ignored the american public; oh it doesn’t matter if it was the minority of the american people because what the heck, they don’t matter right? It’s nice to just laugh at a serious problem facing our country…and as thousands of lives each year are lost, maybe the best idea would be to just laugh about it right? That was nice how your sheep audience laughed right along with you; I wonder how many of them went back home afterwards and engaged in so called illegal activity of smoking marijuana? I assure you more than one. I voted for you, and this is what I get, more of the same. There is no change, and there will be no change from you will there? I implore you to reconsider. We are not going away anytime soon, and neither is marijuana…God put it here, and His son Jesus approved of it. Do you think Jesus would approve of you imprisoning innocent people because they wanted to smoke a plant rather than drink a classified poison? Marijuana doesn’t even affect you as much as alcohol, and you know this to be true firsthand. But it’s cool to show beer and liquor adds on commercial television right? You’d rather people relax after work with poison, than with a plant that could expand their horizons. Don’t listen to your administration…your the President of the United States of America, I am sure you can mak eyour own decisions. I lost a little support for you today, and no doubt all over the country as it seems from all the comments all over the internet, I still have faith that you will come around and stand for freedom, not early 21st century racism. I may not know alot President Obama, but I know when enough is enough. I wish you luck and good health in all your endeavors, go with God and with freedom. God Bless the United States of America, and legalize marijuana to ease the suffering of our people. Thank you.
Hoping my meager contribution helps. Good health and blessing to all of you out there, keep toking, find God, and legalize marijuana to end the suffering.
Sent my letter
That’s right folks, we’ve been played to elect obama via marijuana, now we’ll pay the price for our ignorance. Next election obama will play us again with talk about support for marijuana issues.
HE IS ONLY PRO OBAMA! TAKE OUR NATION BACK. I am tired of taking the drugs they shove down our throats. They are the drugs that KILL> I am so angry !!!!!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I am ready to camp out in washington tomorrow. Till I die. Or untill we win. Lets do this NOW!!!!!!!!!!
The federal government is taking a position that this is a state regulatory issue. This was evident in the recent decision to stop raiding marijuana dispensers in states where medicinal marijuana is legal.
For arguements sake, assume the CA and MA legalization bills actually passed and became law. Would the Federal government have to respect it in accordance with the position recently taken on medicinal marijuana?
In response to the comments today by Obama, well it doesn’t surprise me. I mean, did we really expect anything else? I had fun watching the White House Press Secretary respond like a bumbling idiot when pressed on Obama’s response today.
I agree. Obama is not going to do a thing about legalizing marijuana. It is way too much of a political liability, a toxic asset if I may. Most of our leaders in Washington are clearly too frightened to even talk about the topic. Realistically the best thing that Obama could do is to just do nothing, something that most politicians should be very comfortable and skilled at doing for “controversial” issues. Legalization is only going to be accomplished by citizen based initiatives or state initiatives. When these pass the best thing the federal government can possibly do is to just stay out of it and allow the states the freedom to decide for themselves. If left alone by the federal government these states can show the rest of the country that the world has not ended, the streets are not crawling with reefer madness style junkies, and the taxes are providing money for the state. This has to happen from the bottom up. Its up to the citizens to make this right.
Will the real criminals please stop prohibition?
http://www.cnn.com/caffertyfile
Something positive…just saw Jack Cafferty go out of his way to say that Obama made a mistake by shrugging off the idea of cannabis legalization today. He then started stating the facts about our current prohibition, especialy in relation to the Mexican cartels in the US This is on Larry King today. I think we should take advantage of his tv time (situation room with Wolf Blitzer)…he has a blog/ asks questions and reads peoples’ responses on the air. Thank you Jack for your commonsense. You were the first person that I saw on tv, earlier today, who didn’t laugh or poke fun about the cannabis legalization question.
Thank you! I was so upset that nobody seemed to realize how he’d shrugged off a huge part of the American public. As an Obama supporter, I expected much more from a man who wants to have a transparent administration. Whether he agreed or didn’t, why not answer the question with WHY you don’t support it? At least take the questions seriously from that many people.
I read that people thought this was a stunt by some organization, and I thought, “I’m not a part of any organization. I came up with that question myself.” Then I googled the organization they were referring to, found this editorial, and decided these are the people I should be supporting. The ones who make more sense. You have my full support now.
Are you people serious. Grow-up, you know the President is not going to legalize dope. If you are smoking now, what is your issue. Your question was would the legalization stimulate the economy, not requesting legalizing marijuana.
I didn’t want to really get down on Obama,but my email to him stated one thing that Abe Lincoln said about prohibition.
“Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attemps to control a man’s appetite by legislation,and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes”
Abraham Lincoln
I want my campaign contribution back! I could have bought an ounce of the only medicine that works for me and millions others, instead I gave it to you Mr. President, and for that I am regretful today. Not just regretful but outright insulted. How dare you and your “special guests” make a mockery of our communities efforts to participate in the sham this little experiment turned out to be. We will not be silent, the giant is awakening Mr. President; that giant wants the prohibition on cannabis lifted. Like many of my fellow brothers and sisters in the cannabis community I had faith in “Change”. I live in a state where the medicinal use is not recognized, and has no place in the state according to our Governor; but send us Federal troops to combat the border violence problem we have been empowering with our War On Drugs. I do not want to live in a police state. I no longer want to live in fear of being incarcerated for exercising my right to self determination and autonomy through self treatment with natural medicinals. I am currently a working professional in this nations healthcare system. I do not take medications from big pharma because every single one is poison and makes me feel worse. I choose what I put in my body, and I choose to use cannabis. I have first hand working knowledge of the havoc that most medications unleash on the body. Thank you for showing your true colors. I only can hope that your blatant dismissal of OUR ISSUE was a “chose your battle” moment for you based on the current political climate you find yourself in. Restore our faith and lets get this problem solved. Myself and great percentage of YOUR nation need this change in policy because it directly affects our quality of life. I pray that you haven’t sold out to the special interests seeking to further suppress this plant that positively effects so many Americans lives for it’s medicinal value. Lets talk, for real next time.
“They” removed the number one question from the questionnaire.
Ed has the right idea. Forget Obama and let’s focus on changing our State Laws!
I KNEW I SHOULDNT HAVE VOTED FOR HIS BLACK AZZ! DAMN LIEING WHITE GRANDMOTHER HAVING BYTCH!
^^^SORRY BOUT MY FIRST COMMENT! JUSS ALITTLE ANGRY!..OBAMA..LEGALIZE IT ALREADY! STOP THE DEA RAIDS, STOP THE AUTHORITIES FROM ARRESTING OUR KIDS, TAX AND REGUALTION OF ALL DRUGS WOUD STOP THE DRUG WAR..IT WILL NOT END CRIME BUT IT WOULD END ALOT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY!…STOP LAUGHING! GET SERIOUS! WE ELECTED YOU! YOU ASKED FOR OUR HELP AND DONATIONS AND WE GLADLY GAVE! YOU MOCK THE SAME SOURCE THAT GOT YOU ELECTED..GREAT START!
The only change Obama has made, is changing his stance on everything he said while running for office.
I for one don’t like being lied to.
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-235900
Here’s a report by a guy who thinks marijuana should stay illegal. We need to crush these people and show them that they are wrong.
Infuriating he would laugh at us.
Infuriating!
If this town hall meeting was before the primaries or before the election — there is absolutely no doubt he would have lost.
I don’t smoke marijuana, but I truly believe all hallucinogenic substances should be legal again. If those who partake in them are criminals; where are the victims? Stop making viscious drug cartels rich with these laws.
It used to be {For the People byThe people}now it is For the Goverment by the Goverment and it is about time to for the goverment to start going back and looking at why our Constition inpowered the people to be watch dogs of polititions getting to big,through fear and intimadation they seemed to have succeded being the big dog.I work in corrections with a average population of 2500 inmates and 60 percent of them are minor offenders of minute charges such as simple drug possesion and the sentances imposed are rediculous at money alotted for each individual is 40,000 dollars a year each,do the math.So Mr president make your jokes and see how fast you can be elected out of office promising one thing on the campaign trail and then reversing them promises makes you no better than any other bought politition on capitol hill,i did not vote for you but i did start to have a little confidence in you but that is just something else you took,by laughing in faces of the people that did vote for you is the ultimate crime,so we the paople need to stand up and say we are mad as hell and were not going to take it any more.I’ve never been any type of activist but now this has final straw and you will hear my voice on a regular basis
You laugh but the irony is that you’ve turned your whitehouse forum into the joke. What is the point of all this when you cannot respect and follow your own rules? Honeymoon’s over Mr. President.
To the people: Our move.
if something is to be done we have to email the networks by going to cnn or fox news to cover how upset we are and how obama is an idiot
I sent Obama an email that went a little something like…
Please take marajuana law reform seriously becuase the consequances right now are very serious and it is no laughing matter what is happening to good people being locked up with violant criminal for a drug less harmful than alcohol.
its not about him not wanting to come out and say he was for it, lets just get that straight heopenly laughed about it like were just some fucking joke. if was interested in it he would not have laughed it off, he would have made a statement about it and let it go so that he could do something about it later, but no he outright laughed about it which more or less says he ha ha these silly idiot stoners hahaha.
FUCK HIM!!! I AM TIRED OF THIS GAME THE GOVERNMENT IS PLAYING WITH OUR LIVES!!! as jon stewart said “this is not a FUCKING GAME”
Ron Paul 2012.
The man’s principles haven’t moved in the decades he’s been in congress, and they won’t by 2012 either.
I guarantee you will see reform with Ron Paul in office.
THANK YOU PAUL. I am glad you are here, heading this battle, because your words flow so effortlessly and you nail every point. Marijuana is EVERYWHERE and we are SERIOUS.
It’s time for CHANGE Mr. President.
And until we progress on this issue, you will never have my vote or support.
“The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this.”
Albert Einstein, 1921.
It’s safe to say he would have acknowledged the same of our current Prohibition.
God Bless the U.S.A.
Peace.
Ron Paul 2012
Wow, I realy thought that we were making head way… Guess were just going to crack down on MJ to stop the problams in Mex…
Just for the record all of these “motherfuckers” and “fuck him” statements about the most tolerant president we’ve had in recent times make me sick. You people know nothing about politics or the practicality of making our dream a reality. Obama is going to leave this fight to the states, so you need to be writing state legislators in California and Mass. instead of crying on here like a bunch of babies. Get over it.
we need more people to stand with us so tell anyone everyone the will listen speak up united we stand yes we cannabis
As I post now the comment number is at 389. Remarkable and understandable.
Obama, “BO”, is not the type of person I wish to be associated with. He has make a mockery of those who have common sense in the direction towards the end of marijuana prohibition.
“and I don’t know what this says about the online audience,” he laughed. Absolutely and total Vanity. No compassion, nothing. Disgusting behavior on BO’s part and the audience.
Wake Up!!: With you all the way, even wrote in my question and asked BO to talk with NORML administrators and Congress Dr. Ron Paul in order to better understand the issues surrounding cannabis.
Jason, Chicago, IL Says: March 26th, 2009
Can you imagine what the outcry would be if the President of the United States said he was in favor of legalizing marijuana?
I could give a rip Jason ! All they care about is their behinds, it is nothing more than absolute arrogance in its sickest form.
They lack fortitude and intelligence. Ignorance reins supreme.
I had heard Barack and Dick Cheney are 13th cousins.I guess this just proves there is a little bit of Dick in Barack Obama.
I totally herd this live.
I was like “Are you joking me? Why are you making a mockery of an issue that is so close to many of our hearts?” It made me depressed, I really thought we had our candidate in this guy, but I am having second thoughts.
LOL knew I didn’t vote for a reason, they(Obama’s lackeys) just deleted my e-mail to them mid keystroke f*ing cowards, poke the beehive and then they put on a mask. Time to march lit joints in hand, it’ll be the first march they can see from that damn space station. Then see if he laughs at us.
Never trust a politician, we need to go to Washington and get our country back from the1. politician 268 up, 24 down
1. A person who practices politics.
“Politics” is derived from the words “poly” meaning “many”, and “tics” meaning “blood-sucking parasites.”
2. One who was perfected the art of lying.
3. A highly paid yes-man.
George W. Bush promised a man mission to Mars, of course we should believe him!
by Gnuoyh Oct 24, 2004 share this
2. politician 179 up, 30 down
corporate whore who fakes compassion to gain the trust of the general public. Often a complete fuckwit.
Someone who would rather suck thier fathers cock than answer a question honestly.
see: liar, whore, fake.
George Bush, Tony Blair, Margret Thatcher, Ron Davis.
iEcl. Rhodri Morgan/i
by snap Mar 16, 2003 share this
3. politician 143 up, 14 down
People that should never, ever be trusted under any circumstances.
by anonymous May 14, 2003 share this
se two face bitches!!!
“The marijuana question later took up a good chunk of the daily White House press briefing, where Robert Gibbs, the press secretary, suggested that advocates for legalizing marijuana had mounted a drive to rack up votes for the question.
Those advocates included Norml, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, which urged supporters to “let the president know that millions of American voters believe that the time has come to tax and regulate marijuana.”
From: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/us/politics/27obama.html?_r=1&ref=us
“I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws,” Mr. Obama told an audience during a debate at Northwestern University in 2004.
Obama’s campaign also showed evidence of inconsistencies.
Very disappointing. We are way over due for a loud public conversation about marijuana reform. And what the hell’s the deal with CNN (Anderson Cooper I’m looking at you.) seamlessly linking *marijuana* reform with the idea of *legalizing all drugs*. Focus, Anderson…f-o-c-u-s. You have a large audience waiting to hear about *marijuana reform*.
Though admittedly his promises of bipartisanship and change piqued my interest early in the primaries, after his “clinging to guns and religion” comment he made about middle America, it was obvious how little regard the pompous ass has for the average person. Today he again made it clear that the only thing he cares about is his own agendas. The town hall meetings are self-indulgent and purely for show.
I really don’t think that i have ever felt as betrayed by a politician that I actually supported. The first time that I ever voted for president it was for Obama, and now he thinks my voice is a joke, he didn’t seem to think that when he was pandering for my vote. I hope he redeems himself, because as of right now I don’t plan to vote for him again.
PART OF THE LETTER I’M MAILING TO OUR PRESIDENT TOMORROW…
This Nation’s failure to implement a rational drug policy continues to waste tens of billions of dollars, degrade the lives of millions of Americans in violation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights and disrupts the domestic tranquility of allied nations.
Our children are at increased risk with readily available drugs because our current drug policy guarantees and safeguards a hugely profitable production and distribution monoply for immoral, ruthless and violent drug profiteers.
If our current policy were capable of working, for example, after nearly twenty million Americans criminalized for cannabis over more than half a century at a cost of countless billions of dollars, by now it would have.
In reference to this topic brought to your attention for your recent town hall meeting, you laughingly said, “…I don’t know what this says about the on-line audience.” As I was one of that audience, I can provide some insight: WE ELECTED YOU, and if you continue to laugh in the face of American patriots simply wanting an end to an insane, unaffordable and chronically failed drug policy, WE WILL NOT RE-ELECT YOU!!!
Obama has nothing to do with the legalization of marijuana, even if he wanted to he would not be able to make marijuana legal.. That is up to US! he has kept his promise to defend states rights thus throwing open the door for us to make that decision state by state.. I thought marijuana gave people the thinkies, how come they do not get it? It is not Obama we are trying to reach! It is the people of America, Obama is not the god of potheads, he is our PRESIDENT and will act that way to ensure that our country as a whole is stabilized! Ensuring that EVERYONE yes even the upright self-righteous Republicans have freedom of speech and opinion… California will vote on legalizing weed the 31st have you contacted any of the board of directors before coming on this forum to bitch?? If not please shut up and give up.
NOTHING TO SEE HERE FOLKS! NOTHING TO SEE!
sorry i had to ! lols. Yes, Obama and his comments
today make him seem to be some sort of tool bag.
And i think every day by his actions we can slowly
start to see that he is just another politician.
Marijuana will never be legalized if things
continue as they are
Do you think the fat cats in Washington or anywhere really give a flying shit about you and your “rights” or “freedom” or your “family”. Get real people.
They couldn’t fucking care as long as they get
elected again.
It doesn’t matter to them that many hundreds of thousands of americans
are imprisoned for using, growing, possessing,
generally having anything to do with a harmless and
benign substance. These peopled don’t give a shit.
once you realize that then you will have peace.
I accepted it a long time ago. I think you all
should to. We live in a nazi/fascist state now
controlled by wall street and the military industrial
complex. The president is a puppet only. They could give a rats ass about your fucking
rights or freedom people.
And the raided another Club in SF yesterday.
http://www.mikecann.net/2009/03/dea-continues-medical-marijuana-raids.html
This disappoints me greatly, i truly thought he would have been more open minded
By the way the current poll on CNN is should Marijuana be decriminalized? Drop in and let one of the largest news networks in this country know exactly how we feel!
I watched the President this morning on CNN .. he laughed when asked if MJ should be legalized and regulated.. I felt like he was laughing at me…
I created a video last week about the victims of the MJ Prohibition. I’m confined to a wheelchair and eventually If he keeps laughing like that, I will be one of those victims in the Video.
Its a real shame I voted for him because I thought he was going to bring change and help me get healthy medicine. He didn’t even explain why he didnt support it.. he just laughed and gave a one sentance responce that said NO..
Mr. President,
How dare you laugh in our faces?!? You smug bastard. What it SAYS about your online supporters is that this is VERY VERY important to A LOT of them(people who voted you into your current position). Get that “I’m the sh*t” mentality out of your head and do the right thing, not what will keep your approval rating up so you can run for a second term…prick. This is important, and in my own opinion, just as important to our future as health care reform and energy. Also, you did not have to offend those of us who feel this issue is relevant and important by making a cute chuckle when speaking on the question. You have lost my support and my future vote, and I’m positive that plenty of people feel the same way. Way to go Mr. President, way to Fing go.
Congratulations to everyone who wrote to Obama about his disparaging remarks.
Well, here’s my letter to Whitehouse.gov:
__________
Please tell me, what is so funny about marijuana policy reform? On the online Town Hall, in spite of the overwhelming predominance of questions about drug policy reform, you disparaged the “online community”.
How about saying, “Yes, I know drug policy reform is an important issue, and we will be holding hearings about it in the near future.”
Or, just continue laughing at the 800,000 US citizens that are arrested each year for marijuana possession. Or at the medical cannabis patients who cannot get their medicine. Or at the college students who lose their funding because they were caught smoking a joint.
Yeah, it’s very funny.
___________
Tomorrow, I am calling the White House and telling them exactly what I think.
its not obama dawg-the fucking polictians dont want hemp legal because so many business would lose money-ron paul said this
and if obama doesnt want to legalize marijuana the drug war is just going to get messier-i saw something on cnn and how they are importing cocaine threw the border and “middle man” are distrubiting threw the nation-it aint coming just threw colomubia my friends so many people hustle in the world and this war will never end/america is where the money is
so if president obama wants to spend 700 million in aid to enforce the drug war just going to get more messed up-surprised if he doesnt get assisnated by cartel-i dont hate black people i listen to rap everday screw up clique fo life
I think if he did agree with legalization at this point it would have been political suicide as stated above.
But did he have to snicker about it like were all worthless stoners?
Thats what really hurts.
I’m not surprised at all by this. I don’t think he really believes marijuana should be legal; rather, I think he is trying to portray himself as more of a moderate than he is.
We should not let his response bring us down. We need to be concerned about legalization in liberal states like Massachuesetts and California. Just like with medical marijuana, more and more states will follow their lead, and eventually the federal government will have no choice but to legalize it at that level.
MY LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT:
Dear Mr. President,
My name is Blank and I am from Blank . I am writing tonight with great disappointment in how you addressed the marijuana reform movement today. Just like the civil rights movement in the 60’s, this is no laughing matter and is something that 10’s of millions of American people feel very strongly about.
The on line audience that you derisively stated you don’t know what to say about are the hard working Americans who helped to elect you into office and were hoping for a politician that could bring a change we could believe in. The change the people were hoping for was not the legalization and taxation of marijuana. The change the people where hoping for and believed in was that there was finally a politician willing to listen to the people and logically debate controversial topics based on science and not personal ideologies.
What you proved to the American people this morning is that you are just another person on capital hill pushing a personal agenda. Rather then dismissing the marijuana reform movement with just a simple no, give us a logical and scientific debate on your reasons as to why you have this stance. The American people want a serious debate on this subject, it should no longer be swept under the carpet and ridiculed as a quote un quote stoner or hippie stance.
I understand that you are a busy man and I am sorry for taking up your time, but I would like to end this message with a hypothetical situation and question. You admittedly smoked marijuana in your youth and are now the president of these United States. The first president and elected official that I have ever had faith in, and I will not lie, you struck a hard blow to my faith today, but I still stand by you and still believe that you can bring about a change that I and the people can believe in. the question that I have is that if you had been arrested for smoking in your youth, you would not be in the position you are today.
You were one of many lucky Americans to slip through the cracks in the legal system and rose to be possibly one of the greatest presidents this country has ever known. Yet nearly 800,000 Americans a year are arrested and incarcerated for marijuana with most of charges being that of non violent possession. 800,00 people a year that could have the potential to change this country the way you are changing this country. By your endorsement of the marijuana laws you are living a life of hypocrisy. Why are you denying these people their constitutional rights and the chance to help change this country by maintaining a prohibitionist stance that was formed from racism and propagandist lies?
I again that you very much for your time Mr. President.
Signed,
Blank
damn this thing has a lot of comments already!!!
Some CNN video said marijuana sites
‘hijacked” the polls hahaah wtf?
anyway all those states are getting reforms on marijuana and my state, Florida, is nowhere to be found 🙁
and I’m pissed about obama, i really thought this would bring change that i would be able to do something i really enjoy without worrying about getting busted and ruin my sports career or academics…
ONCE marijuana is legalize, will they still test for it in NCAA sports and at jobs????
One question, Mr. Obama, “Why not?”
I feel very disrespected, disappointed and disheartened.
And very fucking angry.
But we’ve come this far. We should let the President’s casual display or derision embolden us, not disorient us.
If Barack Obama can so laugh off the concerns and ideas of we who gave him his job, then we should work all the harder to remind him who the true bosses are.
You do not bite the hand that feeds you. Especially when that hand is holding a fat blunt, cause that’s when you get burned.
I’ve never aligned myself with NORML, I’m just a guy that likes to smoke when he can afford it, but I want to work with NORML now.
It was disheartening seeing Obama not taking the marijuana issue seriously. It does however keep the issue up front and center and with 13 states having medical marijuana it is only a matter of time before it is legalized by one of our states. The media will now pick up on the theme and start pressing Obama further and I really do believe that marijuana will become legal whether the president is on board or not. Obama did say that persistence pays off and if anything we are a persistent bunch.
