President Obama Laughs At Marijuana Legalization

[Hypomaniac]

From the blog

President Obama: What Is So Funny About Taxing And Regulating Marijuana?
Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:34:32 By: Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director
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Speaking live moments ago President Barack Obama pledged â??to open up the White House to the American people.â?�

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 â?? and the tens of thousands of you who voted to make this subject the most popular question in todayâ??s online Presidential Town Hall â?? well, your voice doesnâ??t really matter.

Asked this morning whether he â??would â?¦ support the bill currently going through the California legislation to legalize and tax marijuana, boosting the economy and reducing drug cartel related violence,â?� the President responded with derision.

â??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 donâ??t know what this says about the online audience,â?� he laughed.

â??The answer is no, I donâ??t think that [is] a good strategy.â?�

Obamaâ??s cynical rebuff was short-sighted and disrespectful to a large percentage of his supporters. After all, was it not this very same â??online audienceâ?� that donated heavily to Obamaâ??s Presidential campaign and ultimately carried him to the White House?

Marijuana Law Reform - NORML (http://www.norml.com)

[FourTwenty4Life]

F**K OBAMA!!!!

[dylan]

I agree! I have already sent an email about this. I urge everyone to do the same!

[Hypomaniac]

Very sad...........

nuff said I guess.

Its almost there. Can almost taste victory.

[Hypomaniac]

Do you have a link to send e-mail dylan?

[gypski]

Here is a link with his press flunkys statements.

The Raw Story | Obama fields 'marijuana as cash crop' question at town hall meeting (http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_holds_online_town_hall_meeting_0326.html)

Barack smoked when he was young but now that he's a big shot, he's saying fuck you to everyone else who has, is, or will smoke marijuana for whatever reason. :thumbsup: I'd call that a hypocrite. And I don't want a hypocrite for a president. We've had enough of them already. :D

[djmidnight22]

True, That was completely disrespectful. It sickens me how we can be written off so easily, but definately not surprising. Tell me WHY you think this wouldn't be a good plan. Enough with these weak one sentence statements. I've got some writing to do.

[MPLSweedman]

he doesnt give a shit about anyone or anything except his socialist agenda

hate to say i told you so

[killerweed420]

Yep. Doesn't really surprise you tokers all that much though does it?
He never really publically said he was going to do anything. If you really want reform there was only one candidate that repeatedly states his position on this. And thats Ron Paul.

[seattlesmoke247]

Yeah it was expected... Sucks though. :(

[FourTwenty4Life]

More BS...
YouTube - MORE MARIJUANA BULL FROM THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng6LfuxHNBY)

[BigLeagueJew]

I do like Obama. He should be a great president on most topics.This topic is one of the few that I strongly disagree with Obama. He is being ignorant around the issue of marijuana and making himself look bad specifically with comment about people online. Online is the way of the future, Such comments will not help him get reelected. I still think though that given this, Obama is still much better than Bush or Mccain and I still support him.

[Coelho]

Well... for me it just confirms what ive written in another thread, about the presidents being puppets of the real rulers of the country...


I dont know him [Obama] enough to have a clear picture about him, anyway, from what ive seen and read, i would say he is a well-meaning puppet. I think he may actually wish to bring changes, but he only will be allowed to make the changes that dont affect the profits of the ones who pull his strings.

And lets be reasonable... unfortunately, most people of your country (or rather from the entire world) still lives under the Reefer Madness influence, and thus being favourable to weeds legalization would be a very impopular thing to do... as the applause for his negative response showed... :(

[overgrowthegovt]

I think the whole "socialist agenda" conspiracy is bullshit, but yeah, FUCK HIM! Tragic, how full of shit they all are...I had slight hopes for this one. Clearly, the cocksucker cares for nothing but his own prestige and cult of personality (probably purposefully brought on), with no more respect for civil liberties than any other prohibition president. I can at least understand anti-weed stances back when most of the populace thought it was the devil's herb....nowadays an encouragingly large percentage of people call for its legalization. Now is the time, and the chance, but....fuck, I'm angry (and I'm also really baked, so this is odd).

[8182KSKUSH]

He was probably laughing, because he already knows how badly our economy will be crippled by the time he is done w/ it, and know that even if every man, woman, and child smoked an ounce a month, and they taxed it at 90%, it wouldn't even make a dent. That's probably what he thought was so funny.

[anaacid]

alot of crap is talked about equality here i think as a black nation we should open ourselves to freedoms espoused by the dictorial protocol that seems so worthy of its defence marijuana legalised/prohibition that you stuck up, facile and selfish ? if we carry rubbing our own arses with glee at the poxy domestic grow then the drug prohibition will continue, more and more honest people under the thumb untill the great resentment of facist control comes crashing over us again happy happy happy prison cells!