There are some folks on here making excuses for Obama’s grotesque behavior, and even some who plan on voting for him AGAIN! If you do, don’t stop and wonder why nothing has changed when 2016 rolls around and cannabis is STILL ILLEGAL and the DrugWar™ is still raging!
“He has bigger things on his plate…” We ALL do! Our nation is going broke, we are being robbed by politicians, and corporations are enjoying our money while we STARVE. Be a man, and say what you believe! (unfortunately, he just did – and then LAUGHED at us!)
“He can’t afford to expend any political capital right now…” COURAGE has a PRICE! His price was paid, long ago, by the corporate interests, lobbyists, and other polticans who OWN HIM!
“We just have to be patient…” No, no, no. We need to elect a third-party candidate who will say something, do it, and offer no apologies for either!
Obama is not dumb. He knows: SCIENCE favors us. JUSTICE favors us. LOGIC favors us. ECONOMICS favors us. DECENCY favors us. He simply doesn’t care. He is a puppet, dancing for his masters. He is an empty suit whose “real change” is only more of the same.
Never forget – we, the people own this great nation. Let’s take the power back!
A few people on this comments section have dismissed the importance of this “national town hall” session with regard to marijuana. The typical response from those against NORML’s town hall “spamming” is that the economy is a bigger issue right now and that Obama’s budget plan is the priority. True.
However, Obama’s budget plan is not a proven solution. At best we can hope that the plan can mitigate the damage of the economy for future generations – assuming a lot of variables work correctly for the plan to make sense (Obama has some high job creation percentage expectations and a very positive outlook on the economy rebounding – maybe it will. If the percentages change negatively by half a point from the proposed plan, we will increase our national debt almost 3x’s over 10 years). I don’t think anyone on this site wishes the economy to fail, but without proven solutions, why not listen to so-called “radical” means to improve the health of our countries finances?
By legalizing marijuana (a very complex issue involving local, state, and federal governments) the country can make a statement. A statement that reads: The federal government listens to it’s citizens; We respond to Drug Cartel violence by taking one of the most lucrative cash crops (it is easy to grow and easy to sell) and bringing that money back to the US; Possibly relieving many suffering people who take prescription drugs that offer a host of negative side effects (with one of the side-effects being death for .1% who take it sometimes); And, most importantly as far as constitutional law goes: the right to live your life however you wish as long as it does not impede someone else from living their life the way they wish (THE key fundamental principal of our founding fathers – ask James Madison (Father of the Constitution) who was against the bill of rights [I will not capitalize BOR in context] because, in the eyes of the public, the bill of rights allowed the government to grant rights rather than protect natural rights [all of which, argued James Madison, were already in the original language of the constitution, but by spelling out specifically what citizens could and could not do, implied the government granted specific rights, which is fundamentally at odds with the ideals of the Framers).
The immediate impact of legalization would be tremendous. I propose, if legalized, that marijuana be taxed on par with tobacco, if not higher. This will still be a significantly cheaper and more consistent price than found on the black-market currently. Once more, with regulation, consumers will know what they are getting – safely. Also, with the current lending of our federal government to entities that have proven their incompetence, I propose that 100% of the tax raised from the sale of marijuana be parked in a trust for the taxpayers. In essence: Every single penny earned from the regulated sale of marijuana be parked in an account to offset the potential loss of government bail-out money. How can this not be a positive?
Without checking my facts, roughly 70 million adults in the US have admitted to trying marijuana. Some might claim later that, although they tried ‘weed’, they didn’t like it and later determined that nobody should like it or use it. I don’t want to compare it to alcohol or tobacco in this sense, because that would be a cop-out that marijuana prohibitionists would slam dunk. They could claim that “not only should marijuana continue to be outlawed, we should go after alcohol and tobacco as well!” I still like to have a drink as well as a smoke and I do not wish to give opponents any easy out on the topic of marijuana reform.
The whole issue boils down to:
Who would be hurt by legalizing marijuana?
Who would stand to gain by keeping marijuana illegal?
Is marijuana really dangerous enough to be Schedule 1?
Why won’t this administration of “change” consider “change”?
Why is the issue of legalization not being fully debated by the current administration as far as being a federal source of revenue (directly and indirectly: directly because of the tax revenue and indirectly because of the money the federal government could save by not busting people for marijuana [DEA, fighting Cartels in the US, giving Mexico billions to fight the Cartels in Mexico, and most importantly imprisoning millions of our own citizens]?
And, lastly, I want an honest answer from someone that truly believes marijuana is worth prohibiting, and not just the party-line. I want a well thought-out and reasoned argument on why an elected official believes marijuana should be illegal – essentially no, “It’s the law” BS.
Why is it the law?
Who made the law?
Wasn’t this law made to create a job for a former alcohol czar?
Wasn’t he incompetent?
Doesn’t marijuana prohibition stem from racism of the early 20th century?
If someone answers these questions and can convince me with the answers that marijuana should still be illegal, I will concede that I am a criminal. And I will continue to be a criminal under these unjust laws and practices – long live the late Hunter S. Thompson’s 4th amendment foundation!
The president is OUR voice, he SHOULD say he supports it and take the wrath of whoever tries to disagree with him. He wasn’t elected to scratch backs and kiss ass, he was elected to stand up for the people no matter how much shit he has to stir up.
He is nothing more than a puppet considering his actions today.
This just makes me sick to my stomach that our own president laughs at his people. What a fool Obama is.
This is a fantastic response, what are you people talking about?
Imagine what Bush would have said. That would have been absolutely horrific compared to this, if he even answered it at all. Bush wouldn’t have even accepted the question in the first place. This is a terrific response considering that. He didn’t bash medical marijuana, he didn’t start talking about how dangerous it is or anything like that.
Instead he laughed, as if marijuana was a joke. That’s a massive change from any administration since the prohibition of Marijuana began. There are still states that imprison people for Marijuana, a lot of people in those states don’t think Marijuana is any kind of laughing matter.
This is terrific, and represents a lot of fundamental change, especially given the glacial pace at which politics moves. This kind of response was never possible before Obama. I really think this is a fantastic response.
i hope by the time this comment gets approved and posted there will be better news for us all.
I thought I would share this here–I already mailed it to the White House.
——————-
An Open Letter to President Obama.
Dear Sir,
I was so angry this morning–and unexpectedly so (having been looking forward to the town hall)–that it made me feel like protesting. It made me feel like marching to a border and saying “no more.” It made me feel like standing up: standing up for gardeners and horticulturalists and farmers, for an old plant and its possibilities, for the truths of herbs and traditional medicine; standing up for compassionate care givers, for the nurses and doctors who risked their careers for truth, for the patients with AIDS or MS or Cancer, suffering debilitating pain, who took to the frontlines for us, and whom we’ve lost on the way; standing up for the family and friends who have been affected by this war, those who went to jail, those who lived in fear, those who nurtured growing things, and learned to hide their knowledge. I feel like standing up for truth.
Sir, I feel like we’re fighting three wars and my president–my president–just told me that the third is a joke.
Yet, several days ago Secretary Clinton offered a clear explanation (one of the most salient I’ve heard in years) that our “insatiable demand” for illegal drugs is a direct cause of the violence in Mexico and that which is spilling across the border. We are responsible for this war, and our seventy-year-old outdated policy of national prohibition has dragged this war through generation after generation, and has left a black mark on nation after nation around the world. They are sending their troops to the border, and we are sending ours, arming a swath of land on both sides to stop this “insatiable demand”–and yet there are no signs that demand in the United States is likely to end anytime soon.
In thirteen states–over twenty percent–voters have approved medical marijuana. In Michigan medical marijuana becomes legal in April, and marijuana has already been decriminalized in several Michigan cities. In California a bill to fully legalize marijuana is currently before the legislature, and measures are pending in New Hampshire, New York, and several other states. Our demand for marijuana–whether defined as medicinal or recreational–has never gone away, it was simply criminalized.
The drug war, which is clearly international–and thus not “Mexico’s Drug War” or “The Colombian Drug War,” but always ours–has failed utterly. Now, instead of insurance companies coming in between patients and their medicine, an issue of which you, President Obama, are clearly aware, there are drug cartels of a different sort coming between patients and their medicine, an issue which I urge you to read more about before speaking. I would prefer that my president had not found the question I am most interested in simply humorous, thus rendering both my chronic pain laughable and my demand to “STOP THE WAR” funny, rather than as pressing as any call to end the war in Iraq or the war in Afghanistan.
This war has never really been against a country on the other side of the world. But now, it is against our closest neighbor to the north–Canada, where the plant is legal and fields of hemp grow free–against our closest neighbor to the south–Mexico, where fields of cannabis grow as the pack mule product for heroin and cocaine–and against the thirteen states which have passed measures conflicting with federal law. This war is also against every natural impulse of a civilized and intelligent human being to sow a seed and grow a plant. This war is against far too many of us: against our neighbors, our families, and our friends; against the people, young and old, black and white, Native American and Hispanic, rich and poor, who have chosen its medicine; and against each and every one of us who recognizes that we are responsible for this drug war, and we were wrong.
Shame on you, President Obama, for dismissing our voices because they came to you on-line. Shame on you for pretending you can laugh at an issue, and then it will go away while those other issues (green energy, health care, and the economy) receive your focus. Shame on you for assuming your youthful knowledge of marijuana was enough to understand this issue.
Read a book sir–I have several to recommend. They might convince you that decriminalization and legalization of Cannabis in its many forms could indeed have an impact on many things–including my long term and continued support of my president.
With Hope,
Dr. Hillary Fogerty
Obama isn’t going to say that the marijuana industry will help our economy. (Even if it’s true). It was such a bad question, it gave me the chills. We backed him into a corner with such a silly question. It makes us look stupid, and hurts our cause. We need to have better written questions than that! Growing the ecomony is not a valid reason for legalizing medical marijuana. It makes it look like our government is pushing pot, for tax revenue. Our only valid reason is that many chronically sick people need it to relieve pain. The leaders of our legalizing medical marijuana movement need to take control of writing the questions.
How about an RP-style moneybomb for NORML?
There was a poll about this on Lou Dobbs.
In the poll of 2,300 voters total, 88% of votes said the president should not laugh about legalizing drugs while drug cartel violence rages in Mexico.
wow.vote for change. get this bull.from vegas and cant see why our governors want to legalize and tax prostitution but not marijuana.march on 420
If everyone could grow their own, just imagine how much money that would put into our economy, and not in the cartels pockets.
dammit i cant believe obama.fuck that mofo.
i just have to say that the article seems like a bunch of bs just because it makes it seem like obama is out right saying no. what he’s really saying is that he doesn’t plan on legalizing and taxing pot to get out of this “recession”.
now he did originally say that he would work on and try to enlighten recreational smokers. now whats currently going through office is the bill not to legallize recreational smoking, but to end and/or eliminate all drug programs againt marijuana use/treatment. this means that its GOING to be legal, but not be legalized, i just going to be de-illegalized.
I don’t know if this was posted on here yet but here is a video of the medical marijuana raid in San Francisco. They even mention this happened after Obama said that this would no longer happen.
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/
popup/?rn=4226712&cl=12665537&src=news
THIS IS FUCKING BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!! THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE LIED TO AGAIN!
WE NEED TO BAND TOGETHER AND RISE UP AGAINST THE POLITICAL SWINES THAT RUN OUR GOVERNMENT!
Why does the President support funding of criminal gangs? Shouldn’t that money go toward schools and roads and health care?
Drugs like alcohol and tobacco cause health problems and violence, yet the government allow their sale and tax them, why not pot?
While CNN hammered it from midday on as a topic of interest, they really failed to go into any depth. Ron Paul got railroaded/setup even.
Still, exposure and a willingness to discuss this topic openly moves people to look farther into the facts surrounding all of this and really makes a difference.
Many people who support this never were involved in the civil liberties movements of yesterday and cannot understand what it takes. But, as mentioned, perseverance is key. Alienating the most powerful man in American through profane and childish remarks will only help to stigmatize the status quo.
In the long run there is too much at stake to allow emotional responses to overtake your logic and your dedication.
All said, it was rather painful to see how this is playing out with the media. I dont believe its a dead topic just because he allowed his advisors to muddle the topics presented. Its a dangerous topic politically. Entrenched as it is in rhetoric.
I really think we should e-mail, call, send letters, or show up at the doorsteps on TV stations and make this a more national issue and not just a issue on the internet. The TV is going to play a much larger role than the internet. Come on people, we can do this! NORML, a blog post with any TV network info would be great!
this is very dissapointing and sickening that he can brush millions off like that. in an interview with Gibbs its the same thing ignored and laughter http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/
Briefing-by-White-House-Press-Secretary-Robert-Gibbs-3-26-09/
fuck you i voted for you to be in office listen to the people for once… change my ass
I bet our government and president obama won’t find it funny if millions of fed up americans decide to not pay their taxes anymore…..Seriously folks, its time to revolt. Do you really want to give your hard earned money away to a government that will just give it to irresponsible financial institutions and insurance companies? And in turn just laugh at you like your a damn joke? If this is the “Land of the Free, Home of the Brave”, then why is it such a privilege to only ask questions and hope for a respectful answer. I mean, if we are the ones who put this guy in power and put our local representatives in power, why are we asking? We should be DEMANDING! Do you think England would have let us be independent from them if we just asked about it??????
Hey guys,
I’m all for “Change” – or any kind of reform that will help us grow as a species and a society. I agree that sending people to jail for pot-related offenses is ridiculous and unwise. I agree that all forms medicinal plants should be freely available. I agree that responsible consumption of any substance is a natural right.
I have to note, however, that your interpretation of President Obama’s response is rather unfair. He did not say that he was against the legalization of pot. He did not say pot and hemp are without benefit or practical application…
While there are certainly better uses of tax dollars than hunting down some guy with a joint, these systems are underfunded as it is, and were the president to reallocate funds from their maintenance, serious drug crimes would undoubtedly increase. Alternatively, decriminalizing pot is a wonderful idea, and I must add, one that the President did not oppose in this instance… He simply responded that he felt that it was off topic.
The purpose of the site the President has launched is to stimulate discussion and take suggestions on matters of economic policy and job creation.
Decriminalizing pot, however, is not an economic reform strategy in itself, nor would it represent a sufficient reallocation of resources to significantly reduce unemployment or credit collapse. The President’s site is simply not a forum for the legalization debate.
Perhaps you should send money to a legalization advocacy group or start a mass letter writing campaign to your congressperson or senator… or even the President.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not an advocate for the left or right — I’m actually an anarchist — I don’t believe in the necessity of government or the fundamental premise of civilization itself.
I’m just saying that the President seems to be a decent guy, and he needs your help not your condemnation.
Thanks.
How is it that a President that was so adamant about listening to the people during his campaign is now turning his back on them? He asked for an online poll so why does he mock the “online community”? The online community is the American community!
How is it that both he and the audience laughed at such a pertinent issue? Even pot smokers can’t find this funny. Especially not the 20,000,000 who have been arrested.
This was incredibly insulting
This really disappoints me. I’ve been locked up too many times for the peaceful and non violent crime of smoking marijuana. If alcohol is legal. weed should be too. Nevertheless, I will continue to smoke it. I’m taking a bigger risk when I do because I live in Washington, D.C. and the marijuana laws here and the surrounding MD and VA suburbs are extremely strict.
Let’s see where to start, oh yeah!
GOD YOU PEOPLE ARE STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!
Last week the President was being lionized on these pages for KEEPING HIS PROMISE. He said he would end the DEA raids and now he’s taking condsiderable heat from the Republican’s ( you know that party RON PAUL chooses to belong to) for keeping his word. Also he’s nominated the most enlightened drug czar since Peter Bourne. In just 2 months Pres. Obama has done more for marijuana reform than, hell anyone has ever done. And boy do you guys show your appreciation in a funny way.
QUESTION : WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. Once again you people made an ass out of yourselves and he once again he handled it brilliantly. By laughing it off he diffused a bomb the Republicans ( like RON PAUL )were just salivating over.
For the millionth and one time repeat after me.
CONGRESS MAKES THE LAW NOT THE PRESIDENT…
MARIJUANA IS OWTLAWED BY INTERNATIONAL TREATY-
THE NETHERLANDS CAN NOT EVEN LEGALIZE IT…..
OBAMA HAS LIED TO YOU ABOUT MARIJAUNA.
1. He said he would end the DEA raids in States that have Med laws… and he’s trying to keep that promise
2. He also said during the campaign in 04 and 08 that he WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF LEGALIZATION. If you heard something else your ears were playing tricks on you.
3. He said he’s not going to spend any political capital on this issue.
AND NOW TELL ME HOW HE COMPARES WITH GEORGE THE II, CLINTON OR REAGAN.
I’ve followed this issue closely for 34 years now and can honestly say that after reading these post not only do I no longer wonder why marijuana is still against the law, I wonder why I still smoke it.
FYI Yes if Ron Paul were ever president you would be stoned. IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE OF THE WORD. GOD YOU PEOPLE ARE STUPID!!!!!!!!
Thank you, NORML, for your scathing reply to President Obama’s flippant “answer” to but one of thousands of questions regarding marijuana.
I can not understand how ending the very costly “War” against marijuana, along with the savings of taxpayer dollars by eliminating arrest and prosecution of simple possession, as well as taxing and regulating marijuana would not help the economy.
Shame on you, Mr. Obama, for publicly laughing at the millions of us who put you in office.
Marijuana decriminalization, especially for medical use, is no laughing matter. Neither is the war at our southern border, the violence of gangs attempting to control what amounts to a harmless substance, or the numerous people sitting in jail (at a huge cost) for mere possession of a small amount of marijuana.
And all of you, please take time and carefully consider what you are saying when you write to our representatives. Swearing and threatening gets us laughed at, not taken seriously. The decriminalization and/or legalization of marijuana and hemp is no laughing matter!
Hey for all of you tht dislike obama right now watch this: “Obama: The Deception” on Google Video…. It should reinenforce your doubts at the very least…. 😉
POWER IN NUMBERS
Getting us all riled up by what prez.obama said has inturn united our society and bringing the issue out louder now than we have before is crucial in the forward progression of ending marijuana prohibition! post bulletins, send emails, write letters, and keep our voices heard!
POWER IN NUMBERS
Struggles are never easy. Don’t give up because the laws did not change overnight 🙂
We have to be persistent, calculated, rational, and prepared to discuss this with ordinary people, in our communities and nation wide.
This is not the time to take pot back underground!
Here’s a fun little game of WHAT IF ?
What if the President HAD STATED THAT HE IS IN FACT IN FAVOR OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA.
What would Bill O’Rielly, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh say about that for, oh I don’t know,,, ETERNITY
What would the new presidents credibility numbers be right now just a few hours after the gaffe of the century.. Can you say Zero.
Again how many would point out that the President after all can not legalize anything.. zip Nada… because
CONGRESS MAKES THE LAW NOT THE PRESIDENT
MARIJUANA LAWS ARE GOVERNED BY INTERNATIONAL TREATY , EVEN THE NETHERLANDS HAVE NOT, CAN NOT, LEGALIZE MARIJUANA.
I’m fully prepared to be sevearly disappointed by the Pres sometime in his term on some issue, but it hasn’t happened yet!! I think he handled this masterfully.
Maybe you’d like to have John Walters, Barry McCafferty or Bill Bennett back. Is that what you want.
I do firmly believe that if Congress sent him a bill to fully legalize weed and nullify whatever international accord keeps even Holland or Canada or England or any of those other Socialized countries from legalizing weed, HE WOULD SIGN SUCH A BILL.
AND THAT WOULD MAKE HIM THE FIRST PRESIDENT I CAN SAY THAT ABOUT IN ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW.
Maybe 4/20 of 2010 should be the year we march on the capital instead of the big bake fests we do at colleges.
Thats a full year for everyone to save up money. lets get this started people.
My letter to the president.
Mr. President,
Or more realistically Mr/Ms Staffer, or even more realistically text parsing software.
I believe that you were speaking truthfully when you said you imbibed cocaine and marijuana in your younger years. I don’t believe you are speaking truthfully when you express your opinion that you don’t think the legalization and taxation of marijuana will ease many of the issues we as Americans face today. Will it solve all of our problems? No obviously not. Will it help to ease some of our most pressing issues. Yes I believe it will. And I think you believe it to. Not because I want you to but because I am a logical sane person that cares not about lobbyists or trying to appease the far right or left. That is unfortunately a burden that our system forces you to shoulder.
Before it becomes a distracting question, yes I have smoked marijuana. I don’t anymore. I don’t because I can not justify the price or the risk to my record.
The vast majority of pot smokers in this country, including those that tried it once and decided it wasn’t for them are of the mindset that it is ridiculous to tax tobacco and alcohol while persecuting the millions upon millions of people that use marijuana.
It really must look insane from the outside. If a visitor to this world were to read the constitution of our country, or credo if you will, they would be quite confused at the state of our legal system. They would say how can the federal level of the judicial branch exercise such authority over sovereign people? Are these not illegal actions as stated by this text that is supposed to be the supreme and undeniable law and spirit of the land? Then one would be forced to ask why it has been ignored in the case of the prohibition of marijuana, among many other tyrannical policies? Then looking further at the complete and utter lack of success of this prohibition and the abhorrent collateral damage it has caused this being would be completely baffled as to the continued policy. And should that being ask the leader of this great land why Mr. President, why don’t you simply put forth your reason and support to the people to due away with such archaic and illogical doctrines what was your answer? You smirked Mr. President. You smirked and in a condescending tone that sent shivers down my spine dismissed a great number of people that helped drive your grass roots campaign and put their faith in you. We didn’t lend our support because we wanted to party or because we wanted to get high it was because we are firm believers that you are an intelligent, logical leader who wouldn’t be shackled or bow to incumbent forces that act only in their best interest and not the peoples. We believed you would lead us in this manner in all things not just with this issue.
It is my belief that the fear mongering indoctrination of the previous generations has come to pass and the majority of the people no longer want these laws. They no longer want to bare the collateral damage they cause. And some, like me, would just like to get high when my free will so chooses. Responsibly of course.
If I were to ask you if you believed in the constitution of the United States of America I believe you would say why yes Michael I believe in the constitution. Should that not end the argument once and for all? Do I not have the right to put in my body what I wish as long as it harms no others? Do I not have the right to pursue happiness in my own manner as long as it does no harm to others?
In closing, the only reason I can imagine that you are starting down the same path as your predecessors in this regard is that you have lost faith in the logic, reasoning, and overall intelligence of the American people and you yourself have bowed to the incumbent power of industry, lobbyists, and those that are still clinging to the illogical fears that were injected into their psyche through the past several decades. If that is the case I fear we have made a terrible mistake.
God Speed Mr. President
P.S. – I want you to know that I do applaud the decision to not infringe upon states rights by ceasing to raid medical marijuana distribution centers. Now please see the big picture Mr. President and end all forms of domestic tyranny. Free yourself, Free your people.
Tell the MEDIA!!! If the politicians won’t listen maybe we should see if the MEDIA would carry our voice…..I mean, after all, they are good for stirring up controversy. Are they not???
The problem with NORML’s future TV ad campaign (besides the giggling at the end of the top ad) is that the ads are all trying to appeal to Obama, who has shown his colors on this issue with his dismissive attitude and juvenile snickering. Directing the ads to Obama is like holding an oyster hoping it will grow a pearl. These ads need to be directed towards the American people. Clearly Obama is not in favor of civil rights.
I just remembered….there is a real ugly word that we could utilize . A word people don’t generally like 2 be associated with—-PREJUDICE. Maybe we should start calling our gov.t officials what they are…..prejudice.?
I’ve been thinking more about this. Maybe some of us (a-hem, read: me) are over-reacting.
Perhaps Mr. Obama hasn’t taken the time to give this issue the scrutiny it deserves. Afterall, some of the questions and statements sent in were clearly from full-time 4:20 “doods.” Some of those were pretty funny.
Perhaps someone will research the numbers, i.e., monies saved, monies earned by taxes and fees for dispensaries, monies it will take to add marijuana and hemp to the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agency. Then present the administration with the research and a sound and sane agenda to make this finally happen.
This *was* the country’s very first such event, he did mention marijuana and the extensive number of inquiries submitted to the White House… he really didn’t say anything about not wanting to decriminalize…
Ugh, he’s totally lost allll my support. The way he laughed about the subject is just sickening =[
“Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marihuana in private for personal use… Therefore, I support legislation amending Federal law to eliminate all Federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marihuana.”
– Jimmy Carter
AND HOW MANY TIMES WAS HE PRESIDENT. AN AWFUL LOT OF POT SMOKERS VOTED FOR REAGAN,
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you in response to your recent comments, during the March 26th 09 Online Town Hall Meeting. I think you are doing a great disservice to the Country, and your constituents, by mocking the most popular question submitted on the very forum you asked Americans to participate in — so that we may have our voices heard, as it were.
Well, today I’m feeling like you did not keep up your end of the bargain. Instead of engaging the American public in a rational, serious response, you chose to throw mud in the faces of so many Americans, who have turned to their Commander in Chief to address a serious question, with serious consequences. The laws against marijuana are archaic, wasteful, and destructive.
I implore you to take a serious approach to tackling this issue, not the shenanigans I saw today.
Lack of Seriousness
Kroft shifts to the automaker bailouts and Obama starts laughing and jokes about how unpopular the automakers are. For the first time, Kroft is actually non-comatose and notices that it is unusual for the President to be laughing about the collapse of a major industry. He asks Obama why he is laughing. Obama says that it is just gallows humor.
Everyone take an objective pill for one minute. Obama spends his time filling out NCAA brackets. He goes on Jay Leno. He laughs about companies going into bankruptcy. Does this make sense? Would you accept this behavior from Bush?
The above was from Obams 60 Minute interview with Steve Kroft.
Obama be a noob! I’m going to try to give him the
benfit of the doubt…till next time…BUT IT REALLY DID PISS ME OFF!
I started supporting financially the Obama push even before his presidential campaign got going. Having read his books, listened to his podcasts, and heard him speak a few times i had so much hope. here’s a rational dude who is gonna focus on fixing the completely irrational parts of our government. or so I thought. Well mr Obama with all these damn troops you are lobbing at afganistan…and now this?!!!!
Your uneducated, belittling, half-assed reply to the multitude of cannabis legalization questions was appalling. Please enlighten yourself and the american people!!!
mr Obama, you owe us an explanation as to why cannabis & by association hemp were made illegal in the 1930s. why are they truly illegal today? Think about up arresting over 1 million people a year for cannabis for the next 100 years? As a human being, who has inhaled cannabis several times, do you find this not truly disheartening? that’s where the current drug war is headed unless you educate yourself and rationalize with the american people that NOW is the time to end the prohibition on cannabis and hemp.
If you do not educate yourself and have a rational conversation about the pros of national cannabis & hemp legalization very soon then I have some sad news for you…you will not be re-elected. unless you drop Biden and pick up Ron Paul as your running mate in 2012 😉 This is not a laughing matter.
Do not succumb to the powers of big pharma, big alcohol, big tobacco, and big paper. They have had their say long enough. Now it is the american peoples turn to regain their freedom of choice.
Legalize hemp and legalize cannabis! Prohibition of these plants will NEVER WORK.
Fuck Istook:
Obama laughed in your faces today. He laughed in the faces of all the people whose lives have been ruined by years of Drug War violence perpetrated in the name of his office. He will continue to destroy your lives and laugh about it. At some point he will then laugh some more in your faces and assess huge taxes on marijuana while handing the industry over to his corporate buddies.
mr Obama poorly answered merely the economic impact of legalizing cannabis. and he answered incorrectly. just checkout the prose of the california & mass legalize campaigns for some potential tax revenues. of course this would mean we could legalize hemp as well. do not underestimate the potential new economic growth created by these two wonderful plants.
mr Obama you need to address the humanistic aspect of legalizing cannabis. you need to truly argue some of its effects on humans vs everything else out there and in particular tobacco, alcohol, and pills.
how can these two plants remain illegal forever? they have been illegal for about 30% of USA’s existence. 70 freakin years! can it still be illegal 3000 years from now? how would that be possible?
we need to make this national NOW so that we can move on to important issues.
I think everyone here needs to chill out and smoke a couple extra joints.
Did you guys really expect Obama to say anything differently than he did? Please…like he was actually going to say yes right then and there.
It doesn’t look great when everyone here says “I HATE THE PRESIDENT BECAUSE HE WON’T LEGALIZE POT OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!” It makes the marijuana smoking community look like pot is the most important thing in our lives or something.
Negativity is not the way to go. The day will come when marijuana becomes legalized, but until then everyone needs to settle down and continue to raise awareness on why marijuana should be legal.
They are laughing at us on the news this morning 3/27/09. Can we all get together and get this train rolling for change. Some of us are running out of time!!!!!!
If we can’t all get together not a thing is going to change.
Marijuana, Marijuana, Marijuana, Marijuana, Marijuana, let the cry go out, let it be loud, let it be strong!!!!
Send those e-mails!
The question that he half ass answered wasn’t even the most popular marijuana question.
Wow, Obama would rather see U.S. citizens die in the War On Drugs instead of legalizing, taxing, and regulating drugs. He lost my vote! I truely thought he was smarter than that, what a asshat!
I’m not hear to totally dis the prez, however the way that was handled yesterday brought back a most humiliating memory. About 17 yrs ago I was brave enough to stand up in my class and say I wanted to debate the uses and misinformation of hemp…. not even pot. I was laughed at and told I was stupid by my classmates and also told to sit down. It really did instill an inner resistance to speak up about what is controversial. The next time I was brave enough to stand up for the less than popular was in the wee early days of this election cycle for Barack Obama. Funny how things can come full circle sometimes, even if it takes years to show up. It’s just frustrating that he was the one to make me revisit my sour memory.
The truth is that if he did come out about it he may not get elected again, however if I had had that additude back during the primary I could have easily said ” he wont get elected so why waste my time” I didnt
Here in NH yesterday the house passed med MJ and is now being threatened by the govs “concerns” about it. It seems that re election is the main concern here and only we can change that.
It’s called politics people. Until his second term do not expect anything to happen. You are all completely delusional if you think he was going to come out and say “Oh thats a great idea”. The first step is medical marijuana. The second step is decriminalization. That doesn’t mean legal. Politicians have too much to lose, they NEVER do what is best for the country, they always do what is best for themselves. Until you guys go about this with some intelligence you will never succeed.
You know what pisses me off? You people! Shame on every one of you that posted nastiness about Obama’s response to that question. Go back and read my earlier post. (#300) Don’t you people realize that Obama is not able to just say; “Sure, lets legalize it!” WTF are you thinking? Shit does not work like that! Now is the best chance we’ve ever had to change the laws, but you people have been taking to many bong hits if you think it’s going to be as simple as that! And getting angry and throwing temper tantrums like spoiled children is NOT going to change anything. What it will do is make you all look like a bunch of stupid stoners and that will not help either. You have to play the game and follow the appropriate protocols. Organize yourselves, and your thought processes. Work together and draft a plan. Work up some statistics and show “accurately” exactly how legalizing and taxing marijuana will benefit this country. Document everything and then start at the beginning! Obama is not the beginning, he is the end of the fight, but the campaign has to get “to” him through proper channels, just like every other law that people want changed. You have to network and get everyone on the same page with the same arguments and the same documentation. You need one person to lead and organize in every state and you have to time yourselves so you all start your state campaigns together. You need a well-organized movement if you are going to succeed! Start at the state levels; get permits to demonstrate if necessary. Lobby your reps to put forth bills like the ones in California and Mass. The real problem you are going to have is the hard-core right-winged bible thumping holier than thou bunch that are adamantly against the idea, but the truth is there are more of you than there are them! But if you go busting into this thing like a bull through a china shop you will do more to prove their case, then you will to prove your own. Think about that! Do you want this to work, or do you all want to show yourselves to be just a bunch of stoners? People who smoke pot ARE every day regular people with regular jobs who function normally just like everyone else. (Well most are, just like some drinkers get along fine and some are alcoholics) If you are going to do this thing, you have to do it right or you may as well not bother. But to your advantage, now IS the time to start a true movement, the drug wars are a horribly expensive absolutely miserable failure and our country is so far in debt that we ALL may be fighting this campaign in Chinese pretty soon if we don’t find a way to get out of that debt. Taxing and regulating marijuana CAN help do that! Get off your asses and do this the right way!!
people who use marijuana are a stupid, ignorant, bunch of ….bunch….. wait, what were we talking about?
I am just as PISSED OFF as everyone else is!! I have HAD IT!!! I am making a list of ALL of our so-called Congressional and Senatorial representatives that are:
A) Now in office;
B) Are not truly representing the will of thier constituents-OUR WILL;
and
C)Seeking re-election so I can VOTE THE PIGS OUT ONE BY ONE.
Look! Obama may have re-buffed the question, but he did bring it up and he did not have too! Understand that he is a politician and the President of the United States. He got the words out there and he took in the responce of the audiance. I really think he is for it, or he would not have brought it up. We need to focus on California making it legal first and taxed and regulated. Once that happens, other states will follow suit rather quickly, and un-like BUSH, Obama will tell the Drug Agency to step down and back off and that it should be a state by state issue, not a government issue. Then we will see the question evolve more into, why not legalize it like alcahol. If it wasn’t on his mind, he would have not said nothing at all about it. The faster California starts taxing it and regulating it the better. That will be the map for all others to follow. Marijuana will never become legal without a map. California will be that map. I say to you all to focus heavy heavy heavy on Califoria. If California puts a tax system in place—then shows a great profit, the other states will follow quick quick quick! Then Obama and congress will make it legal and give it the same status as alcahol. It will not happen un-less it happens thru California first. But trust me on this—Obama personally is open to the idea—but he needs legs to stand on and a map to show it’s success to make an argument for it. California can be that argument, and they will only get that chance to become that argument because Obamma will let the state have its freedom to do so.
please share your list with me and if anyone may want to email me stephen_champagne@yahoo.com
msmcgee shut it! we are not pissed he didnt say legalize it! we are pissed that he laughed us off like we the people are a joke!
Maybe we are flipping out a little much. If you think about it what if he had’ve went along with it in front of everyone.The media and everyone would’ve freaked out and of course they would’ve made him look bad for agreeing with us.I will say that he didn’t have to laugh about it. He could’ve just disagreed with it and maybe went in depth a little more and moved on, but not laugh about it. It was condescending. I also don’t think they should’ve deleted the questions. It was obviously a huge thing on everyones mind for them to just delete them like that.
ha ha yeah speaking of the bible thumpers who would be against it. I’d have to argue with them on the fact that they are more than willing to take prescription meds from a doctor as if these do no harm at all. If you think about it then I think God would rather them use marijuana than that stuff because it’s natural and it doesn’t do the damage that the prescription drugs do. That’s my arguement towards them.
Im not angry about the answer but the way it was giving in a laughing joking manner.I just was exspecting a little bit more from the president of so called change.
All you apologizing for him have valid points…he MAY actually support it, but doesn’t want to say he does to avoid criticism. MAYBE that’s true, but if it is, then he is a coward, plain and simple. Is that who you wanted in the White House?
hell hath no fury like a stoner burnt…
Ok let’s try to settle down a bit OK?
Everyones anger and name calling is understandable but it isn’t going to accomplish much. However, with that anger in the back of your mind and the pit of our stomaches, I would HIGHLY suggest everyone to get involved:
Contact your local Representatives, your Senators and your Congressman (and women). And YES! The President too! Join NORML (if you’re not a member already, SHAME), attend your local NORML chapter meetings and take a few of your like minded friends with you. At the absolute least GET INFORMED. Let’s step it up people. OUR TIME IS NOW!! If we’re ALL constantly in their face about it, they can’t ignore us. To use a couple of his own phrases “we must have patience and persistent” (with heavy emphasis on persistent!) We have to keep after these yo yos who are OUR employees. REPEATEDLY!
“When Americans set there minds to something, there is NOTHING we can not do”
“Change has come to America” not yet but it WILL!
Speak Up and Act Up….it’s NORML.
there is a poll on CNN right now
I am guessing most of us including myself did not expect him to come out and support the legalization of marijuana yet. I am really only mad that he made a joke of the question and his internet constituency rather then just saying “The answer is no, I don’t think that is a good strategy.”
But on the bright side the simply fact that he brought the question up gives the idea more coverage in the mainstream media. It also gives us a chance to make Mr. President make a public apology to people with the view that marijuana should be legalized and regulated.
So remember even though this may be a little upsetting it is not entirely a bad thing either.
I read a lot of negative comments here, DO NOT GIVE UP, Obama did mention our plight,That means we got thier attention. Now it is time to double our letters, blogs and suggestions to congress, Write 2 letters to your senators today and fill Obamas blogs with letters, Tell everyone you know to help. As for the comment. what does this say about the online audience, We are proffesional people who are concerned with the issues and take part in our goverment. What does the lack of intrest by the rest of the country say about them.
I just got done e-mailing him
Everybody vote at cnn.com should us decriminalize marijuana it has over 95,000 votes with 67% yes
again – and I know normal works hard – but an ad showing how many days a year the taxpayer must work (or face prison themselves for not paying taxes to support the non taxing of cannabis) needs to be made like the ad that people work till? some day in april or something before they can start paying themselves – let the public know they are forced by the govt workers who makea living keeping this illegal that they work ? a month a year or a year out of their lives to keep cannabis from being taxed and hence they have to pay even more — and it’s cyclical and getting worse and more wasteful every year
cannabis prohibition is the epitome of wasteful governmnet spending — and a continuation of racist statistics I would THINK this guy would have carred about
the govt forces others to pay taxes so others don’t have to even though others are willing to pay taxes!!!
Well, looks like Obama will not accomplish anything productive or helpful during his presidency. I knew the rest of his plans for america sucked ass, however, I thought he might actually do something for pot. He will continue to dissapoint, brace yourself. Messiah, saviour, the one, hahaha. POLITICIAN!!!!
Fuck you Obama. Fuck you. You lost my respect and my vote. Let the DEA go back to dealing the drugs around the country for you. All for the love of money. What happened to compassion? Time for a revolution. Get all these fags out of Washington. Anarchy.
Everyone should also consider leaving news tips at cnn and any other media sites on the peoples call for an apology from the president and let him know we the people do not think its funny to continue arresting 800,000 U.S citizens a year or to have our right to life liberty and the pursuit of happines no matter how minute it may be continue to be usurped by our government.
I really don’t think Obama is ever going to legalize pot. If he wanted to he wouldn’t mock the idea. He has no problem doing what he wants, like spending insane amounts of our money.
There’s about one rational voice for every 20 posts on here. Chill the fuck out people. Obama’s on our side, but he is a lot smarter than most of us and definitely more nuanced than your average stoner. Support your president, write your reps, and shut the fuck up.
Well i have voiced my opinion. I called and left a comment saying i was appaled that the president would laugh at the people he repersents. i sent an e-mail stating the same, with facts. and a 2 page letter is being mailed to the white house. lets all do the same and pressure this idiot
I am officially no longer a Democrat. Barack can go screw himself! He thinks were are a joke for wanting legal marijuana. HA! Go Ron Paul 2012!!
its not something that should be laughed about thats for sure. its insulting. moreover, i applaud the respect this administration has given to state policies and jurisdiction. obama did laugh about pot reviving the economy. well maybe not solely, but it would have an impact. that is the funny part . everyoone in that audience this morning was laughin and smiling because they have all smoked at some point. but when cannabis is posed as a superhero by which it accumulates insults and opposition, ridicule…etc The plant is benign. power is perception. Its not a superhero, but maybe superman was a medical recepient?
I’m not pissed that he said no. I’m pissed that he picked a question that he could blow off instead of spending some time answering a worthwhile question about helping the economy. We all know he had plenty to choose from. I’m also pissed that he laughed at the online community calling us all stoners. AND laughed at all of the misfortune that has come as a result of this drug war. HELL he smoked and did blow. I’m sure there are plenty of us that don’t smoke, but are just looking for thier rights to be restored, or looking for ways outside the box to help the economy. NEXT POLL we should just ask him why it won’t help. SOoo Fuck all of you that have a problem with people venting on here. We don’t need you to put down our rights as well.
Ms McGee and anyone else here saying we are wrong for being offended:
Why dont you go somewhere else to say what you want to say? If it bothers you so much to see a community of people offended by the disrespectful laughter of our President of ‘change’ on a national stage, why are you here?
Most of us are not upset that marijuana wasnt legalized yesterday. I dont think any of us expected the president to answer our question by legalizing pot on the spot. But we did expect our time and effort to be realized by the man asking us for our time and effort.
The white house asked us to get online and vote and post topics to vote on. They asked us to bring what we believe our nation’s top issues to them so they could discuss those issues publicly. At no point did they ever tell us we should consider we may be laughed at.
I have always been told “There is no such thing as a stupid question”. But he made us all look/feel stupid by laughing at our question. OBAMA is in the wrong and if you think otherwise then shame on you.
So take your Obama fan-boy opinions and shove them up your ass. NO ONE deserves to be laughed at for asking a question. And certainly not 90 THOUSAND people that spent their time to vote. Obama deserves every nasty comment here for his behavior.
IF THEY DONT WANT US TO SPEAK OUR MIND, OR ASK QUESTIONS THEY DONT WANT TO ANSWER, THEY SHOULDNT ASK FOR OUR OPINIONS!!!!!!
This is disappointing and unfortunately, nothing new.
What some don’t seem to get is that having a fascist law on the books and continuing to fund the enforcement of it is a violation of civil rights and social justice. And that’s as important an issue as you can name.
.
Mr. President,
In all seriousness, it appears that while engaging those in positions of leadership in order for a brief laugh, you isolated millions of those who have hoped…depended on you to look out for them and take them more seriously than just the “online audience”
Though the majority of the people spoke on this issue, you turned a cold and derisive ear. Millions take the issue of prohibition quite seriously while hundreds of thousands of their non-violent relatives reside in jail due to the unrelenting foolish exercises in law enforcement and personal freedom violations. It’s absolutely incredible, disappointing and beyond comprehension that someone, like yourself, would not listen to the millions of good “fellow” Americans who placed hope on you to embrace them as meaningful and productive citizens of a country considered to be free. What a shame and a sham.
Quid Pro Quo! I don’t expect Obama to say “what a great idea”, but I will not be laughed at, ridiculed nor dismissed with a “what are they smokin’?” joke.
It is amazing how much he is starting to sound like Bush.
I knew that was going to happen!!! Everyone praised him, they made him the BIGGEST THING since sliced bread, and I saw through all the bull**** and didn’t support him. I didn’t support either side. This however is a big kick in the metaphoric nuts of those who are really looking to change the way the world is. We are not fighting for the right to smoke to be high all day, we are fighting for the right to allow Marijuana to be the connection between treatment and disease without having to use pharmaceuticals that will forever alter our organs and mind. I think that the majority of the world sees “US” as those who want to stay home and get “high” all day. That isn’t the point at all. The majority of people that are fighting for the reform of these laws are those with careers, those risking it all, who have high stake in the fight for legalization. These people are lawyers, doctors, nurses, students, psychologists, and even those who campaigned for Obama. Now he has gone against those who pushed for his election, so he did blow smoke up your a**es! He turned around after you led him to the top and dropped you like anyone with fame to the brain! I just hope that it bites him in the rear because its not something you will be able to run from. Maybe not in my lifetime, but in my children or grandchild’s lifetime it will happen. You can’t run from it forever, so just turn around and face the problem. The HORRIBLE ECONOMY is the GOVERNMENTS FAULT, HORRIBLE UNEMPLOYMENT is the GOVERNMENTS FAULT, SO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE FOR ONCE!!! Better yet, don’t have open questions, because you don’t want to hear what we have to say, and don’t say the White House is for the people, because ITS NOT! Someone FOR THE PEOPLE, will LISTEN TO EVERY ISSUE, whether he likes it or not, an OPEN MINDED person will listen without laughing and blowing off the issue. REMEMBER THAT IN 4 YEARS!
OBAMA CAN LOOK FOR SUPPORT ELSEWHERE!
So OK Big O, let me see if I got this right. Machine guns good. Pot bad.
Yeah his cynical joke of it made me sick. I felt duped. Our legal guns are being used to protect Mexico’s murderous pot growers who are pillaging and plundering to meet our insatiable demand and to you, Big O, it’s funny.
Ha ha. Look at me laugh. You’re so cute.
We all were hoping he would be on our side, at least on th is issue. Check out the Obama Deception.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7535755025025800195 I don’t put 100% accuracy as to what Alex Jones says, but it informing.I voted for Ron Paul. He ran on a end the war on drugs platform as part of his 1988 libertarian campaign for president. I would suggest joining a ron paul meetup to educate yourselves on the politcal process.
Our nation has obviously become a nation made up of 2 special interest groups..One group whose main interest is the income alcohol has on the nation, another group who concerns are the health of the nation. Americans spend over 100 billion dollars on alcohol related expenses from making bail and paying lawyers for DWIs, to the medical industry who makes large sums of money on the body parts availble from all the alcohol related deaths that occur ever couple of seconds in our nation.
And Marijuana on the otherhand, if it was legalized the only revuning one could contribute to it would be fertilizer and cigarette paper sales. No money here.
When something doesn’t make sense….Look for the money
I’m more afraid of homeland terror than international terror. The police and foul laws of this country pose a much greater threat to my peaceful and nonviolent way of life then any middle eastern threat. Sad times, especially when our commander and chief laughs at our valid and pertinent concerns.
It is our time to stand up for ourselves, we need to quit waiting for these people to make change and do it our selves. In protests, Emails, and much more. Its crazy how people will say whatever it takes to get there way (see Obama) but when push comes to shove He is just another guy who really only cares about filling his OWN pockets and not helping others. Jeez just when I thought Mr. Obama would actually make change he slaps the whole MJ Community in the face plus some.
SAINT RICO (comment 464) stated that we should start calling gov. officials as prejudice, as this is a severely negative thing to be called in this climate of politically correctness. This might work if utilized correctly, but can backfire on us. Worth a try, but I also suggest that we unofficially start rumors about links between certain anti-marijuana gov. officials and the Mexican drug cartels, since they are the only ones that benefit from this prohibition. It’s false propaganda, but that’s what the gov. did to demonize it in the first place.
For all of you that said “Fuck Obama”… good that you got it out of your system. But Obama was never at the center of marijuana reform to begin with. Let’s focus on the current legislation in California and Massachusetts. I’m from neither state, but if you are, call your senators, representatives, and governors that you support AB 390 (California) and House Bill 2929 and Senate Bill 1801 (both in Massachusetts).
Legalizing marijuana on the state level will cause more momentum in the reform movement, which is what we need. We shouldn’t be pleading to the president to support an unpopular movement. Just vote Ron Paul in 2012 and focus on local legislation.
I watched that little “Web Hall Meeting” yesterday. This is an email which I just sent through the White House.Gov website:
Dear Mr. President, (though I’m certain Mr. Obama will never see this),
I am writing to express my frustration and anger over my President’s answer to the question of legalizing Marijuana. I was able to view the President’s little “Web Hall Meeting” yesterday. My jaw dropped to the floor when I heard him, FINALLY respond to what happens to be one of the most “popular” topics/questions on Change.Gov.
And I quote, “I don’t know what this says about the online audience, but [laughing] this was a fairly popular question, we want to make sure it was answered. The answer is no, I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow our economy.”
What does this say about the online audience? Is there something humorous about the question? Do you think that the majority of Americans who want to see an end to the Prohibition are just a bunch of “Stoners”? Are you people so incredibly blind as to what effect the legalization of Marijuana will be on the big “Drug Cartels”? I thought the President’s message during his campaign for the Presidency was CHANGE!!!!!! I see no change whatsoever happening on this issue. How will legalizing, regulating and taxing the sale of marijuana NOT throw a wrench into the workings of the drug cartels?
May I suggest that someone in the Administration, with all their fancy communications “toys”, go online to http://www.norml.org. It’s rather amazing what you will find there. Are you aware that a team of researches has been able to identify the process that cannabis employs to actually kill certain types of Cancer cells? Did you know that the THC and other cannabinoids in Marijuana can also help heal damaged cells?
I’m 55 years old. And for most of my adult life, I have been apolitical. I happened to vote for Barak Obama for President. The last time I voted in a Presidential election was in 1972. I voted for Richard Nixon. That fact embarrasses me to this day, and was the reason I had not voted again….until Mr. Obama came along. And I’m regretting walking to my polling station last November 4th, and casting my vote for him.
Change? I have been through two, 48 week periods of chemotherapy which has left me a shell of who I had been. At the risk of having a SWAT team of DEA agents knock down my apartment door, I have been using cannabis along with the many medicines I’ve been prescribed. It is truly the only effective medicine I ingest. But, that makes me a criminal. And it’s not just me. There are more than enough personal stories out there about how Cannabis has helped….even cured hundreds of thousands of individuals. Yet, our “wise” politicians’, those who gain to lose campaign funds if they were to support the legalization of Marijuana, those same people that WE put into those seats, are either blind, frightened of losing financial support, or just plain stupid. The Majority of this Country’s population want….demand that this useless, and obviously very dangerous, life taking Prohibition be ended.
I am completely confused by the lack of insight on the part of our politicians’ to comply with the wishes of the majority of American Citizens. Why don’t those members of Congress, who themselves indulge in the use of Marijuana, step forward and do the right thing? Why won’t my President do the right thing? Why do I have to be made to feel less than human, or a drug addict, because of Mr. Obama’s feelings about his on line audience members?
I have been unable to work for over two years now. I’ve been denied SSDI, even though I’ve lost control of bowel and bladder functions, have teeth literally falling out of my mouth, am suffering from memory loss, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hepatitis C , (never used a needle and am heterosexual), COPD, panic/anxiety, depression, constant pain, loss of hearing, and on and on. I’ve had to live off of my retirement monies for the past two years. And I don’t have much left. I don’t have family to fall back on and expect to be homeless and living in a cardboard box by the end of summer. I have no Medical Insurance, so I am unable to seek any further medical care.
Will the world come to an end if Marijuana were to be legalized? Certainly, someone in the administration is aware of the financial benefits this country would enjoy by ending the Prohibition. (I forgot. This is America. The home of the Free. Free unless you happen to use a harmless and potentially life saving “weed”). I am not feeling very proud to be an American these days. Change? Does anyone there actually understand the definition of the word “Change”?
Though I suspect that this email will go unread, and doubt anyone will reply to it….I do appreciate your time and consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Peterson
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I am extremely pissed off by what I heard yesterday. Thank God for NORML and the other advocacy groups!!
PS: I’m still waiting for my NORML T-shirt….lol
The fact is that if he answered the question any differently, THAT would be the story for the next week. At least.
I know a lot of you would love that, and believe me, no one welcomes legalization more than I. But when he’s trying to pass a budget overhauling our energy, education, and healthcare system, this can’t be what’s on the front burners. It sucks that we can’t have it all at once, but blame the media for that.
He’s a good politician, and for now he’s going to let it play out in the STATES. He doesn’t have the authority to legalize anything anyways. Legal=law=congress. Write your congressman, and stop being all BUTT HURT about Obama’s quip. He’ll get to marijuana legalization after he fixes MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS. Smoke one and chill out.
Yes we can’t. Sellout! Let it be known 3-26-09 the day Obama lost the 2012 election. If he can’t change something as obvious as the failing policy of marijuana prohibition he’s the real joke.
The continued lack of support from our elected officials on this issues leads to two conclusions. Either the will of special interests (alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, private prisons, and unions) or government institutions (DEA, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Local and State Police) are being administered over the will of the people. When the freest country in the world has the highest incarceration rate of any industrialized nation and a high percentage of those incarcerated are for non-violent drug offenses, one can easily draw a conclusion that drug prohibition is not working. Is our War on Drugs protecting the American populace or is it servicing the special interests and government agencies. Based upon the statistics and studies, I conclude it is the later.
If our elected officials are waiting for political cover to tackle this problem so they don’t appear to be soft on crime they need to communicate that the prohibition of Marijuana (stamp act and listing as a Schedule I drug) was based upon false principals and should have never been enacted. This could be achieved through a Schaffer 2.0 commission and allowing credible scientific research to be done such as the work proposed by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (research blocked by the DEA).
With all that is happening to country, we need leadership from our government. What happened to line in the Gettysburg address “that government of the people, by the people, for the people”? It seems that if Lincoln was to give the address today it would read “that government of the people, enforced by the government agencies, for the special interests”. It appalling that we are incarcerating and ruining so many lives over someone’s choice to use Marijuana. A drug that is no worse (many would argue less) than alcohol.
Marijuana has MANY uses, not just smoking it. LOL. It wouldnt only improve fertilizer ad cigarette paper sales.
The plant that would be legalized can produce textiles, plastics, paper, oil, hell it may even have potential similar to ethanol we get from corn. I dont think the question about legalizing marijuana helping our economy was directed toward recreational use. Recreational use is just ONE of MANY uses we can get from the super crop. Different parts of the plants can be harvested for different uses.
Maybe we should try to appeal to envrnmentalists by discussing how the marijuana plant can save trees, provide alternatives or additives for fuel that would be renewable yearly, or find some other good reasons to bring up about why it should be legalized.
I wonder how many people out there are confused about our interest in legalizing marijuana? I bet a lot of folks think we only want it legalized so we can smoke it.
That isnt all marijuana is good for people!
Great article. We still have a lot of obstacles to overcome on the path to legalization.
Check out my piece on the Huffington Post, “Operation Buzzkill: Random Drug Testing for the Unemployed” at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/warren-holstein/
operation-buzzkill-random_b_179960.html
I live in a “red” county. I stood up for Obama, and faced ridicule by the locals. For him to turn this into a joke and to ridicule me for what I believe in is unforgivable. And this is not over. I will meet alot of my fellow Americans on the street, and be reminded of what I said about Obama. how he stood for change and possibly a better world to live in.
Makes me wonder, “What Was I Smoking?”
everyone should go to CNN and vote on the online poll. it’s quick and easy and on their home page.
http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=235435
http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=235435
—
Is calling for user videos about legalization to possibly be shown on CNN. It would be great to see some of you make your arguments on there. THANKS
Anyone who voted for this dickhead voted for chance, not change.
I’m offended by the president’s attitude towards the reform of marijuana laws. I’m confident that millions of Americans would be offended if laughed at, especially by the president. Being scornful isn’t a good strategy.
isnt there some sort of a law or whatever that if over half of the states introduce a policy regarding say marijuana that the feds have to have the same law. i read this somewhere and believe we need to target the states where it will be easier to get the laws on the state books thereby bypassing the fed route. if anyone knows of this or has any info please email me at stephen_champagne@yahoo.com
The people need to push our politicians, President O included, on the issue of legalizing marijuana, not just for medical use, but because we want it legalized. Not because of taxes, or money, but because we want it legal.
We need to stand up and be heard, without being laughed at, just because the resident or those he consorts with have a different point of view. After all, isn’t this supposed to be a government for/of/by the people.
Some felt the same way about alcohol in the pass, but many continued underground. That is ridiculous, and it is ridiculous that in this day and age it is happening with marijuana.
This organization needs to get out there and get to work
in a BIG WAY.
i use marijuana for medical use, every since i started smoking i stopped taking my anti- depressents because it really does make me feel so much better that any pill ive ever been prescribed has… and for our president to laugh in our faces really upsets me, he doesn’t realize its not a drug it really does help thousands if not millions of people on an everyday basis.
I have officially spotted a CHUMP “Obama!”
Obama will be on Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer this weekend. Please let CBS know that you want Obama to answer our serious questions seriously.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/08/ftn/main13469.shtml
SO THERE YOU GO,OBAMA YOUR THE REAL JOKE HERE.ITS IGNORENT POLITICIANS LIKE YOURSELF,THAT MAKE THIS COUNTRY SUCK.DONT GET ME WRONG,I LOVE MY COUNTRY VERY MUCH,BUT HATE MY GOVERNMENT MORE.CHANGE WAS YOUR SLOGAN,GO F**K YOURSELF.ANOTHER DEAD BEAT WASHINGTON ASSHOLE.OBAMA AND THE REST OF HIS DOUCHE BAG FRIENDS THOUGHT IT WAS SO FUNNY,WELL THINK ABOUT THIS WE THE SMOKERS WILL CONTINUE TO SMOKE,SELL AND GROW REGARDLESS WHAT YOUR STUPID LAWS SAY.PRETTY FUNNY THERE OBAMA…HA..HA…HA..HA.OBAMA HAD ALL MY RESPECT UNTIL YESTERDAY,THINK ABOUT THIS OBAMA YOU AND YOUR PETHETIC GOVERNMENT SHOULD KEEP IT ILLEGAL.THE REASON WHY?SO US POT SMOKERS DONT HAVE TO PAY
I would just like to quote Obama quoting himself in his opening statement…
“I’m a big believer in the idea of persistence. The idea that when the American people put their mind to something and keep at it, without giving up, without turning back, no obstacle can stand in out way, and no dream is beyond our reach.”
SO THERE YOU GO,OBAMA YOUR THE REAL JOKE HERE.ITS IGNORENT POLITICIANS LIKE YOURSELF,THAT MAKE THIS COUNTRY SUCK.DONT GET ME WRONG,I LOVE MY COUNTRY VERY MUCH,BUT HATE MY GOVERNMENT MORE.CHANGE WAS YOUR SLOGAN,GO F**K YOURSELF.ANOTHER DEAD BEAT WASHINGTON ASSHOLE.OBAMA AND THE REST OF HIS DOUCHE BAG FRIENDS THOUGHT IT WAS SO FUNNY,WELL THINK ABOUT THIS WE THE SMOKERS WILL CONTINUE TO SMOKE,SELL AND GROW REGARDLESS WHAT YOUR STUPID LAWS SAY.PRETTY FUNNY THERE OBAMA…HA..HA…HA..HA.OBAMA HAD ALL MY RESPECT UNTIL YESTERDAY,THINK ABOUT THIS OBAMA YOU AND YOUR PETHETIC GOVERNMENT SHOULD KEEP IT ILLEGAL.3 REASONS WHY?#1-THE PRICE(UNDER THE GOVERNMENT)WOULD GO SKY HIGH #2-THEY WOULD TRY TO BRING THE POTENCY DOWN
#3AND MIGHT BE HARDER TO GET.
IVE SMOKED FOR ABOUT 20YRS NOW AND THE PRICES HAVE BEEN THE SAME FOR THAT LONG.AND I CAN GET A HAPPY
SAC IN ABOUT 5MINS THAT EASY.SO IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE THIS THEN LETS DO IT.MY DEALER COULD USE A NEW CAR OR POSSIBLY SOME NEW BLING.POT SMOKERS 4EVER
And today he’s talking about stopping the drug trade that’s destroying Afghanistan. (sp?) It’s all right in front of his face. Instead Hillary wants to talk about gun bans, etc. The guns would be no problem if the cartels had no reason to use them. duh.
I’m disappointed. A friend theorizes that, with as many unorthodox things he’s proposing currently, a nod to stoners would damage his cred however wrong that may be. I’m hoping he’s pandering again as I hope he pandered to the religious right during the election. But i’m doobie-us.
To agree with what Jim Lunsford said in post # 73
if you think not voting for Obama will change anything, look up Bohemian Grove, or the Creature from Jekyll Island.
I was NOT amused by Mr. Obamas laughter or comment “I don’t know what that says about our online viewers” What it personally says about me, is that I am sick and tired of shelling out an obscene amount of money for a drug for my husbands epilepsy, that has a side effects list that makes me sick to my stomach every month when I have to go refill it, when there is a natural alternative available that wouldn’t ruin his liver, teeth, etc. And also wouldn’t clean out our bank account. Plain and simple.
I am so very disappointed in you Mr. Obama. How dare you disregard a top question that the American people (supposedly YOUR people), and even go so far as to mock it! You will not have my vote next time Mr. Obama. Alas, the country has fallen to another puppet of the Oligarchs. You are nothing but a puppet in an elaborate show (the government). I have lost all hope in our country. I fear that the only thing that will pull us out of this fake democracy is an economic crash. So actually I do hope that you royally screw up our economy in your next few years. The only reason you are in office is because people were getting uneasy and were starting to see the true government. Then you start promoting CHANGE. False promises. Soon the people will see how you are desecrating our freedom and our country. Your secrets will come out. I say all this too you not because of anger, but because of deep sadness. So Mr. Obama, I do not hate you. I take pity on you.
Thank you,
*****
What is funny about millions of free Americans having their lives destroyed. Not by a herb but by our lawmakers the ones that are sworn to represent us. Not corporate profits and I say we need to end PACs and lobbies from contributing to there confusion….
Americans will never conform to or respect a law born of racism perpetuated by greed and supported by lies.
Cherokee Fred Hussein Jesus
515 comments wow lets keep it moving and aend this to laryy king on cnn.com
cnn.com/larrykinglive
vote on a oll to legalize marijuana
70% pro 30% neg so far lets get it too 85%by tonights airing!!!!!!
ok, so norml pointed us in the direction to vote on the questions, and he laughed at us for doing it. Look at the front page of his webiste right now. He’s doing the EXACT same thing he laughs at us for. He has a huge thing on his homepage to click on – call congress to support his budget. we enter our information to get our congressman’s contact information.
i looked up my congressman to say i do not support his budget, and listed this as the reason i do not support it. I said it isn’t so much that i don’t support the budget, but i do not support this behavior.
Obama laughed it off because they chose the wrong question. They should have chose one about drug law reform, not if it would save the economy. They purposely chose that one so he could laugh it off now.
Anderson Cooper wasn’t the only one to laugh it off too, I watched ABC news last night and Jake Tapper laughed at it too, but Chuck Gibson didn’t even crack a smile.
I wrote to the president, and my two senators about this again.
With this economy I do fear my job, but someone I work with had their house illegally searched and they found pot plants. They were forced to drop the chrages because it was for personal use and it was an illegal search. She also kept her job, around the time 11 others were getting laid off! Maybe there’s hope yet.
As for the medical problems I’m on a medication right now that has a list of side effects that’ll make you squirm, including lupus, MS, cancer and horrible infections. How would pot fair against those side effects? I’d take the pot any day!
current poll on CNN is should Marijuana be decriminalized? Drop in and let one of the largest news networks in this country know exactly how we feel!
I understand the whole “He can’t say what he really thinks, he needs to laugh and say no” argument, but when then? not to get to political but why are dems so scared to say what they think? do you think the last president would care at all what the opposing party thought? No, he pushed his agenda from day one and never stopped or looked back. When the dems are in power USE it. We have the door open, and are the bouncers. I can change things, make things better but…we can’t do that now, no no no, not now. And also he could have said something like…Hell he could have said the very same words…just don’t laugh like every other ill informed moron whenever someone brings up the issue of legalization of marijuana. “haha, drugs are bad, m’kay, little boy.”
Sorry, Mr. President. The online community didn’t mean to infer that legalizing marijuana would solve the government’s several trillion dollar quagmire.
It will increase tax revenue and job creation.
It will decrease government expenditure on the failed War on Drugs.
It will free millions of victim-less “criminals”.
It will be another step on the path to living in a free society; perhaps something that the government doesn’t value, but I guarantee you, the people do.
Reconsider your stance, Mr. President. Your rose the presidency based on our support. Don’t forget that. Because we won’t.
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/
Larry King talks about legalizing marijuana tonight!
frist off let me say think u norml for takeing time to help us with this. 2 why does it matter what America thinks it clears show that we don’t have a say so in what goe’s on in or states that really should just tell us all to fuck off.
check out this great post..
http://www.misanthropytoday.com/2009/03/26/
obama-on-marijuana-wheres-the-change/
Submit your comments regarding Obama’s comments to ONDCP via the link on norml’s blog.
Be logical. Be respectful. Make a good argument. My comments are posted below.
Peace
Huck
My response to President Obama’s comments regarding legalization of marijuana is to ask: What’s so funny?
While it is difficult to make an accurate estimate, it is commonly cited that roughly half of American adults have used marijuana—including the president himself. Recent polls indicate that more than 40% of adults nationwide–and 58-60% of adults in California, Oregon, and Washington–are in favor of regulated legalization. More than 80% of Americans feel that medical marijuana is a viable treatment for many illnesses.
So who are all of these people? We are cooks, waiters, and bus drivers. We are doctors and lawyers. We are teachers, civil servants, aid workers, and volunteers. I am a scientist at a DOE laboratory. The vast majority of us are responsible, contributing members of society.
While many of us, me included, have not used marijuana in over a decade, we are frustrated and disappointed by the monumental hypocrisy, waste, and failed policies of America’s “War on Drugs.”
We don’t think that daily marijuana use—just like daily alcohol or tobacco use—is a healthy lifestyle choice, and we surely don’t think that marijuana will save the world. On the other hand, we don’t think that responsible marijuana use by adults is a threat to society, and we definitely don’t think it is a crime. We know that marijuana use poses fewer physical risks and is less addictive than alcohol or tobacco, and we figured out years ago that federal anti-drug campaigns—including “reefer madness”, “the gateway effect”, “amotivational syndrome”—are more yellow journalism than they are public service announcements. We see these campaigns as disingenuous and disrespectful; more importantly, we have seen them fail repeatedly.
With respect to the current economic crisis, we do not see legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana as a silver bullet; we see it as a small step in the right direction. Enforcement of marijuana laws costs federal, state, and local governments tens of billions of dollars per year—more than the federal government currently spends on health care for underprivileged families. Moreover, the black market marijuana industry has recently been estimated to net more than $14 billion per year just in California. Legalization, regulation, and taxation would simultaneously provide a substantial decrease in spending and a substantial revenue stream.
With respect to the ongoing drug-related violence in Mexico and along the southern border states, officials believe that marijuana accounts for between 40% and 75% of drug cartel revenues. Legalization and regulation would remove the marijuana trade from the black market, causing an immediate and substantial decrease in cartel revenue. As with alcohol, marijuana-related violence is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.
While I do not condone substance abuse, I strongly feel that prohibition has created a much more harmful and dangerous situation than drug abuse itself. America’s “War on Drugs” has failed, and it’s time for a new approach. Educate our children and young adults, but do so honestly and without sensationalized propaganda. Provide individuals suffering from addiction with access to counseling and treatment, rather than giving them a criminal record. In all cases, treat the public with respect.
President Obama laughed at the idea of legalizing marijuana. My question to him: What’s so funny?
Fuck you chad. Obama doesn’t have our best interests at heart. Face it, he’s sold out, and nothing you can say is going to make us ever believe in him again. If he were on our side, then why did he laugh off what we all thought to be a serious question? I didn’t expect him to come out and say “yes, it should be legal” but if he were really informed on the subject, he would at least have taken some time to explain either the benefits or the negative effects of legalization. He just blew us off! He was pandoring to his audience of “mewling sycophants” and I will not calm down. I will march on the streets, I will tear down the establishment, I will burn DC to the ground until the time that I am given back my liberty.
-Matthew
No respect
No hope
No change
No time
Marijuana march 4-20-2009
On the WHITE HOUSE STEPS!!!!!
I sent an email this morning and followed up with a phone call to the white house this afternoon.
I lost a friend last year to these laws and I don’t find it funny at all. I also don’t find it funny that thousands of Americans are wasting away in prison because of these laws at my expense.
I was very disappointed to see Obama laugh off the question about prohibition reform. It was shocking that such an intelligent man, who is an admitted past user, would over-look all the research and facts and simply laugh it off as some “cyber-teen-stoner” agenda that was generated by those questionable “users of the internet”.
On a positive note though it looks like the Rockefeller Drug Laws are finally out the door. Check out http://www.lockdownusa.com. A portion of all their profits goes to support the DPA (Drug Policy Alliance)! It’s time to take what we stared in NYC and make it national.
Well let Obama laugh for now but the next time he asks for the publics questions give him the same question over and over until he is forced to address it properly. Personally I can’t believe such a popular question with such valid points would be laughted at and mocked and to question the type of people who asked as if all who did write in on the legalization put down “hey dude why not make weed legal”. Many of the questions and all the ones I personally read were well articulate and well writen submissions. Keep up the fight everyone they can’t ignore us forever!
Are you people done drinking the Obama Kool-Aid now??
I can honestly say that I’ve never been so so angry about this issue until now.
What’s so funny? I can tell you what’s funny… is a President that can’t think for a second before he makes assumptions, and I believe Obama is one of them.
I can honestly say I’ve never been so humiliated before, I felt as if I was being laughed at supporting an idea that is far better than any of his. One that would fix his debt he is causing and all the money he is throwing at the banks.
I have to admit, I’m pretty saddened by Obama’s weak-brainwashed-mind.
I think when the next round of questions opens up we should all pose and vote on the question “What is it that you think is so funny about the subject of marijuana law reform?” Maybe we can get his attention that way.
Norml and friends,
I wrote a letter to the whitehouse the day this happend and sitll no response. I never voted for obama and his administration because i have been fully aware of the left right paradigm that is actually only one party with one overall goal. However I did participate in the site open for quesitons just because im a free american that wanted to. Sorry to all who really believed in this and we need to start going crazy with letters e-mails and phone calls to all legilators in all branches of government even if they have nothing to do with it so its in everyones minds atleast. Well thats all I got to say and Im with you guys 100 % and will always be.
If they legalized marijuana with the same guidelines of distribution as alcohol,(license required to distribute) they could tax the hell out of it and it’ll still be cheaper than we(well, than I)pay right now. So there will be tax revenue and the elimination of the cost of encarcerating simple marijuana users. I bet all of you who didn’t vote for Ron Paul are kickin yourselves now. See he would have not just pulled us out of Iraq but out of the Middle East all together, which coupled with the legalization of marijuana would have done a lot more for our economy than printing a trillion dollars. That is all, I have to take my stress relief “pill”.
Oh all you still defending obama..
Wooohoo war!!! We are not out of Iraq, and now we have a new war to look forward to with Pakistan!! Awesome! Have you not been reading about the increases in troop deployment, unmanned drone attacks, and INCREASED PENTAGON BUDGET!!! Before Bush, the pentagon budget was about $200billion. Bush skyrocketed it to over $800billion. So you would think real change is further increasing the pentagon budget, then shame on you. Plus how is withdrawing only half of the troops from Iraq, and designating the rest to non-combat (ya right) really withdrawing from Iraq? Plus he did vote for the multi-billion dollar embasy.. ahem ahem FORTRESS.. ahem ahem MILITARY COMPLEX in Iraq. We are not leaving. Seriously, what will it take for you to realize this man is not who he says he is? A lot of us have tuned in and we are waiting on you. Please read something other than CNN. For the love of our country, godspeed to the heroes who know that REAL change will come through 3rd party candidates and it is NOT a wasted vote. Obama was the wasted vote. Thanks for 4 more years of Bush warmongering policies.
I think this might be a blessing in disguise, due to Obama’s answer we are now seeing an uproar from our community. For a while we have known the benefits and false information about our cause but they have been isolated to fellow supporters. There will have to be a rebuttal from this administration about this issue and it will be heavily covered by the media. We should take this frustration and anger and use it to motivate our efforts which is clearly going on with all the attention this issue has gotten since he arrogantly laughed off a large part of his voter base. I haven’t denounced Obama but he has some things to make up to us now and we expect him to do so or it is going to be a little more difficult to get elected his second time around.
BO said in his acceptance speech something to this affect: “and for those of you who didn’t vote for me I hope to win your trust”.
BO’s blatant, cruel and egotistical answer at this “town hall” meeting has ended any chance of that ever happening.
I believe in karma, what goes around comes around. For me now, BO’s payback can not come fast enough.
Congressman Dr. Ron Paul is our only hope.
Please email Senator Webb to express your gratitude for his support on marijuana decriminalization:
http://webb.senate.gov/contact/
I agree with what people say about being duped, at least right now while Obama laughs at our very serious question while the damn DEA raids another legal dispensary in San Francisco. This is not what I voted for! I wanted someone who was open to new ideas, and open to what the public actually wants. I am completely disappointed and will be looking into what Congressman Ron Paul is all about if he decides to run in 2012. This SH!T is making me furious. This “Drug War” seems to me like it’s a war on hardworking, taxpaying, American Citizens, and I’m not going to take this crap anymore!
there’s little i can say about Obama’s administration. like most im 19years old i voted for the first time last year. i did my part because i believed in obama i really felt like he was the change we all been looking for.I feel deeply disappointed for the way obama commented the taxing of cannabis. it coulds bring so much revenue to the state alone country like duct Amsterdam and many part or Europe have tax cannabis and are flourishing.A and here’s a little story: my father at the age of 50 as working for a company im my home town of Rubidoux 92509 in California, were he works with asphalt but because of the economic problem work became slow so he applied for unemployment. through unemployment my father collect money taken by taxes that he pay every time he receives hes paycheck. but its been nearly 3 weeks and still no check when we went to see what the hold up we found out the terrible truth that the reason why the check is coming in so late is because the state is broke. now im sure that by the time we found out about this obama already knows about this and he still laughs at the town meeting saying it wont help the econ. I know it will work, mark emery if living proof that taxing cannabis work his seed bank alone raked in 12 in one store alone some 4 million went to taxes.im current planing on going to school to able to open and run my own dispensary
at least ill know that my taxes that ill pay for my business will help out some else who’s going thought unemployment. So its safe to say i wont be voting for Obama in the next election. (RON PAUL2012)
face it people, Obama isn’t going to support the legalization of marijuana. He’s already being blamed for the bad things happening to this country while he’s in office, and legalizing or supporting marijuana is just going to cause more people to put more blame on him, ESPECIALLY if something goes wrong legalizing marijuana. Obama is scared of what could happen and doesn’t want to be responsible for more damage than he has already done.
I see mr obama it is OK for you as a college kid to do drugs, but it is a joke that adults would like to choose for themselves to use or not to use cannabis!
And I found your reply to be both flippant and rude!
CHANGE=LIES
Sen. Jim Webb is amenable to opening up a sane discussion on the War on Drugs. I just sent him the following:
Sen. Webb,
Thank you for following up with sane rationality President Obama’s thoughtless brushoff of the fervent call for an end to marijuana prohibition.
As I’m sure you’re aware, the war against marijuana has racist roots grounded in fear. (Scary black jazz musicians and latinos smoked pot.) In fact, the 800,000 non-violent citizens arrested on pot charges each year — most for simple possession — are still today predominately minorites.
Ending the war will not be easy because it benefits many people who will fight to keep it going — from private prison contractors who get paid by the head to local police departments who get federal anti-drug grants to the drug traffickers themselves, whose businesses paradoxically thrive only because of the inane ban.
Many learned people in all walks of life — from retired law enforcement officers to Harvard professors — support legalization as the only way to control the sale of pot, which is now easier for teenagers to buy than is beer.
In addition — despite the President’s asinine claim — legalization of pot would, in fact, decrease the deficit. Not only would billions be raised on the legal sales, but the cost of incarcerating millions of non-violent people (the vast majority of whom did nothing but what President Obama himself openly admits to having done) would go away and these sadly wasted lives would be restored, creating millions of new taxpayers. (Want to talk about waste? Twenty million Americans have been arrested on pot charges since the 60s.)
On top of everything else, marijuana is known to be much less damaging and addictive than either cigarettes or alcohol, both of which already are legal. (Where is the logic in that?)
This, of course, means that adult citizens can not rationally choose to consume a drug less harmful to themselves than the legal alternatives without becoming criminals.
Thank you, Jim, for restoring my hope that the law may one day be based on reason and logic rather than hypocracy, fear and political expediency.
Best Wishes.
PS: Might I suggest that any law legalizing pot make it a privilege granted only to the law-abiding who use it responsibly? This would mean if you drive stoned or rob someone’s house you would lose your “pot privileges.” (Of course you could still wash down your oxycontin with a few shots of Jack Daniels.) Just a thought.
What we need to do is keep fighting the good fight. The winds of change really are in the air, look how much national media coverage marijuana has gotten lately and all of the legislation that is trying to get passed.
Things are getting close to the tipping point and we need to keep trying, even if we do have a president who is apathetic to our cause. Write the White House, write your representatives. Power in numbers, people! Let them know what is RIGHT
This entire comment section about this article speaks for itself. 514 as I post this now. That’s a lot of distaste for the Pres’ laughter. Someone should email this page to him. When are we going to stop taking this?
can somebody please throw a shoe at this asshole already. hes a black bush.
FUCK OBAMA! I’M NEVER VOTING AGAIN!
We’ll always be underground. Nothing will change.
I didn’t like the way he had to be a little insulting about it either folks, but let’s look at the big picture. Obama has shifted everything by stating that the DEA will now only be allowed to prosecute those breaking BOTH federal AND state laws. SO…if any state now legalizes MJ, the DEA will not do anything about that either. Basically, this entire fight needs to take place on a State by State basis. The President is simply asking us to allow him the political cover he needs to survive. NORML should focus ALL of it’s energy on State compaigns.
I submitted a letter to the drug czar. If I may suggest, most of us send in letters simply attacking the drug war. I think it is time we step of the intelligence of our letters, and actually explain the issues in depth. Here is a copy of my letter:
I think the government’s default position has always been to put the drug user into a stereotype. President Obama’s reaction to the marijuana questions posed simply reinforced that position.
Let me quickly address all the major arguments against marijuana. I really hope someone there with an real ability to think critically will look at this, and actually reconsider our current policy.
“A marijuana cigarette has 4 times the carcinogens that tobacco has”
— Granted, but the typical heavy smoker will smoke an average of 1-2 joints a day. Far below the multi-pack per day habit of the heavy tobacco smoker. Net result? A tiny fraction of the carcinogens.
“Marijuana potency is at an all time high”
— Granted, but there is no overdose quantity of THC. The net result of this is far less smoking for the heavy user, and thus even less carcinogens.
“We’d have to pay law enforcement to monitor and enforce drug law” (seriously, I saw this one on CNN last night)
— As opposed to how much we pay now? I dare say (though I don’t have any numbers to show) the enforcement costs will go down, the DEA would shrink tremendously, and now we would have a revenue stream to pay for it
“If we legalize it, kids will have easy access to it”
— No more than they have easy access to alcohol and tobacco. And right now, they have more than easy access to marijuana.
Right now, millions of good Americans, those who would never harm another person, are finding themselves in prison, losing jobs, and families are being broken up. Instead of sending people to prison and paying for this, why not open up free rehabilitation clinics for those who find themselves addicted? Why not take a humanitarian approach to this, instead of attacking with a war.
Legalize marijuana, and suddenly the black market for it freezes.
Your typical marijuana smoker wants to be a good law abiding citizen. They simply see this law as unjust and thus do not recognize the authority of the government in this matter. It is a revolution of sorts, only a silent one. They have attempted to use the system, submitting questions in great numbers to show their support for this issue. President Obama has shown those same people that the government doesn’t care about their voice, and that is only going to fuel this revolution. You have taught us that following the rules, and trying to influence the government legally is for “suckers”. Tens of thousands of people have had their voice ridiculed by the President of the United States. The same president who would have found himself ineligible to vote let alone run for president if he weren’t one of the lucky ones who didn’t get caught.
We should all do something about it.
I believe I have a possible solution.
We should all contact FOX NEWS! Yes, Fox News. If anyone is looking for a reason to go after President Obama, you can believe they are.
And it would be quite a newsworthy story, to point out that our President laughed in our faces. The fact this was a question voted as one of the top ten questions to ask by online voters, and he laughed it off, is astounding!!!
Who’s with me? With enough feedback, i’m sure they will run this story.
, J Brewer
well i did vote for him but he has deff lost my vote next election
Obama saying that everyone who smokes pot is a (as someone else put it) “Cheech & Chong” stereotype is as ignorant as saying everyone who is of african-american decent is a stupid, chicken-lovin’, watermelon-eatin’ nigger.
Now, maybe THAT’S an (unfair) analogy he can relate to.
Tonight, March 27 9PM ET CNN Larry King Live – Should Marijuana Be Legalized? (YES!)
I’m not going to let this pass, but I’m going to push through.
Persistence. 550 comments in two days. Plenty more spread.
One of the biggest problems with the legalization movement is the people afraid to admit to using cannabis, or even being favor of it’s legalization. I know MANY people who are pro-pot but would never say so in public. And that’s the biggest issue.
The people are afraid of their government. That alone should be reason for Mr. Obama to SERIOUSLY reconsider the drug laws. The American people are terrified to express their feelings towards an illegal activity.
Think about that.
VOTE VOTE VOTE!!! poll about legalization!
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/
I wanna know about the Recent raid on the 25th of this month in cail? We the people will win this good Fight!
It’s safe to admit that President Obama made his first truly bipartisan mistake as he disrespectfully and ignorantly dismissed the legitimate question posed concerning cannabis legalization. At the very least, common sense should prevail in all that this is an active topic worthy of open discussion. The lack of such a discussion is no different from ideology over scientific evidence when developing sound public policies. In particular, it is the duty of an office such as the ONDCP to constantly evaluate current American policies as they relate to public health. If public policies appear to be stifling rather than cultivating, then said policies should be open for true and sound examination. Remember, the world laughed at Copernicus too when he said the Earth revolved around the sun but look who’s laughing now.
There’s just not enough ways to say it. I wish I could use a bigger type font. Once again.
GOD ARE YOU PEOPLE STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!
I’d also like to welcome our friends from the REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE who post comments on this page pretending to be stoners but who really are only interested in getting another Bill Bennett or John Walters back in the drug czar’s office.
not sure if this petition to congress is legit or not but i found this link here to sign.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/26/
legalize-marijuana-and-end-the-senseless-war-on-drugs
“Nothing can stand in the way of a million voices calling for change.” President Obama said this himself. If the top question was cannabis re-legislation, how is that issue any different from a million voices calling for change on any other issue?
This is not a laughing matter. Those people online are your supporters, and you let them down Mr. President. I myself am for the reform of marijuana laws and I donated my time for the Obama Campaign.
the ONLY thing that will change the minds of Drug Warrior Obama and the Drug Warrior congress is to have masses of Americans in the streets of Washington and other major cities screaming at members of congress and states legislators:
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
National protests against the crime fostering and terrorist funding prohibition will force the politicians to address the issues for what they really are, TREASON against the United States of America.
This week I wrote to Senator John Kerry and laid out the treason case to him. You can find it here: Drug Warrior John Kerry border Chaos Hearing
http://drugwartreason.blogspot.com/2009/03/
drug-warrior-john-kerry-border-chaos.html
for social justice,
for human rights,
For civil liberties,
For national Security,
For public safety,
For public health.
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
NO MORE DRUG WAR!
I think he is just avoiding the question so that he can get his budget passed and focus on the economy and the recession. Even though it would help our economy. He would honestly probably reform our laws in his second term
Download voter registration forms tonight and change your registration to Independent, Green or Libertarian. The three groupings that represent drug policy reform. Anything but Democrat and Republican, the drug war status quo parties.
Deny them the validity of your franchise. They do not represent your values don’t let them misrepresent your vote.
Comment number 551, Huck Finn; Thank you so very much for your intelligent contribution. Completely enjoyed and appreciated reading what you wrote. Please, please continue.
#563 comment, Austin. Not so sure dear one that the media will cover this. If the media were “true to form” Congressman Dr. Ron Paul would have been elected President. The media decided the next president, that being BO, the great betrayer.
The husband and I have decided to move to Oregon where I can obtain Medical Marijuana status. I suffer from intestinal inflammation, constantly, and cannabis is the only medicine that offers relief. We will be joining the Oregon Chapter of NORML and putting our ALL into it.
Congressman Dr. Ron Paul is our only hope folks, get on board with this, right now, Please.
Write to CNN and FOX and demand that they give more coverage to him. FOX loves gossip, play on that theme.
All you Republicans out there give yourselves away. Let’s see what’s the script Republican headquarters sent you, didn’t it go something like this.
” I voted for Obama but he laughed at me and now my feelings are sooooooo hurt, I truly thought Obama would legalize weed by executive order, next time I’m voting for Ron Paul”.
BULLETIN : Real stoners enjoy being laughed at,
when me and my friends get high we laugh at each other all the time.
I especially liked the one who compared yesterday to his infamous (and accurate) “GUNS AND GOD” comment. Todays fun fact check. Go back to those people who were lukewarm about McCain and ask them why they were so excited about Sarah Palin. Every Rupublican friend I have, (and yes I do have a few) said the exact same thing. “Well she’s a Christian and she’s a hunter.”
Or how about all those commercial’s where a woman said she was a Hillary supporter, but Obama was so mean to her that now she’s gonna vote Republican because the Republicans so much respect and admiration for Hillary. Follow this link to see what the Republicans really thought about Hillary.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/
Supreme-Court-Appears-Divided-law-14736277.html
I wonder why Obama had that big grin on his face? He must have come across some good bud from one of his agents that protect him. Besides that, who drug tests the representatives in Congress? They must have BIG BROTHER IMMUNITY when their on the job. When the marijuana question came up, his mind must of been in the chronic zone and lost his train of thought to the question and did’nt know what to say.
I wonder how many of us can send in a question to the next on-line town hall?
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com
A sincere thanks and commonality to the dozen or so SANE people on this comment page like CHAD, #’S 451, 69, 75 and a few others. I’t’s nice to be reminded that their are others who see a possible light at the end of the tunnel, if we are patient and keep out eyes on the prize. The dirty tricksters from the Republican National Commitee and Law Enforcement Personel taking names kinda over did it on this comment thread.
My Take is OBAMA IS NOT GOING TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA. I’m pretty confident in that prediction because
1. That would take an act of Congress, because of course – CONGRESS MAKES THE LAWS NOT THE PRESIDENT
2. The international community would have to be on board because- Even the Netherlands can not legalize marijuana due to international treaty. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT REALITY DO SO HERE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs
There are many other obstacles to reform but the above 2 are the biggest.
My take is that so far Obama has agreed to respect the voters will in local and statewide ordinance referanda. And since legalization is unlikely would like to see something on the “lowest priority” model. I certainly don’t speak for the President but I believe he
A – Does not support full legalization, and is going to stay as far away from the issue as possible unless the makeup of congress radically changes in 2010, 2012, or 2014.
B – Does support Medical Marijuana in the states that WANT IT.
C – Does support Decrim on a national scale
D – AND THE BIG ONE – Does support the “lowest enforcement priority model.
If you would really think Bush, or Clinton, or Reagan were better on marijuana issues then by all means vote Republican or conservative Democrat in the next election. But please cut the Ron Paul crap, IT JUST LOOKS STUPID.
I don’t blame the president for his response. If he were to have even so much as hinted to the idea that he is for the regulation then he would lose many supporters,which he needs for the next election and even though he is going to lose many because of the response he did give it still isn’t half as much as to what he’d lose with the former response. So just keep in mind states are starting to at least considering decriminalization,regulation and taxing like never before so if we get enough states to pass bills of regulation,taxing,etc… then it’s going to be only a matter of time before we see at least decriminalization on a federal level. Especially after the federal government sees how much of a profit states will be making.
I’m not trying to kiss Obamas ass but his response was justified and I won’t be surprised if we see him starting to take the subject seriously somewhere around his second term.
REMEMBER CONSERVATIVES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL CAN AND WILL DO THE SAME THING TO THIS SITE THAT YOU DID TO WHITEHOUSE.GOV OR WHATEVER THE HELL YOU KIDS ARE DOING THESE DAYS.
We all agree that the world would be a better place for smokers and non-smokers alike if Marijuana was regulated the same as alcohol. If you truly want to see this happen take all that outrage and channel that into the next election. CONSERVATIVES OF BOTH PARTIES ARE THE ENEMY OF MARIJAUNA REFORM
LAST WEEK HE WAS THE DARLING OF THESE PAGES, BECAUSE HE (STILL) SAYS HE WILL “NOT USE FEDERAL RECOURCES TO CIRCUMVENT STATE LAW IN THE STATES THAT HAVE MADE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGAL.
THIS WEEK YOUR WILLING TO THROW HIM TO THE WOLVES BECAUSE HE (STILL) SAYS HE DOES NOT FAVOR (COMPLETE*****see above) LEGALIZATION.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST OBAMA TO BUSH(ES) CLINTON OR REAGAN.
LAST WEEK – CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN
THIS WEEK – CHANGE WE CAN SQUANDER
HE DIDN’T CHANGE – YOU DID
IDIOTS!! You bought HIS charisma hook, line and sinker and in the process screwed Dr. Ron Paul’s chances from really making us truly free of the military industrial establishment. I am furious at the demographic 18-30 age groups after I read an article in Time about YOUNG VOTERS the day of the primary and just knew after I read it YOU LET THIS ELECTION GET STOLEN BY OBAMA BEING HOODWINKED!!
Ron Paul may have had the fighting chance had he not been ridiculed and marginalized!! This is so much deeper than just marijuana. Obama is just a dam mouth piece for the policies of the BANKSTERS-ELITIST-NWO-BILDERBERG-CFR SCUM that are now in the process of consolidating power into GLOBAL SYSTEM before your very eyes!!
When are you going to realize THEY PROFIT FROM THE SYSTEM OF INCARCERATION! When are you going to realize the name of the game is CONTROL AND ENSLAVEMENT! Mayer Amschel Rothschild said it best “Give me control of a nation’s money and I care not who makes a nations laws” AND WHAT DRIVES THE DRUG TRADE….$$$$$$ AND THEY WANT IT along with half your annual income!! No, this is more than just a president folks. Until people wake the hell up to who is really is in charge NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE. When people expose the ROTHSCHILD/ROCKEFELLER/KISSINGER/KENNEDY syndicate for the TREASON,FRAUD, MARKET MANIPULATION, WAR CRIMES, GENOCIDE,ASSASSINATIONS and the list goes on and on, but the sad irony we may be too late as the NWO agenda is accelerating to erode what civil freedoms are left that BUSH did not have the chance or time to dismantle.
Damm most of you!! Ron Paul was the ONLY person to take down the establishment in the some 30 years of my watching presidents come to power. What do they do every time, every single time on the election campaign. They promise and say one thing and do 180’s after you have given them the golden ticket to so-called power and tell you to suck it up. Ron Paul would have been the only one to have real impregnable integrity!! I saw many RP supporters tell you Obama bot–sucker aid drinkers its not the “CHANGE” AND “HOPE” your going to be given.
We were right and you were wrong. And before you tell me ‘well Ron Paul did not have any chance to start with’ maybe had you seen he was really the right man out of everyone he would have done better in polls and primaries and start to gain the all important juggernaut momentum, but no, “change “hope” and “yes we can” bewitched you to support this phony charlatan. I saw it on TV so much it almost made me vomit and knew it was ruse. Reactions to be honest were down right scary to see.
I’ll admit I got excited about the change.org and voting. I did register and voted in the hope HE would actually listen to voice of America, but he has reneged and is proven the the voice of America matters nothing and was only YOUR VOTES as the front man of NWO agenda. The Admin is ALL BILDERSCUM/CFR/ TRILATERAL COMMISION COOD OL BOYS CLUB!! WHEN OH WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT?! IF and I do say IF there is another election (once global system is in place there aren’t going to be elections again) HOPE to god America gets behind the 3rd party system and just lets this left/right wing faction just DIE once and for all for the sake of the republic and we cage these NWO satanic animals for the crimes on humnanity they committed!!!
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU THAT CASTED YOUR VOTE FOR THE GREAT AND ALL MIGHTY MESSIAH HAVE ONLY YOURSELVES TO BLAME FOR NOT GETTING THE REAL CHANGE YOU WANTED AND MARIJUANA REFORM IS FAR FROM THE CHANGE YOUR GOING TO GET FROM HIS HOLINESS!! He’ll pitch the polices courtesy of the NWO and you will buy the whole charade!! I think I can safely say Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin are ALL ROLLING in their graves about now!! They mourn for the republic they died to fight and defend for!! Hope,and I use that word loosely YOUR VOTE WAS WORTH IT!! “YES WE CAN” or better yet “YES WE THOUGHT WE CAN” I thank every one your votes for the disaster we are now in and soon to face ever bigger messes to come
@ Vote like a Beast
Sir, you portray Ron Paul, and the entire Republican party, to be neo-conservatives who are for continuing the Drug War.
Is the GOP, in general, pro-drug war? Yes. I detest them for that reason, along with a few others.
Is Ron Paul? NO. Not even close. He opposes banning any drug, not just marijuana.
You, and the Obama apologists here, who continue to find excuses for him and continue to refer to the posters here as idiots for attacking Obama.
You make it out to seem as if Obama has no choice, otherwise his political career is over. All I can say is thank God George Washington and Thomas Jefferson didn’t have that attitude with regards to the British government, otherwise the USA might still be a colony.
Obama is in politics for the same reason as a vast majority of both Republicans and Democrats: for personal gain. I’m sure at one time he honestly wanted change, but you can’t seriously think that with guys like Biden, Emmanuel and Holder on his squad, he would support legalizing pot even if it was a 50-50 issue in the country.
Ron Paul stands by principle, not party, and believes that the government’s job isn’t to protect you from yourself but to protect your freedom and liberty from those who wish to take them away.
RON PAUL 2012 if you ever want a chance at legalization at the federal level in the next 8 years.
You’d think there’d be some middle ground before Obama’s staff began calling us hijackers and what sounded like internet trolls? Here’s the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnwnSADT2lU
“Jack the Ninja” if you knew anything about politics (that’s what my degree is in) then you would understand. but you don’t, so it’s all fuck you’s and what not. Learn to be a better spokesman for the cause if you want to have any real impact.
I’ve been part of the pro marijuana movement for years, enough so to realize that the president doesn’t have the authority to change acts of CONGRESS. They imposed the laws, and it’s through them that they will be lifted.
You ALL need to learn not to take this so personal. Obama is the friendliest president we’ve had toward legalization EVER but you let one question get your panties in a wad. He couldn’t answer any different or the republicans and media would have been all over his ass for the next two weeks.
Marijuana reform is important, but compared to the complete overhall of our education, finance, energy, and health care, it’s a small drop in the bucket. Stop being SO DAMN ANGRY, get ahold of yourself and keep up the good fight. Stop this ignorant name calling, it only hurts our cause.
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/ Let them know how you fill…
Mr. Obama,
I am writing you in response to your response of your recent on-line poll. I want to start by say that I am a huge supporter of yours and even worked on your campaign here in greeley registering democrats to vote for you. I also helped co-found the University of Northern Colorado students for Obama. So you know that I support you and that I am proud to have voted for you in my first election.
But your response to the question of legalizing marijuana to help our budget was a low blow to the american people. Take the fact of Marijuana out of the equation and I would still be angered at the fact that you not only insulted the american people but you broke your promise of CHANGE by insulting and demeaning the majority of people who not just supported you but were telling and asking you for a CHANGE that would ultimately help america not only with the economy but with our overcrowded prisons due to the convicts that became that through a non violent offense. I know Marijuana is not for everybody but the fact of the matter Mr. Obama is that I helped your campaign because I believed you would be different. I felt as if you were going to be the first president who would listen to the american people. But your response tells me you pick and choose instead of listening to every detailed plan to make our country better. You not only broke the promise of listening to the number 1 asked question for your campaign but also for when you became our next commander and chief.
Obama you are a great man whom I respect, but laughing at the american people for a plan that could help the economy is preposterous. You showed that you do hold some ideals from the politicians that ran our country into the ground and that makes me very sad. I believe you will still be a amazing president but the fact tha you laughed and insulted the american people who took their time to post their thought for you to look over is sick and makes you just like every other politician. I lost a lot of respect for you today Mr. Obama and that truly brings a tear to my face.
I hope in the future you will open your mind and think before you speak because you lost a lot of support by doing this because the majority of people responding to your request have wanted this and you denied them and laughed in their face. Be the man I supported in the campaign and at least tell the million of americans who have smoked this “demon” marijuana, this includes you, gently and not make fun of the people who put you into the white house.
Much respect,
Jacob Robinson
I’ve never really been interested in politics, but when I actually start to care, my ideas and beliefs are laughed at and utterly ignored. I think the only reason I still live in america is because of the opportunities. Besides from choosing what you want to do with your life professionally, america is not so free. I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster that lost its brakes. It really doesn’t make sense to ignore a great amount of people asking for help on a topic that cant hurt, but instead help our people and nation. From what I see, we are just the passengers in a car driven by a man with earplugs and a bottle of jack.
Ok, so I know of three marches going on
– Million Marijuana March – 4/20 (DC)
– Global Marijuana March – 5/2 (multiple locations)
– The ‘Real’ Million Marijuana March – 7/4 (DC)
We want a massive turnout for all, but NEED a massive for at least one. NORML, whats the target?
What the article misses is not that Barack Milquetoast snubbed the herb, but that he disrespected the people that did what he asked them to do – GET INVOLVED!
When B. Milquetoast said (paraphrasing here) he didn’t know “What that said about the online community” it was a slap in the face of not just the people that he schmoozed in the “Online Community” to get elected and to fund his campaign, but of those 10’s of thousands of people that took the time to formulate – for the most part – reasoned and logical questions and posted those questions on a website “He” set up to garner the opinions of AMERICANS of what is most important to THEM. He also insulted the estimated (figures from the Contrived News Network so need to be taken with a grain of salt since the Contrived News Network is only a couple of percentages above Faux News as being trustworthy and so they certainly fudged the figures downward) 14 million AMERICANS that indulge in herb EVERY FRIGGIN’ MONTH!
Obama may have been able to con the majority of voters into thinking he was for change, but that was this time…next time, it wont be so easy for him to con the people.
And no, I’m not interested in legalizing herb – I’m for DECRIMINALIZING it completely! I can grow a far better strain in my basement under Halogen lights than the big manufacturers can, and it is cheaper. I don’t want the same garbage companies lacing herb with pesticides, herbicides, igniters, sulphur, saltpeter and sugar the way they have done to destroy tobacco and create the great “tobacco is dangerous” con when it is really the additives they add to tobacco that kill, I want to be able to grow my own, free in the knowledge that I live in a country where freedom is allowed rather than in the prison that America is now; not have to pay taxes on a plant that actually grows naturally in many parts of the country, and not have to pay ridiculous prices and have a limit placed on how much I can purchase like it is in Holland.
I don’t want to have to go to sleazy “Coffee Shops” a la Holland where organized crime is still rampant, I want to be able to grow prime buds of my own, keep them in high quality humidor, and when I want to just open the humidor and enjoy my freedom – untaxed, without a stigma of criminal record for using my Free Will to choose a natural product rather than a poison like the drug alcohol or the so-called legal pharmaceutical industry poisons.
Barack Milquetoast has clearly shown that he has no intention in stopping this incredible and quite ludicrous violation of Human Rights and deserves all of the derision that those estimated 14 million AMERICANS can heap on him. He has also shown that improving the economy and dealing a serious blow to criminal organizations is also not on his agenda.
To me, now, Barack Milquetoast is a loser and a coward.
Hope the next US President in 2012 has more balls – even if she is a woman.
Fuck him for being an arrogant asshole.
I voted for him and that’s the way he acts?
Fuck him.
He has lost my respect and I want him out.
Fuck him he’s no different than the rest – we were fooled.
IMPEACH!
Nothing new under tha sun with this President.
J.F.Kennedy was the last real President.
What a dissapointment but here in Canada expected it. We felt that Obama was just another puppet for the rich and its starting to become obvious.
Our condolences America and that includes Canada.
More prisons, more punishments and more criminals disguised as Police and Government Agents.
Obama, your a disgrace to real people.
I can’t believe this hasn’t gotten to Mr. Presidents head that Millions of Marijuana plants have been manufactured, packaged and shipped, for sale all throughout the US. There is really no way that our government can do anything to stop it. More than likely, you could put a Marijuana user behind bars for years and years, and the second that man or woman got out, They would light up. (and thats to say the very least)
There are thousands of people who die from, kidney failure, drinking and driving, and alcohol over-dose. ALCOHOL has not helped one person I’ve known to use it. It hurts everyone it envelopes.
And have you ever heard of someone dying from smoking and driving? No, you havent! The PLANT that has been sought to lower intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma is put to shame. It even has a possibility of helping treat Parkinsons Disease. Tobacco products are more addicting than Marijuana and they are sold all the time.
My question is, Whats so funny about people dying from the things that you do give them access to… And then restricting them from what has never been known to kill anyone. Do you want your citizens to die, or smoke a little Marijuana?
I was furious at first. Now I am confident we must be heard again before we are taken seriously! According to the link above the W.H. is open to more questions for the next town hall. Be heard! Go vote again! He can’t keep laughing us off for 4 years!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090326/pl_politico/20526
oops, forgot the link! This goes with post 614.
I found this snippet from an article at Media Awareness Project
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was later asked whether Obama, who admitted in his autobiography to experimenting with drugs in his youth, was leaving some wiggle room on the issue.
“The president opposes the legalization of marijuana,” Gibbs told reporters, emphasizing his seriousness. “He doesn’t think that’s the right plan for America.”
As for where the new administration stood on medical marijuana, he said to ask the Justice Department.
Gibbs suggested that marijuana advocates may have had a hand in stacking the deck by mobilizing supporters to send in questions and to go online and vote repeatedly for them.
So they have the nerve to accuse us of stacking the deck, Yet they fail to mention you can only vote on each question once.
That takes alot of gaul Robert Gibbs!!!
in refernece to Vote like a Beast, post 593 you my friend are an idiot!!
champagne2878, calling somebody an idiot gets us nowhere and only makes you seem foolish IF you have a point then MAKE it, if you don’t have a valid thought then keep on with your childish name calling.
*takes a look around* 600+ posts… I will chock this one up as a victory for the potheads, there is no such thing as bad publicity :-). Even though there seems to be a lot of disagreement on this board, I’m happy that this issue is being discussed and debated. For all you pissed at Obama.. GOOD! Get mad, but channel that anger into something productive! If your mad that means you care, however, calling the President an asshole because his views differ with yours is destructive for our cause. Truth will prevail, unless it is beaten down by ignorance, if that happens we must defeat ignorance with intelligence and reason.
PS: I’m not defending Obama, I voted Ron Paul, however he IS our President and that requires a a little reverence and respect.
IS NO ONE HERE INFORMED ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT CONGRESS PUT THE PROHIBITION AGAINST MARIJUANA IN PLACE AND IT’S CONGRESS THAT WILL REMOVE IT??? CHANGE COMES FROM THE BOTTOM UP, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!!! There’s a lot of blame aimed at Obama, when the truth is he’s not anywhere close to being the problem. You people who abandon ship because you got your *sniff sniff, feelings hurt ARE the problem.
For those complaining about republicans: There is an important distinction you need to be aware of. NEOCONS ARE NOT REPUBLICANS. George Bush was not a republican. We haven’t had a real republican president in over 100 years. Actually, JFK was the closest we’ve have to a real Jeffersonian republican in the last century. Ron Paul type republicans are a different breed then what you are used to hearing about on the media. I invite you to look at their peace driven, personal liberty driven, states right driven, and economic freedom driven platform. Obama is way too busy acting like a republican escalating wars all over the middle east. If you can not see that, then shame on you. Please visit http://www.campaignforliberty.com to see what a real republican platform looks like. I would love to see your counter to our platform with respect to what Obama has been doing. Obama = neocon.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
………Gandhi
The DEA is raiding a medical dispensary every day in CA. Obama and his friends the DEA will never bow to the demands of you the constituency nor to Eric Holder the Attorney General. They laugh in your faces. You’re all part of the Juarez Seven since all hydroponic marijuana is tied to Mexican cartel violence according to all television shows produced since January. What, haven’t you been watching “DEA”?
I get the joke. I have a sense of humor. From his point of view, he fighting like crazy to keep people in jobs while trying to make strides with other social issues. So, from his perspective, it seems myopic for the #1 question to be about legalizing MJ. “I’m trying to save the economy, end the war on terror, bring healthcare to the masses, and all you want to know about it whether you can smoke pot?”
Yes, granted, legalization of marijuana is, in my uninformed opinion, a great idea, and might even bring in some much needed revenues. However, it is still a controversial idea. He never promised to make pot legal for recreational use.
That being said, I voted for him, in significant part, because he promised to end the DEA raids on lawful medicinal marijuana collectives operating in California under Proposition 215. Sadly, there was another raid recently in SF. So, this is not encouraging.
“Ok, so I know of three marches going on
– Million Marijuana March – 4/20 (DC)
– Global Marijuana March – 5/2 (multiple locations)
– The ‘Real’ Million Marijuana March – 7/4 (DC)
We want a massive turnout for all, but NEED a massive for at least one. NORML, whats the target?”
I’d like to know this as well!
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
………Gandhi”
Wow, that really hits the nail on the head right now, doesn’t it?
I only hope that last part becomes true for all of us.
My comments here are a bit different than the majority of the folks who have left feedback.
While I acknowledge that President Obama did not, in his most resent online town hall boradcast, say what we all wanted to hear “Yes! We are legalizing marijuana nationwide as of tomorrow. He’re the executive order.”
There are a few things to consider:
He chose to answer the question. It was not slated as one that had been selected for the online town hall broadcast. I cannot recall the last time a President went out of his was to address the legalization of marijuana.
Cynics would say he chose to answer this question purely for the satisfaction of ridiculing those who support marijuan law reform and perhaps more immediately important- the unnumerable number of Americans who do or should be able to benefit from medicinal marijuana.
I would counter that cynicism with this: at the very least, legalization, regulation and taxation of marijuana is presently included in this administration’s lexicon. That, of course, is in due, in large part to the millions of Americans who support law reform and take an offensive, rather than defensive role in forcing this issue into play.
President Obama is facing a huge economic debacle, which may indeed take the entirety of his four-year term to mend. Earnest consideration of this fact may help one to understand that our collective urgent desire for marijuana law reform may not be at the top of his list.
That being said, to all of us devotees of personal privacy and basic civil rights, including the ability to attend to our personal well-being and health through a licensed physician, legalizing marijuana seems to innately be a viable answer.
To all of us devotees who understand how the government should indeed be wise nad take this country’s popular interest in legalizing marijuana into consideration as they analyze ways to stimulate the economy and we assume that they should, without a doubt, see a innately viable opportunity to grow the economy through regulated marijuana sales, marijuana farming, caregivers, and producers of industrial hemp.
To all of us devotees who are/were immidiately, or, by proxy affected by the grotesque laws currently in place in some states, or those that once were but have since decriminalized marijuana, we see that state and federal governments are wasting taxpayers money by jailing cannabis users or providers, when we know there are no truly harmful effects from marijuana use in the proper set and setting. Not to mention they are utterely and sometimes abusively tearing apart people’s lives. Legalization, or at the very least, decriminalitation is the viable answer.
For all of these reasons and countless others, to all of us devotees, pot is the immediate answer. However, consider: there are currently 21 states with a marijuana-related bills in the works or up for vote.
The actions of theses states, along with the mere acknowledgement of the federal government of the legalization of marijuana are steps in the right direction. And we all need to continue our hard-fought efforts to keep legalization continously on the state and federal legislater’s radar.
We do, however, NOT need to resort to verbal abuse and assult, downright perverted racism and childish tom-foolery, to push ourmovement forward. These things, indeed, are the VERY things that disort or even destroy our collective image as reasonable marijuana leglization lobbyists and activists.
Just a few things to consider as you puff, inhale, and eat your cannabis.
Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5j4XieUxE6tmYFnSxFniPOvbjQqcw along with Senator Arlen Specter of PA in a joint committee report ” “America’s criminal justice system has deteriorated to the point that it is a national disgrace,” Webb said, noting that the United States has five percent of the world’s population but 25 percent of the world’s prisoners.” No laughing matter.
According to Sens. Webb and Specter, “While one in 106 adult white men are incarcerated, one in 36 Hispanics and one in 15 African-Americans are behind bars, according to Pew’s examination of Justice Department data from 2006. Younger black men fare even worse, with one in nine African-Americans ages 20 to 34 held in cells.” This is a travesty, especially for African Americans, such as yourself. You have admitted to smoking Marijuana. If you had been caught for simple possession, you may have faced the same unequal criminal justice system that has incarcerated such a large proportion of young minorities. NO LAUGHING MATTER!
Consider these facts:
* $14,000,000,000+, Projected Annual savings and revenue from Marijuana regulation
* 700,000 simple possession arrests ANNUALLY
* #1 U. S. Csh Crop
* ZERO Deaths from Marijuana use
NO LAUGHING MATTER.
If I choose to use Marijuana, under random testing, my employer will terminate me immediately. This testing does not tell if I used during or prior to work, but at any time within the past 30 DAYS. My employees are also subjected to this unlawful search and seizure of our bodies.
We need reform.
When prohibition of alcohol ended, the Al Capone type of gangsters that ruled the streets of your adopted hometown of Chicago were defeated. The same result will be true for the criminal street gangs ruling our communities today.
Legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana. Don’t laugh at it.
I was one of the millions of Americans who made the $10 and $20 donations to your presidential campaign. I was one of the millions of Americans who said, Yes We Can! Yes We Can, Mr. President. We can look at this issue with an open mind.
Work with Senators Webb, and Spector to reform the prison system by starting with legalizing, regulating, and taxing Marijuana.
Poster 624, yes, as I have begun to pay attention, I have noticed the same thing…the television seems to be telling me that I am part of the problem in Mexico. CNN’s Anderson Cooper, twice, made the statement that ALL…that’s right, he said, “ALL” the people in America who are using marijuana, cocaine, heroin, meth, are supporting the drug violence, of the cartels, in Mexico. He did this while interviewing, on tv, a hooded drug cartel member turned informant. Then I heard it being repeated twice more on other shows. THIS IS HOW THE LIES…PROPAGANDA…concerning the prohibition of Cannabis are sustained. Yes, shifting the blame from the true cause, the government that created Cannabis prohibition, to the millions of people who responsibly use the cannabis plant. Then there was a short piece with a chart titled America’s Drug Addiction. There was a bar graph on the screen with bars for each: cannabis, cocaine, meth, and heroin and inhalants combined together(?). This chart claimed Cannabis to be the most used drug,or abused drug, in their categorization under America’s Drug Addiction. Notice the title of this chart…it stated America’s drug addiction, didn’t say America’s Illegal Drug Addiction.
Ohhhh…did we innocently forget about nicotine and alcohol?, how about the abuse, and even the use of our “legal” pharmaceuticals? (what about the legal pharmacies selling their “controlled” meds over the internet? Haven’t heard about any of these places having their doors kicked in, in any of their homes/businesses). Maybe you forget to add “illegal” to the title of the chart, because you just wanted a subtle lie?…a little misinformation?…in order to justify the continuation of the prohibitionist agenda?
Hey, notice Hillary blaming the American citizens drug use (Cannabis always included) for Mexico’s drug violence, too.
THE DEA NEEDS TO BE JAILED FOR TREASON TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!!
Shame on Obama! To rail on about putting science back in the forefront and to promote ‘the new biofuel’! Should it be of any concern that hemp can produce three to four times the biofuel(and that just from the seed) than corn without harsh chemicals? Not to mention the hemp seed oil is a cureall that we all should be taking! I would gladly pay a substantial annual growers permit fee to grow my own in my own house and give my money to the power company and hardware store, rather than the crack-head down the street(which is sadly usually a teenager)! More than the money is just the idea that there is somewhere in my country where I can live in peace. Prohibition on Cannabis has made me a criinal. Thanks Alot
Champaign 2878
Thanks for re-directing to my post #593. More will people with nothing better to dowill read it now. And yes I’m guilty of calling names, for which I now apologize. And yes #593 is kinda a tangent, but what part isn’t true. I can assure that my friends often laugh both with and at me. As to the Republican dirty tricks, well like the gipper famously said ” facts are stupid things”. Those offended by my attitude towards Ron Paul that’s OK too. Voted Nader in the last 4 elections myself, if he hadn’t saved the Democrats from the Clinton – Gore wing of the party in 2000 they would still be just Republican lite. Actually I was and still am an admirer of Ron Paul, but like Nader I never in a thousand years expect him to actually WIN the presidency. America is too much a captive of the twin party system for that. No, I stopped listening to Ron Paul when he endorsed Chuck Baldwin and the Constitution Party. Again I applaud the 3rd party spirit and more power to em, but if you really think Chuck Baldwin of all people is going to let you smoke marijuana in peace then I remind you there are two very differnt definitions of the word STONED and I really dont’s think that the Constitution Party is planning the NORML kind.
Again, Sorry for the name calling, and once again, the only way to change anything is through who you vote for Congress. FYI is my state Democrats run unopposed, and I still can’t find one to vote for.
Yeah Mon! The Rastaman say Legalize It, Don’t Critize It!
its all about pursuit of happiness, if we have to be private about it we are not pursuing happily.
What just happened…i am gone for 1 min and come back to find I’ve entered some strange parallel universe where Harry Anslinger is a hero to a black man who’s was voted President by people he holds in medium esteem and marginalizes their desires for change! wake up me, wake up, shit this is real!
Still think your vote counts? Think again.
President Obama is a promising figure, but he is a political creature. I don’t think he intended to laugh about it until the attendees burst into titters when he mentioned marijuana. He then rode the wave.
The big question is – does Obama really want to be a great president? Most signs indicate he does. If so, ending this American Inquisition is a necessary step.
I Hope I Dont Regret who i voted for “Obama”!
Legalizing marijuana is a serious issue that MILLIONS of people are supporting..Dont Be A Dick And Make The Right Desicions Remeber WE voted for you!!!
Thanks for the voice of reason vote like a beast.
What I believe:
1. Not everyone who posts to this site is a friend or ally. Beware, there are those who post to this site only to sabbotage the the cause. OR to further some unrelated political agenda.
2. Law enforcement reads this site regularly. It’s true, they also subscribe to High Times, they wouldn’t be doing their job if they didn’t.
3. I’m never going to use my name on this site, the police can get along well enough without me doing their job for them. I’t s the song not the singer. Ideas are what I care about not who wrote them.
4. CONGRESS WRITES THE LAWS NOT THE PRESIDENT.
5. Marijuana is NOT legal in the Netherlands, Canada or England. To do so would be a violation of International Treaty. Read more here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs
6. It is true that some Conservatives support Marijuana reform for a variety of reason. These include Congressman Paul. the late William Buckley and the National Review magazine. However they are very distinct minority in the Republican Party,not that the Democrats have been anything to brag about. Most polls show Support for Marijauna Reform to be strongest on the East and West Coast and among likely Democrat voters. Strongest opposition is among Republicans and in the South.
7. Obama Is Not going to legalize Marijuana (see reason #4 and #5.) He does seem to favor Medical, Decrim, and Lowest enforcement Priority. If you find someone better by all means vote for he she or it.
8. Marijuana Reformers have never used their considerable political power to influence congressional elections.
9 WE COULD ALL LEARN ALOT FROM THE NRA AND AARP. IF WE HAD THEIR DISCIPLINE WE WOULD GET THEIR RESULTS.
10 I’m a poor writer and a lousy speller.
12. Sticks and stones.
What’s more revealing is this video of Whitehouse spokesman, Robert Gibb, where he is unable to say WHY Obama is against marijuana legalization.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7XweXtz6SY
Most would likely conclude Obama’s real feelings about this were expressed in 2004:
I wonder what Obama would say if someone pressed him to state what he believed about marijuana “decriminalization?” Is he ducking the issue on the slender thread of difference between that and “legalization?”
Obama just guaranteed himself a big fat red F for 2012. Between this, destruction of civil liberty that Bush began and the hypocrisy after his campaign? Oh boy, you can taste it. There has never been a moment more prime for a 3rd party than right now. Actually, thank you Obama, you just shot your own party in the foot to such a severe degree that everyone you promised to, everyone you lied to, will vote for a 3rd party come the next election, you will lose your base, RNC already lost theirs long ago, and this country will never be the same. You had it, man… shame on you.
I hope everyone has learned their lesson from this joke President Obama played on us, Now it is time to turn the tables, remember all those dollars raised on the internet during the campaign? Maybe we the people should not donate any dollars or time to any of President Obamas pet causes, AIG, THE BANKSTERS, WALL STREET etc,etc Time to let the congress and the president and local officials too, no results no money. After all it is the only thing they understand, Oh yea and maybe someone needs to dress up as a big joint and start showing up at Obama rallies to draw a little more attention to the cause. One last thing, if we grow our own here we dont support the Mexican and Colombian drug trade that has ruined our country and drained our dollars plus cost thousands of lives. I reccomend a DONORS STRIKE
To be honest i think that it is very risky for the president himself to openly support legalization of marijuana or passionately push reform. given that his response did not surprise me. however it is in my opinion that it was inappropriate for him to dismiss one of the highest ranking question in a 3 second response which its only purpose was to affirm his “personal” position on the matter based on….(oh god i cant even finish the sentence because HE DIDN’T SAY). Instead he should have done what he did with every other issue he answered and explained in detail some solid facts as to why he came to his conclusion. Why wouldn’t it theoretically boost our economy? Why doesn’t he support it if it could help? (by the way I support the idea but for those of you who think that America will be utopia w/ pot…. it really wont solve ALL our problems.) What Americans need in this day and age to know is not “What does our president support?”, but instead “Why/why not does the leader of our country support ideas for reform, and what is the rationale?” were not sheep anymore and given that fact we need answers not biased opinion, but this is not new for anyone. —–Change?—–
WOW ! Eight years of Bush preaching that we (pot smokers) were accomplices to the 911 infamy and no where near this level of outrage. HMMMM
I just want real freedom in this country. I see how the politicians throw that word around like it
is some flying stone.
But a stone doesnt’ FLY>
The real FREEDOM. Is BEing able to
think as one desires.
BEING able to have a conciousness
without another AUTHORITY figure.
telling you NO NO NO.
When one begins to see the oppressiveness
in this country and the
HYpocrysea. One then begins
to feel realism in a sense that
is not to be understood.
Freedom yes! Abortion NO! GOD
NO! LIFE NO! yet the only
freedom i see are rusty
bars in the name of a plant
with little sparkles of
dust on them.
To 622 Republican
Thanks for the link. I did go to the site and did read a few articles, I mean no disrespect but it really didn’t sound much like any Republican’s I’ve ever known, I’ve tried my whole life to understand the Republican mind as most of my family, half my friends and one of my pot dealers are rabid republicans. Could you clarify why you consider JFK to be a republican, I’m not arguing I just want to know, it sounds like an interesting theory.
And please keep it friendly as that’s the spirit I’m in. Also thanks for not calling Obama a socialist , as I’m one and I’ve never seen Obama at the meetings.
If your interested in constructive diolouge here’s where my head is at. I read the article on your link “Obama the Socialist and the Cause of Poverty”. There was a quote
I’ll bet that most Americans would never ask themselves that simple one-word question that they used to constantly ask when they were children, before they had it drummed out of them in those government-run schools their parents were forced to send them to: “Why?” Why are people in Nuevo Laredo significantly poorer than those in Laredo?
No. The reason that people in Nuevo Laredo are so much poorer than people in Laredo is this: The dead hand of the state is much more prevalent in Mexico than it is in the United States. As bad as things are in the U.S. with respect to taxes, welfare, regulation, inflation, and bureaucracy, they are 1,000 times worse in Mexico. While we have Big Government in the United States, Mexicans have Mega Government
Now again in the spirit of friendly debate. Mexico doesn’t seem to really have much in the way of Taxes, Welfare, or Regulation. I mean do they ????
If they have high Taxes they don’t seem to be spending it on anything, certainly not roads. If they get welfare it can’t be very much as they seem to be quite poor. and regulate what, not business.
Is that why all our jobs are being sent to Mexico. If we raise taxes, reinstate welfare and start regulating business again will our jobs come back.
It seems to me that Mexico and China are both low wage, no civil liberty. anything goes, free market contries. In short, what the neocons want the U.S. to emulate.
On the other hand Canada and the Netherlands are Socialist countries. In those countries workers make a living wage, have guaranteed health care, and a violent crime rate a fraction of Mexico’s or the U.S. for that matter.
Also could you compare and contrast the Marijuana penalties in China, Mexico, Canada, and the Netherlands.
Like I said please keep it friendly
Untill we are all ready to give our names and stand behind our convictions we will never win. The writers of the declaration of independance would of been shot on site if they were found by england. They were willing to die for there convictions and there freedom Are you.
Thanks Chad, back at ya.
Hope I didn’t cause you to take it back with the last post. Let’s keep reminding all who read these pages that the only way to change the law is to change congress. wish we could burn one
By the way “vote like a beast” is a Frank Zappa line. I wanted to give Frank credit where due.
Also maybe from now on I’ll turn on before i log on.
I, don’t really smoke to get high anymore. Just a couple of puff’s to make me less a bastard.
What a cracker Mr. Obama turned out to be. The only reason people put him their was because he spoke the truth about the drug war but it seems he found out very quickly he has no power at all. Same pplz that owned bush own Obama and they only offered the illusion of change.
Will you people please calm down! I can’t believe how short-sighted and thick-headed you all are. This isn’t rocket science, folks. Obama knows that if he were to legalize marijuana in his first term, he would not see a second. The Republicans and the majority of Americans who still aren’t comfortable with legalization would throw him out of office and elect a Republican president who would repeal any legalization legislation. IF he legalizes it, it won’t be until his second term and he might not do it then because he knows that would make it hard for the next Democrat to get elected.
Legalization will happen from the ground up. It will happen city by city and state by state long before it happens at the federal level. Full on legalization will not happen until the majority of Americans approve it, which won’t be for another 10 or 15 years. Leave the man alone you whining jackasses.
I was sad that he blew it off….but I thought again that maybe just by bringing it up he was at least acknowledging it…can you imagine Bush even allowing a question about pot to get through. I have a lot of patience for Obama.
I have smoked 4 years, have a Masters Degree, a full time job, pay my taxes, no credit card debt, own a car and a home (I still owe on both), exercise regularly, don’t smoke cigs, and try to stay away from alcohol because of the calories….pot does give me the munchies (baby carrots and ranch are the cure). My father is a VP at his company and he has been smoking my whole life. I know so many professionals that smoke—nice, funny, compassionate people who deserve to come out of the cannabis closet.
Pot will be legal soon and our kids/grandkids will hear the stories like we did about alcohol from our grandparents. Just let the old Repubs did out—it’s coming! I still luv ya Obama…now lets work on making puppy mills illegal.
He is done! “F” him! We are offended and would not vote for him again even if he did change the laws!
We have always made donations to Normal and the Daily Stash, but now, we too are going to join NORML, NEVER GIVE IN!!!!!!
Is no one here truely READY!
#648… Keeping it friendly, but you think china has a free market? Oh boy, where to start. The People’s Republic of China is a communist country. If you think they have a free and unregulated market then I don’t really know where to tell you to start… but I guess you should wikipedia Austrian Economics, and try visiting mises.org – but that is a little advanced. I can’t even have a discussion with you about this until you realize what a REAL free market is and realize that the US has not had a free market since 1913.
RE:
641. Vote like a Beast Says:
March 28th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
RE(1):> I agree,
“Beware, there are those who post to this site only to sabotage the the cause….”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_provocateur
RE(2):>
– – In other words, for one,
Avoid posting personally identifiable details….
– – Two,
Post in such a way that ENDING CANNABIS PROHIBITION is viewed FAVORABLY by LEO’s who read our posts here . . .
RE(3):> Very good idea, VLaB…
– Sue DeNymm is the best confidante anyone can have . . . 😉
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudonym
RE(4):> This is true…
However,
the President can still choose whether to VOTE on OR to VETO a bill.
RE(5a):>
– This quite the case, however, the terms / concepts ‘decrim’, ‘tolerance’ are erroneously interpreted as “legal”, unfortunately.
To add;
Cannabis is STILL NOT “PRACTICALLY LEGAL” anywhere is the U.S.
– Some people can be terribly INcautious, and prematurely-hopeful to assume that it is…
🙄
RE(5b):>
HOWEVER,
The SCND does not preclude, obviate,
NOR prohibit
a “Tax and Regulate” structure,
such as Massachusetts and Oregon have drafted / proposed.
http://www.crrh.org/octa/upheld.html
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/186/ht02/ht02929.htm
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st01/st01801.htm
😉 😀
– NOR does this leave out RESCHEDULING under INTERNATIONAL law:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Single_Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs#Rescheduling_proposals
RE(6):> Isn’t the Southern U.S. one of the first areas in which these laws were passed?
RE(7):>
TRUE,
Obama has NEVER been for legalization,
however,
some tend to hear and interpret VAGUE
‘DE-ESCALATION-terminology’
as ‘pro-legalization’.
(See RE(5a):> )
RE(8):>
LOL,
As in whom NOT to vote for?
i.e. NONE-OF-THE ABOVE, (NOTA)
RE(9):>
What are the NRA and AARP doing differently than NORML is,
and how can NORML best emulate their discipline / determination?
NRA:
http://www.nra.org/home.aspx
AARP:
http://www.aarp.org/makeadifference/
RE(10):>
– – There is hope,
utilizing dictionary.com and / or composing blog-comments in a word-processor w/ spell-check check FIRST, prior to posting.
RE(11):>
VLaB,
Where’s #11? 🙁
RE(12):>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticks_And_Stones
I sent a note immediately. If you read this — click on the “obama” link at the bottom of the post and do the same. This reform is low hanging fruit — frees up BILLIONS in prison money, court backlogs, unnecessary law enforcment/re-directed law enforcement…on and on and on the benefits mount…
He’s either not as smart as I though — or a liar — or both.
If I can risk my situation with so much more to lose coming out on this subject — and he can’t? What sort of leader is he? He’s a coward.
COWARD!!
-Arn
Far too many comments to comment on now. It’s great to see and read most of what’s written here.
One thing is certain, we need to keep a cool head, no matter how difficult that can be.
#652 Tim: The point really is-is that Prohibition Propaganda has been successful and now half of the population has bought into it.
All politicians realize that it would hurt their parties interests if they legalized cannabis.
However, what the politicians at every level are missing, is that they have a great opportunity to Right the Wrong.
To come forward with the history behind Prohibition, to clearly explain it to the American public, and then move forward to legalize marijuana. It really is that simple and it really is doable.
That’s what I want from our political figures on the Federal, State, County and City level.
Once the truth is told then indeed, the majority of Americans would understand and approve legalization.
DL Hughley and Ronald Brooks debate legalization of Marijuana on CNN! Unfortunately Mr. Hughley doesn’t argue very well. IMO
HAHAHAHAHAH not funny. This is a problem look at him mock the online community. We are his bread and butter. His little CIA and information collection agencies would know jack shit about anything if it wasn’t for the internet. The government created the internet and is embarrased by what it has made. A nice streamlined way for people to communicate their own interests. Government has failed in so many ways to eliminate the gap between the common person and the popularity conest winning polititians. The Politicians interests are not placed in our comfort and safety. And for some reason they spend money as if debt doesn’t exist…spend spend spend…and when an oportunity comes to reverse some of the senseless spending they laugh and laugh and laugh.. i’m sorry folks but that laugh was very insecure and not heartfelt. My laughs come naturally shortly after i smoke some of god’s good weed and watch these liars on tv laugh at me and i crack up because they have so much more to lose by turning their backs and hiding behind their fences.
as a strong supporter and donor to President Obama’s campaign, and a participant in all 3 of his online forums, i have had enough! we have been ignored,lied to, and misled on the ‘spirit’ the forum was supposed to represent. big mistake! i will do everthing in my power, to see that he apologizes to those of us who are offended by this treatment. i have written numerous emails to him, already, and let him know in every possible way imaginable, that, he has made a huge mistake ,and we demand a public apology, as the offense was public, as well. without it, he will no longer recieve my support for his agenda. he is not being serious enough. i recommend everyone go to huffington post and read the related articles and comments, and speak out! Sen. Jim Webb is currently reviewing the way our prison system operates and the drain of prohibition on it. an article on that, can be found, as well.
for those saying “wow! where were you when bush was prez?” we expected something different from this guy. he seemed to be pragmatic, and open to discussion, and in fact, ‘invited’ us to join and discuss. we took this awesome opportunity, [3 times ]. his attempt to secure his political capital is too obvious. the politicians still have no idea of the intellect and common sense of the ‘online’ crowd, who apparently, he thinks are all stoned. he has lost my support, until he apologizes.
The question that he now needs to be answered is:
-If a cannabis legalization (or decriminaliation /rescheduling) bill is passed by Congress and the Senate, will Obama veto it?
I’d say waiting for Obama’s second term is like waiting for the second coming of Christ. With the country in such turmoil and decline, I think it will be a LONG time before any president serves two terms again. If he could put our rotten ship back together again, he really WOULD be the Messiah. He has already stated his plan is a four-year one because he doesn’t want his projects compromised by campaigning demands.
After 72 years of persecution, there should be absolutely NO more ideas about waiting. Obama’s real belief about marijuana prohibition is fairly well-known, as he expressed in 2004. My guess is he will let it happen, but not initiate it. It’s up to US, therefore, to get the reform movement rocking.
Americans love their entertainment. We should have a continuing series of free (or very cheap) concerts featuring the few known celebrities who will stand up for the truth – filled out with up-and-coming artists who are ready to go out on the edge from the get-go. The savvy ones will see it as a great opportunity and career boost.
Okay, Willie! We’ve had lots of Farm-Aid. How about some Freedom-Aid? Perhaps we could call it the Grateful Head tour. 8^)
I don’t think anyone needs to worry: The people run this country. We decide what we want. If there’s enough of us out there then we can overturn any House or Senate ruling. I think Obama will realize that Hope and Change apply to marijuana too. – Go Green!
Yes please, number 648, hurry up and read Wikipedia so that you can rise to the intellectual level of Adam Smith’s second coming in #656
I echo the thoughts, disappointment and anger that so many of the above entries expressed. But we have come so far and are getting closer by the day. Now is not the time to give up.
We have a sympathetic ear in the White House. And I totally agree with the statement about legalizing marijuana as a way to grow the economy is a bad idea. He sidestepped the question of legalizing the private use of marijuana. There are 2 questions that I feel need to be addressed;
1) Does it make economic sense for the government to incarnate non-violent criminals? (No)
2) Should the government promote businesses that provide an intoxicant to its populace? (No)
Therefore all drugs should be legalized and controlled by the levels and the type of intoxication that is obtained. This could range from caffeinated beverages to more addictive substances, (exception for chocolates, of course).
In order for our side to win the so called “Drug War” we must use the government itself, after all we are the fourth branch of the government. Work must be done at all levels, not just the White House.
At the Federal level the FDA needs to issue an unbiased report containing the latest scientific information marijuana. This report would be accepted and endorsed by both houses of congress and the President. This will provide the proof that legalizing marijuana is not a threat to the health and safety of the populace.
At the state level, get decriminalization laws enacted. Contact your state legislators and support your local NORML chapter.
This type of organization is the way that many of us helped to get Barack Obama elected. Can we use the same organization to get the laws changed? (Yes, we can)
Yes, We Can – where have I heard this before?
YES WE CAN!
In politics, it has been said, when you have big Mo behind you you are unbeatable. I believe that we are there.
Now, to use a sports metaphor, is the time for a full-court press.
It truly was a disappointment that he chose to make a joke about legalization.He could have at least made an effort at pacifying us. But to be fair he did not rule out legalization or decriminilization, He simply said it would not help our economy. That being said, it’s up to us to pressure our congress and senate to act on this matter or vote them out of office. Honestly folks
that’s where the change must occur.
The Cannabis Plant has been lied about for DECADES!!Anybody that has done even a little research on this plant knows that there is not one legitimate reason for a flower to be unlawful to grow or possess. NOT ONE. Its mindblowing to read some of the posts and just shake your head at the ignorance of some people who are convinced that the ONLY REASON that there is an on going fight for the legalization of Cannabis is so “We Pot Heads” can get stupid whenever we want…SCREW THAT!! What about the plants use for EVERYTHING ELSE??? My God those of you that still look at the Hemp Plant like its the Devils Weed need to open your eyes and your mind and get educated on Gods Most Perfect Plant on Earth. And please dont laugh at this last statement…because once you have had your eyes and mind opened to the wonders of this plant, you too will be making this very same statement. This plant is a GOD SEND and for it to be UNLAWFUL to do ANYTHING with it is a crying shame. For one person to ever have been jailed or fined or KILLED because they were in possession of this Flower is INSANE. The time is NOW to HAMMER THE TRUTH HOME to everybody about the WONDERS of this GOD GIVEN HERB. Please check out The Emperor Wears No Cloths by Jack Herer..if that dont give you the education you need about the wonders of the Hemp Plant, NOTHING WILL. http://www.jackherer.com
You just cost yourself re-election Osama Bin Biden!
Go snort some more cocaine you dumb ass! To quote part of abc news (since he thinks everything is so funny) Are you punch drunk, Motherfucker!!?? I saw it best on Huffington Post – You don’t do potjokes, and I won’t do black jokes! Hope Biden’s daughter gets thrown in the slammer! Bet she got the cocaine from Obama!!!
Dear Barack,
I, like many other millions of Americans did not appreciate your cynical remark in response to legalizing cannabis. Nor did we appreciate your seemingly immature demeanor on the subject. (the same goes to the panel in the background, who obviously can’t maintain composure on certain issues.)
This was voted over the internet, which is undoubtedly the primary and easiest source of mass communication. I am using it right now, and your campaign promoted its use for us Americans to respond back to administration. So it is very confusing that you would insinuate “..what it says about the online audience..”, as if everyone using the internet, to respond on this important issue, is indeed a user of cannabis.
The question was about legalization — something medical professionals, law enforcement, scientists, farmers, and sick/injured people are all concerned about, and who would like the freedom to research, innovate, and see us reach a new (or old, rather..) place, past stigmas and stereotypes.
Not only was his response short, but it was devoid of open segways to alternative steps towards legalization, like federal decriminalization. With the on-going drug war waging in Mexico, and other countries, the indirect decisions we do and don’t make will have effects on both of our countries. Marijuana has been piggybacking off the harder substances the gangs sell, like meth-amphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. This has been going on for years now.
While there are a lot of issues going on right now with the economy, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the indirect repercussions of the choices don’t make, could heavily out way the ones we do make. We have to ultimately, look at the big picture, and see how all these issues effect our lives.
There was once a time in The United States of America, where cannabis and hemp was legal, and even encouraged by the state for farmers to grow. To help create a foundation of self sustainability and industrious new fibers and products. Hopefully these ideas are still not lost forever.
Please visit and join this cause. All donations go to NORML!
http://www.causes.com/chkreform
Thanks for the replies, but my opinion stands. I don’t think companies are moving jobs to Mexico and China because those countries are LESS business friendly than the U.S. And I’d much rather be busted in Canada than Mexico.
Thank you “The Dog” (post 670)
jackherer.com
Those articles are great, I’d never even heard of him before. Love his public service announcement too…
All Cannabis users need to vote for Ron Paul in 2012. Even if he doesn’t win he will get enough votes to attract the attention of the other parties. One of them will scoop us all up. They’d be crazy not to.
I don’t think he necessarily is against us. I think he definitely doesn’t believe it’ll fix the economy by itself…but I do wish he’d think a little more about it. Still, we have to be realistic…I want things to change as much as you do, but I’m a little more worried about other things right now, and so is he. I think change is coming, but I’ll agree with what was said earlier that Obama knows that now isn’t really the time for it, because if he legalized now he’d never see a second term. When the economy is fixed, we can look a little more at luxuries, and I think the right people are in power now to give it a chance.
I never bought the Obama “hope and change’ campaign. He was handpicked by Wall Street and Dem party insiders. Those people don’t want change. They just
want to own whoever is in power.
Unfortunately, I think the left has been played by
the Obama campaign in much the same way that Bush played the christian right.
Wow what a fuckin idiot it’s ok he will realize in the end he passed up an opportunity that will very well work.. Like how could he just laugh at that question
Hey Dog! In a free society one has the choice of getting screwed up on weed, beer or fatty foods. Also we have the freedom to demand marijuana reform for ANY reason! Go Ron Paul 2012!
This is why we can not get anything done. We are so unorganized. These comments are all over the board. It is about our pesonal freedom. Do you want it or would you rather have someone else run your life. We need to pick one day and storm the white hgouse and have a sit in. Non violent and live there until we egt our freedom back. This is the only way we can make it happen. so come on lets get it done.