[thedeadone]

And I hope that at least half the idiots on this forum that did, will not do it again!!!! lets see----no earmark spending---- out if Iraq in 6 months ---
lets not raid co-ops that are legal ---- I bowl like a retard!!!!! this guy is
making us all look bad. I hope you all enjoy your oppression.

[painretreat]

Even though it sounds like a bust! The INTERNET must have made a very big impression on him; for him to at least to mention it during his speech!! He knows that the internet elected him. About re-election time, he will be sweating bullets I'd say.

In the future, I don't think voting on one principle alone-like mmj, is enough to elect a president. We need to study the person, history and all the failures that were posted on this site prior to the election he contrived in Illinois! Pscho4Bud, posted a lot of it and many others. Obama was clear during election he would leave medical mj alone, nothing else! I heard it loud and clear and felt---nothing really changes.

The dispensaries that operated within the State Laws in CA-may should be O.K. for now, anyway! Walking on eggshells!

How he laughed off 'growing the economy' with marijuana was sickening! He missed, bio-fuels, hemp, etc!! Pr Good Thread!! :jointsmile:

Now, the letter writing campaign!

[Rahein]

I sent this to them on whitehouse.gov



â??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 donâ??t know what this says about the online audience,â?�

This was your comment on legalizing marijuana. It is ridiculous; the online audience won you this election. They raised you the money and worked for you in mass while already suffering from a depression that had yet to hit Wall Street and Washington.

Marijuana/hemp legalization is such a multifaceted solution to Americaâ??s problems. You loose a lot of respect from the American people by belittling it. I know that you know all of this as well as I do, but let me reiterate anyway a small list of what we could gain by legalization.

1. Hemp (even THC free is illegal) production will make American jobs producing a crop that will help restore farmers land. The waste can be used for biochar to make fuel, repair our lands even more, and help prevent global warming.
2. America wastes billions arresting, prosecuting, and jailing nonviolent drug offenders. It also causes violent crime when people can not handle disputes though the legal system.
3. Mexico is in a near civil war with drug cartels. Those drug cartels are funded and armed primarily by marijuana export to America. Letting Americans grow it would help stabilize the violence on US border that you are sending American solders too. Americans solders may die so a dried herb will remain illegal.
4. There could be a $50 per Oz tax on Marijuana and people would pay it. That would also make it easier to raise taxes on Tobacco. You could reduce the amount people smoke with a higher price and also improve their health by knowing the source is not using banned pesticides and fertilizers. Raising income and reducing costs sounds like a good idea right now.


That is just the start of the list. Thousands of high school and college students write reports about this every year for years. I know you know all these points and I know you know that pot is not some drug like cocaine, that it is not even like alcohol. Yet you laugh at the well over 50% of Americans who think it is a good idea.

I donâ??t know why you feel that way. It may to save the â??Itâ??s for the childrenâ?� vote. Itâ??s not worth it, fix the economy and they will vote for you. I am not saying it is a magic bullet, just one small piece in a HUGE puzzle that you have to put together.

You have to fix all the laws that have been made just to enrich the already rich and keep people in jobs that arenâ??t needed just so they wonâ??t be unemployed. That is what the people want.

I said it once and I will say it again. Nonviolent Americans are being put in jail and dying for this. US solders and being deployed to the Mexican border where they may be asked to fight and die. It could be helping create new jobs and fixing the economy.

[StickyfingahZ]

F**K OBAMA!!!!

Hell yeah! F**K dat guy!

[Hypomaniac]

In the future, I don't think voting on one principle alone-like mmj, is enough to elect a president. We need to study the person, history and all the failures that were posted on this site prior to the election he contrived in Illinois! Pscho4Bud, posted a lot of it and many others. Obama was clear during election he would leave medical mj alone, nothing else! I heard it loud and clear and felt---nothing really changes.



Yes yes I agree from the start he never said he was in favor of legalization.
In short all he said was he didnt believe in spending tons of money on circumventing state laws. Nothing more nothing less.


However what upsets me is his ability to laugh at such a small piece of his massive puzzle at hand and turn it into a joke. So what do you do?
Smile be nice and write write write. Rite?

Peace.

[Hypomaniac]

Can I get a little rep points?

[boaz]

Even though it sounds like a bust! The INTERNET must have made a very big impression on him; for him to at least to mention it during his speech!! He knows that the internet elected him. About re-election time, he will be sweating bullets I'd say. ...

true, and midterm elections will be starting next year, i bet a repub congress would wipe the grin off his face. better yet, think independent party! Libertarian and Greens!! start planting your canidates now! :greenthumb:

I believe because of the Controlled Drug Act, that the Executive Branch now has the nearly sole responsibility for ending, or continuing, this deadly violent cannabis prohibition policy that they have put upon us. I call upon "the people's President" to act now, remove cannabis from the drug schedule. Do it quickly and don't look back. Tell the critics to fuck off. Everyday you wait adds to growing feeling among Americans, and the world, that whole thing is just a fraud.

btw, I voted for McCain. :jointsmile: i knew the dems are full of shit. McCain wouldn't have done anything either but at least he was a war hero.