I say July 4th 2009
Lets make a difference our gradnd childrren will be talking about. And there grandchildren!!
WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry about miss spells.
This is why we can not get anything done. We are so unorganized. These comments are all over the board. It is about our personal freedom. Do you want it or would you rather have someone else run your life. We need to pick one day and storm the white house and have a sit in. Non violent and live there until we get our freedom back. This is the only way we can make it happen. so come on lets get it done.
I say July 4th 2009
Lets make a difference our grand children will be talking about. And there grandchildren!!
WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/
Briefing-by-White-House-Press-Secretary-Robert-Gibbs-3-26-09/
Q Robert, in the online town meeting, when the President said he doesn’t think legalizing marijuana would give the economy a boost, was he giving a political answer or an economic answer? Does he have economic numbers to back that up?
MR. GIBBS: I’m unaware of a CEA analysis — (laughter) — regarding that. I think the —
Q Will you let us know if there is one? (Laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: I think you’ve heard the President talk about getting us on a path toward sustained economic growth. I don’t think he believes that that is a part of that plan.
Q What about medicinal marijuana?
MR. GIBBS: I think the — I’d point you to the Justice Department on developments on that.
The President asked people to ask their questions. Obviously interests aligned with certain viewpoints did so, and the President wanted to answer the question that, no, it was not — he did not think a good economic strategy.
Q Did that question get the most votes of any?
MR. GIBBS: I will ask Macon and those guys. It is interesting when — I think several of those topics were in things like financial stability or —
Q Green jobs.
MR. GIBBS: Green jobs, right. (Laughter.) It’s unclear what leap of faith one has to make to ask that question in some of the — some of those — right, some of those — some of those topics.
Q Why did he even bring it up? Why did he even bring it up? I mean, no one asked it online and no one asked it —
MR. GIBBS: No, people — people asked it online –
Q I mean, no, I know they voted for it, they voted for it. But he brought it up on his own. This is what I’m saying. Why did he even bring —
MR. GIBBS: April, the concept of the virtual town hall meeting was to have people —
Q Transparency?
MR. GIBBS: No, no, let me — you can ask and I’ll answer — (laughter) — that the President asked people to go to the web site, ask questions of the administration, vote on which questions they wanted to have the President answer, and that he would do so. And as I said and as Ann said and — maybe we should have said “clean-energy jobs” — that would have —
Q You said “green.”
MR. GIBBS: Yes, I know. That in some topics — you know, this is not the first time that an interest group gets on a web site and votes many times for their question to be answered, and the President thought he should answer it and I think he did.
Q But, Robert, he didn’t take on the serious issue. He made a joke out of it. I mean, there were a lot of questions about legalization of marijuana, not as a job creation program, but just as a serious policy issue. And with what’s happening in Mexico —
MR. GIBBS: It poses the legal — I’ll do this for the President — I didn’t — I neither emailed my question in, nor voted for it, but the President opposes the legalization of marijuana, and I’d — I’ll say I did that without even the slightest hint of laughter.
Q Can you say why?
Q Robert, while you’re on this same subject can we follow up?
MR. GIBBS: Hold on one sec. Hold on.
Q What did the President learn in this? A lot of the questions were things he talks about all the time.
Q Annie, there was a question pending on why — why he feels that way about legalizing marijuana.
MR. GIBBS: He does not think that that is — he opposes it. He doesn’t think that’s the right plan for America.
Q But a follow-up on the process, on the —
MR. GIBBS: Hold on, let me — I’ve lost control. (Laughter.) Hold on, what are you — dammit, you guys don’t get to Google this stuff and send in your questions. Hold on, hold on, hold on, let me —
REPEAT
I wonder how many of us can send in a question to the next on-line town hall? Has the WH announced the next online TH yet?
… is asking for our help now? http://news.aol.com/political-machine/category/obama-administration/
The best way for this debate to move forward is to publish an authoritative, academic study on the economic benefits of legalization, as well as a proposed regulatory framework.
I think NORML should hold a fundraiser, then use that money to hire an out-of-work professional to write this study.
Peppering the President with questions will only do so much.. Real results are more likely when you shop that study to the press and to the American people as evidence that legalization is good economic policy.
I respect Obama he is a talented politician, President Obama seems to posse’s insightful, reasonable judgment on many issues, although in the case of marijuana prohibition laws I find Obama’s choice to answer with mocking humor to be lacking. Smoking marijuana is an easy thing to laugh about, it seems there is something about being stoned that brings a smile to people’s faces, however marijuana prohibition is not a joke. We should not be making jokes as millions of Americans are arrested for being caught on the wrong side of moral politicking, we should not laugh as we spend over 30 billion dollars a year going after Americans for smoking weed, we should not giggle and poke fun as we watch billions of dollars in tax revenue slip through our fingers each year, and should we not be jolly as thousands of people are murdered by cartels profiting from America’s moral hypocrisy. I believe there are profound latent consequences in prohibition that are not even factored in to our assessments of the effects of illegality, such as how we view the rule of law and the role of law enforcement in the community, the divisiveness between users and non users, the stigma of mental shock of incarceration. I say pot prohibition is no joke it has real costs paid for in real lives. Freedom is achieved in a country by placing responsibility in the hands of the citizen and not by the state legally enforcing morality.
http://SunflowerPipes.com
#677 you are right about one thing.. Obama wont see a second term.
Ron Paul/Peter Schiff ’12
Obama’s stance on the failed war on drugs
CHANGED!
Come on people get your acts together! Rally On the capital steps JULY 4TH
Obama sure changed his tune from when he running for President. When he was running and needed votes, he said, Medical Marijuana could be regulated similar to other controlled substances like narcotics.
Now that he’s president he scoffs at the idea of legalizing medical marijuana. He never scoffed at us when he was running for President.
I’m extremely dissapointed. He’s hurting a lot of sick people in chronic pain, who need the relief that Medical marijuana offers.
We’ve been crapped on. Thats for sure. A presidential crapping.
Sunflowerpipes
You are right about the many serious negative consequences of marijuana prohibition that are rarely discussed. The disrespect for law enforcement is a big one. It used to be, the only panic people would feel when seeing a cop was if they were speeding and they ran the risk of getting a fine and their insurance premiums hiked up.
Now a marijuana consumer who has ANY contact with police can potentially be sent to prison for doing something that harms no other person. When you consider that 100 million people have smoked pot, then add their friends and family, it’s pretty clear the fraud of prohibition is a monstrous attack on the American people.
Perhaps even more damaging is the “divisiveness between users and non users.” A marijuana consumer cannot make a true friend unless that person either consumes pot or makes very clear he is against the persecutorial prohibition laws.
In our pressure cooker society, we just don’t have time to get to know many people that intimately. It doesn’t help that it’s considered a taboo topic. So, marijuana consumers have to assume that everyone they don’t know well is a potential rat that can destroy their life. It would be hard to think of a situation that would cause such distrust and fear of our neighbors.
Marijuana prohibition has gone a long way toward destroying the sense of community and belonging that used to be a hallmark of American communities.
We have become a nation of isolated, fearful citizens. No wonder we are in such a mess. It doesn’t take too much cynicism to believe that since the rich love to employ divide and conquer strategies in their class war, they greatly enjoy this aspect of marijuana prohibition.
We need an army of lobbyist, thats the only way they’ll listen.
Well, that’s why I voted for Nader…….
Ok here is what I know. When the war on drugs started at the beginning of the 20th century around 1.3 percent of the population were addicted to some sort of (drug) including alcohol. We have spent well over a trillion dollars fighting this war. Basically making criminals out of citizens that needed medical help. Yes they had a problem. A human problem which could of been solved by helping them not incarcerating them. Yes we are so civilixed. We are the only so called free country that puts people in jail for having a medical condition. This is insane. The only reason we have all the violence and crime around this issue is because of PROHIBITION. This has to stop. Getting back to the point do you know what percent of the population is addicted today. Around 1.3 percent. Does that make sense for us to continue to fight this war on our sick who need help and our sympaphy.
Just watching the news talking about the oppiet trade and sending more people over seas to infletrate them to stop the flow to our country but what they really ment to say is control the flow to our country because we are one of the biggest buyers to manufacture opiets in medicines we hand out for every ache and pain we have but it is ok for our president to make jokes about a very good debate right here in our country legalizing and taxing a good old american product for pain depression and about a 1000 other ailments,the people have spoken and they didnt listen maybe if we just keep voicing then maybe they will start listening to us.I had major surgery a year a go that went very bad and all they want to do is keep pumping pain killers into me and sent me back to work so i guit taking them and starting smoking weed for my pain and amazinly it worked icould do a lot of things i could not do on pain killers well they got me on a random drug test suspended upon completion of a twelve week counslin class but said nothing about going to work on very strong pain meds i will play their game until our voices are heard and maybe some of us can find true pain releif with no side affects keep up the good work NORML SMOKE ON
You people act surprised that he made a joke of it .
like its fucking new or something ,
lol, jokes on you he never said anything about taxing and regulating cannabis during his campign . Also, the whole crowded laughed it off as joke. now, people talking about “i’m not voting him next “. How you going to vote for ? A republican ? LOL, like they will do any better . DC has always treat pot as joke .
So, nothing will change …..
Obama,
NASA says a possible polar shift combined with a solar max is eminent and identifies the year 2012.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast15feb_1.htm
new repository is intended to be an insurance policy for humanity
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/buried-seed-vault-opens-in-arctic/
President Obama this is global! End Cannabis Prohibition Yesterday!!
I have M.S. and the issue is, I need medication! The Preident is laughing at me I’m glad I did not vote for that liar!! Their all out for “theirs” and they make more money by keeping it illegal!!!! I watch documentries like crazy and the proof is there!
piece out!
“Don’t leave us out in the cold”:
Liberty is to the collective body, what health is to every individual body. Without health no pleasure can be tasted by man; without liberty, no happiness can be enjoyed by society.
-Thomas Jefferson
No man will ever carry out of the Presidency the reputation which carried him into it.
-Thomas Jefferson
And I voted for this clown?
This sucks I want something get rid of headaches and only one thing helps,a few pulls and im good what about us? Medically I feel I should have the right to smoke. THThthththththththththththt!Im gonna do it antway, tax me for you see how are economy is dontcha need the money?
”
The more than 92,000 people who responded either have a Cheech and Chong sense of humor or there is a deep concern in America — undetected by the media — about the decriminalization of marijuana,
”
Hundreds of thousands of voices are ignored every day, and millions of lives have been swept under the rug.
Who among us can claim to be free?
I see a lot of whining on this forum, but no real proposals for a solution.
The best way for this debate to move forward is to publish an authoritative, academic study on the economic benefits of legalization, as well as a proposed regulatory framework.
I think NORML should hold a fundraiser, then use that money to hire an out-of-work professional to write this study.
Peppering the President with questions will only do so much, because the media will be on fire moment he takes on the legalization question, putting every other item on his agenda on hold.
Real results are more likely when you shop a solid study to the press and to the American people as strong evidence that legalization is good economic policy.
Who will monitor the use when somone using marijuana, is driving?
fuck the bitches
Obama is actully right about this.
Is legalizing and Regulating Marijuana a good stradegy for Helping the economy? No it’s not.
Legalizing Marijuana doesn’t end the very expensive war on drugs. Most law enforcement agencies have a lase fair attitude towards Marijuana. they want to bust large scale (wholesale) grow and distribution operations. but they’re not actively cracking down on Joe Six Pack who has a dimebag for personal use. Law Enforcement is far too concerned with Crack\Cocaine, Herone, and Meth. Drugs nobody wants to legalize.
and It’s not like we’re fully legalizing Marijuana, we are Regulating it’s growth and distribution. so now Marijuana becomes a focus issue for law enforcement as marijuana becomes a Tax Revinue stream.
And the legalizing of marijuana will only have a noticable effect on the economy assuming EVERYONE steps in line. The federal governement knows for a fact it can’t stop the black market drug trade. It’s been failing to do so for decades. so now you give pot dealers and smokers a choice. you can either pay the premiums on legal protection, and because your plants are federally regulated you’ll proboally see a decline in quality. Or realize that you’ve been exsisting JUST FINE without any sort of legal protection. For sellers the choice is selling a 45$ bag of weed but only really keeping 20$ in profit, or selling the same bag of weed for 40$ and keeping every cent. then the buy has the choice between 45$ and no chance to goto jail or 40$ and a small chance of getting fined. Ask anyone who lives near a indian reservation where they buy their gas and cigarettes (items that are expensive due to taxation) and they’ll say they goto the reservation because they can get their stuff cheaper because it’s tax free.
Pot will be no different. Sure there are those of us who will pay the extra 5$ a pack for the piece of mind that we won’t get nailed for having the pot. but I’m positive we’re a insignifigant majority of the Marijuana using population.
Decriminalization is the way to go. it’s the defacto policy by most local and state law enforceent agencies anyway.
You’re not setting up new and expensive bureaucracies to regulate the growth and sale of marijuana, you’re not spending time\money invading the privacy of citizens who grow for personal use. you’re not arresting people who make a personal choice that has no effect on those around them, but you still allow yourself to go after those who are a disturbance to civil security.
you stoners have your approach all wrong, you’re trying to invent a cure-all for the Economy just to have your emotional issue passed. you’re just as bad as the Religious groups that fight to make Gay marriage illegal.
and of course he’s going to make a joke about a online poll getting flooded by activist. Trying to make up a reason to legalize marijuana.
You do know Obama has been a long-time supporter of Decriminalization.
the fact the Pot activism community has turned the Recession caused by a poorly regulated financial industry into a excuse to legalize pot is funny to anyone who isn’t high.
YOU KNOW THIS WILL ALWAYS HAPPEN THEY KEEP LEADING US ON TELLING US BUT YA KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY HE GOT YOUR VOTE AND THATS ALL THAT COUNTS.. ITS SAD BUT EVERYONE HAS A AGENDA AND HIS WAS TO GET INTO OFFICE
#708 Outfluence Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 3:59 pm
I see a lot of whining on this forum, but no real proposals for a solution.
The best way for this debate to move forward is to publish an authoritative, academic study on the economic benefits of legalization, as well as a proposed regulatory framework.
RE:
Outfluence,
– – There have been several authoritative, academic studies done on the economic benefits of legalization, and comparison of the various forms of legalization, regulation and decriminalization.
– – These can be found at
http://cantaxreg.com
Hail Mary question was an air ball
Pose a question that cannot be so easily evaded. Obama is no dumb ass.
Such as: Mr.President with the failure of the war on drugs isn’t it time for a national dialog and review
of drug policies based on facts and not myth.
You’ve got to work the ball into the paint, folks.
One…. Party…. System….
Obama your wrong and everyone who listen you. You have a bad rep for steping on the little man the hard working men and women who keeps a roof over ur head there is not one thing wrong with legal marijuana hell other countries have it they seem to be on the right track with their ecomony but not the US and u want to laugh at us when u cant even do ur job right go ahead give all the money away to the big dogs who problay in 5-10yrs will be askin for more dont judge before u know. Are u scared of what ur friends might think if u pass that bill which leagal marijuana can be used i know u have presser but dont think ur the only one with that Marijuana never killed like beer whiskey hell cig’s have killed more people that marijuana could ever all i’m sayin is for one time think about stop lookin at ur friends and think about what the AMERICAN people want I’m speakin for me and millions out there who feel the same FIX the problem and u might get more time in the white house
But if u dont make or even try to give a damn about this subject then just know this the grownin of marijuana will never stop in the state of kentucky at least i want for the simple reason of this thats the way most poor country people have to surive take that away and were left with nothing but empty pockets
im getting tired of this shit. Mother russia looks better than u.s.a right now. why dont we just pass this fucking law, let poeple come home from work sit down and pas around a jay with there buds(no pun intended)
A little extrapolation of Bill Hicks humor:
(As opposed to pres. B.O. picks nervous, dismissive chortles…..)
– – Some of us would benefit from
“Mandatory Marijuana”
in pre-employment requisites, to replace those DFWP policies of the 1980’s.
(“I’m sorry, but we can’t hire you UNTIL you bring your cannabinoid-levels UP;
Here’s a voucher for an ounce of Class A, cannabidiol-enhanced Indica from the nearest Bob Marleycorn retailer…
And a coupon for 50% off an herbal-aromatizer at VapoMart”)
In short:
To place a father, husband, brother, sister, mother, etc.. in jail or even under arrest for causing No harm, is a violation of the 8th Amendment.
How can causing harm to a family because someone is not causing any harm to either persons/property be thrown in jail, and this NOt be considered “cruel and unusual”?
It cannot.
“We have been made enemies of the very people we pay taxes to keep afloat and it’s time we turned around and told them FUCK YOU!” -Marc Emery
Obama is a lying fucking pig!
somehow i ended up on a site that was on the front page of normal, wow! the people who are “pushing back” against “us” have every thing going for them! for years!!!!! i have been afraid to openly admit to smoking pot. It Has Improved My Depression! I have two parents (now deceased) who were clinically depressed, and as it is I believe that my paternal grandparents were also very depressed. one was an alcoholic, who was so drunk one night, drinking with his son that when the son got up to leave, my grandfather did not know that he had been killed by a car that ran him over,till the next day. drinking is legal. the drugs that i have been given for the past ?so many years have not helped but put 80 lbs of extra weight and turned me from a person with a 138 IQ to someone that can’t retain any thing and I have lost the short term memory capacity to a large degree! this has not improved in the last 5 years although I quit the use of these “legal” drugs over 2 years ago, it is ludecris for the sitution of marijuana to be a class 1 drug with the only other drug in that class is herione. sorry if the spelling is wrong. as it is take all the dea and make them do real jobs guard our borders! make real efforts to quit the raids , the jails are a joke when you house pot heads as criminals and you are failing to keeping the people of the us safe from the evil element that has infillitratied our cities and parks ie state parks. when that law changed to make marijuana illegal was in a different time. remember dragnet and mayberry. even back further those people were so “uptight” I left us to go to canada in the early early 70’s I m female mo I was not a draft resistor, although I ALWAYS BELIEVED VIETNAM WAS WRONG! it was a couple of years earlier that I first smelled pot. It was so sweet! smelling sitting in a vw bug during a lunch break I’ve never forgotten that smell. I did not partake, rather i waited till i got out of school. that ment freedom and i wasn’t going to screw that up. as it was 21 was the legal age back then to do anything, so I has to watch my ps and qs (whatever the heck that meant i still don’t know)! what a strange trip it’s been! stop the silly bullshit. quit making the us the laughing stock of the world and get some more important things done. like the drug and insurance copany’s need to bh rringed in. the food and water needs taken better care of. the poor shouldn’t be treated like second class citizens;we have so many problems in this country that just legalizing pot at an affordable price would change a lot in this country. despite the measures that have been taken to stop pot the use keep going. my estimate is that there are at least 100 hundred million smokers if the truth was known, but we are all so damed scarred of the government that very few of us wishes to go public. when they can kill the miost powerful man on the earth at the time, Kennedy. is their any wonder that we all laid down and took what bush dished out with the manditroy sentencing. I was lived how our rights were comprimised!
moderation for what
Americans will never conform to or respect a law born of racism perpetuated by greed and supported by lies.
thanks a lot all you fucking idiots that think obama was all for weed. how can you vote for such a transparent piece of shit like him.
Listen to me:
IF Same Sex Couples can marry THEN pot heads can toke.
simple as that,
I pay taxes, I vote in elections
And get this notion:
The next Primary to be followed by the 2012 Presidential debates-
The issue I am talking about is the one of a President posting a questionaire, getting a response, and bypassing a golden opportunity to address millions of CITIZENS of the United States of America was misplayed.
Sure this country has struggling banking terms, Millions of automobiles rotting at car dealerships.
Marijuana is not the problem. Drug cartels push harder drugs onto our kids because they can not keep up with the demand for pot.
Making Cannabis legal will have millions if not billions of Americans seeking their local convienent shops for a product easily available with a valid ID.
I smoke cigarettes daily, I drink alcoholic beverages once a month(on average), but if Marijuana were to be legalized it would bring many more people together, and the jobs created.. The jobs Barrack
The jobs, Mr. President B. Hussein Obama,
someone has to grow it, someone has to cultivate it, someone has to package it, someone has to deliver it, someone has to stock store shelves with it, someone has to advertise it, and finally someone has to sell it. = 7 multiplied by the number of (¿oh yea how many stores can retail it?)
we feel that marijuana should indeed be leagleized there are many benefits from its use. it has been proven to ade in helping with medical handicaps and illness, glocoma to name a few. the taxes alone would help to repay the national debt we hope you will consider leaglizing the use of marijuanaput it on the ballots and let all the americans decide
Well, I didnt vote for him because i knew he was an arrogant smug wishywashy fool whod say and do anything to get elected, but, really surprises me that they dont actually jump at the chance to tax something new, cigarettes cost the companies that make them about $1.20 give or take, the rest is settlements and taxes, now considering theyre about 6 dollars a pack, thats a nice chunk that people smoke a pack every few days to 2 packs a day, now, imagine how much weed you smoke or would smoke if you could just run to the gas station and pick it up, which you wouldnt mind paying taxes on for the sheer ease and convenience of it all, the deficit would be taken care of in no time, unlike his plan thats putting us trillions in debt. what a clown.
i really wanna no wut good prohibition is doing
Its Time to do this Mr President . Its will be a huge help on the drugs that come into the USA. Taxing(big time) this will help out most “STATE GOV” .
Personally it makes me ill to think that the biggest reason marijuana is illegal to begin with; is because of racism and “fear” of cross addiction. So for me I would be ashamed of myself if I was president Obama, considering he is the first black president, you would think seeing all the statistics that prove marijuana is no more harmful or addictive then caffeine… one would assume he would have made a better decision for this country. Everything he stands for seems worthless when alcohol can ruin people’s lives and you cannot legally purchase marijuana. It is sick and disturbing.
I guess we have a long way to go if we are being laught Liberated us from the Constructive Fraud and those laws that have stolen our rights. Any one seen my rights, I lost them somewhere.
wow see all the people on this page that want it legalized!!! Didnt obama wanna listen to the people? well hell he isnt!!! like WTF dude!! it would make new jobs for people a new tax income for the country arent we in debt?! and doesnt marijuana kill less people then cigarets do?! he should look at the facts they would make more money instead of spending for locking up people and all that other shit!! it would stop the drug war… since it would be priced and everything! wtf obama LEGALIZE IT FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY!!!
I posted a comment #729…I think it happened.
Along with every thing which appears to be developing within this particular subject matter, your opinions are generally very exciting. However, I am sorry, but I do not give credence to your entire theory, all be it refreshing none the less. It looks to us that your opinions are not entirely rationalized and in reality you are generally your self not really thoroughly convinced of the argument. In any case I did appreciate reading it.
Thanks a lot to get posting plus a review of me personally that.