[boaz]

He was probably laughing, because he already knows how badly our economy will be crippled by the time he is done w/ it, and know that even if every man, woman, and child smoked an ounce a month, and they taxed it at 90%, it wouldn't even make a dent. That's probably what he thought was so funny.


exactly. that reminds me in the bill in Sac last month it talked about how they planned for a certain percentage increase in cannabis usage if the bill was put into law, to meet the tax revenue goals. :wtf: are Californian's willing smoke out more to help the state out with their budget?? :stoned: i thought it was kinda funny, anyways.

[boaz]

Yes yes I agree from the start he never said he was in favor of legalization.
In short all he said was he didnt believe in spending tons of money on circumventing state laws. Nothing more nothing less.



good point, he never promised he would legalize, he said he would respect the rights of the states, which he has done, with a few notable exceptions in California. The state legislatures still seems to be the way to go to make any real impact on the ground. I believe the vast majority of cannabis arrests are by state and local police, not the federalies. :twocents:

I would like to see all four of the southern border states legalize cannabis. California and Arizona already have bills being discussed. Texas would be the wildcard I'd imagine, but if they all four came together to legalize cannabis I think think we could see the border violence start to die out as their largest market sector leaves them behind. Plus, just the act of a state legalizing will flush out the die hard prohibitionists/crooks, so they can be identified and plucked. ;)

[epilepticme]

I always knew he was a tool.
It is not my fault, I wrote in Ron Paul.

[dylan]

No, I don't remember the email link, but you can go to his website and send one I think.

[JaySin]

Ron Paul 2012. We gotta start campaigning for him now. Something we should have done years ago to gain enough support. Show him that we want him, a man that actually knows what he is talking about.

[TheSmokingMonkey]

Yep. Doesn't really surprise you tokers all that much though does it?
He never really publically said he was going to do anything. If you really want reform there was only one candidate that repeatedly states his position on this. And thats Ron Paul.

AMEN!

[boaz]

I always knew he was a tool.
It is not my fault, I wrote in Ron Paul.

I would have, too, if we could write in canidates here. I couldn't even vote for him in the primaries because of the election rules in my state :mad: unless I register as a republican, which I might do in 2012. I might as well have I voted mostly repub anyway for national elections last year. I would vote third party but we don't have such a thing here in these parts. We've got two parties and both kinds of music (country and western). :rastasmoke:

[Markass]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng6LfuxHNBY


Wow...

[Hypomaniac]

Without a doubt this answers what the number one question was in the online

town hall meeting was. The reporters and Mr.Gibbs spent alot of time asking

and talking about marijuana reform. AMAZING.



STICKY?

[boaz]

Without a doubt this answers what the number one question was in the online town hall meeting was. The reporters and Mr.Gibbs spent alot of time asking and talking about marijuana reform. AMAZING.

Yeah, I was impressed by the media coverage, too. I don't remember ever seeing anything like that before. I think the white house purposely went with the less mainstream media this time which might explain it, although that one dude that jumped in was from CBS, I think. I liked seeing the press sec squirm a bit. "I'm losing contol here" :D

What a scripted audience in that one clip where Obama actually talks about legalizing, clapping wildly for the continuation of cannabis prohibition :wtf: but really all he said was he did not think legalization was a good way to grow the ecomomy and create jobs. nothing really shocking I thought, thats just his opinion (or what he was told to say).

I don't agree. I think legalizing hemp alone would help the ecomomy as well as the environment right now. There really is no logical reason to prohibit hemp. Maybe someone should ask him to explain that little jewel of a federal law.

Did anyone actually read the website questions? I didn't, but it sounds like our brothers and sisters were all over it. (again) :smokin:

[boaz]

I do like Obama. He should be a great president on most topics.This topic is one of the few that I strongly disagree with Obama. . . .

Yeah, I agree. I didn't vote for him and don't really agree much with the Dem philosophy, but I do like him, too. He's still the coolest President I've seen in my lifetime (I know thats saying a whole lot, but :D), can you imagine Shrub or Shrub Sr. or even Bubba actually discussing this topic just because a bunch of people posted stuff on there website asking about it. That just would not ever have happened. Obama is different. I like the online town hall idea.

I never expect any President to come out publically in favor of legalizing cannabis. That just really isn't their role. If rescheduling ever does happen it will happen in the middle of night right before a long holiday when all the media is out site. It won't be announced in press conference or town hall meeting. :twocents: