Legalization and the Republicans

23536

23536

Bluelight Crew
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Stop resisting!
. . .

In the United States, the pro-legalization and anti-legalization sides do not correspond to the left/right political spectrum. There are leftists and right-wingers on both sides of the debate.

Currently there seem to be more prominent Republicans than Democrats favoring or leaning toward some form of legalization.

Since opposition to Big Government is a tenet of American Conservatism, it is possible to make an argument for drug legalization as being compatible with Conservatism.

. . .

The Republican Party is now in the midst of its selection process, choosing a candidate to take on Barack Obama in 2012. Several of the candidates are in favor of or open to some sort of drug legalization.

On November 15th, in Urbandale, Iowa, candidate Herman Cain (former pizza executive and Federal Reserve banker) stated, "If states want to legalize medical marijuana, I think that's a state's right. Because one of my overriding approaches to looking at all of these issues - most of them belong at the state, because when you do something federally ... you try to force one-size-fits-all."

Texas Governor Rick Perry, another candidate, has also stated his openness to making this a state and local issue.

Then there's Republican candidate Gary Johnson, a former New Mexico governor. Johnson is a staunch fiscal conservative, and he climbed to the summit of Mount Everest after leaving office.

Johnson wants to end the War on Drugs, believing that "90% of the drug problem is prohibition-related, not use-related." The former New Mexico governor calls for the full legalization of marijuana, but not of other drugs. Johnson says abuse of other drugs should be dealt with as a health issue and not a criminal matter.

Candidate Ron Paul, a congressman representing a Texas district, has long criticized the War on Drugs.

full http://www.mexidata.info/id3198.html
 
I don't know why everybody thinks you have to vote democrat to get any progress on legalization. That's why you all voted for Obama and he just laughs when you talk about it now. Grow a brain and pick someone who has been talking about legalization since day one
 
In the United States, the pro-legalization and anti-legalization sides do not correspond to the left/right political spectrum. There are leftists and right-wingers on both sides of the debate.

Currently there seem to be more prominent Republicans than Democrats favoring or leaning toward some form of legalization.

Since opposition to Big Government is a tenet of American Conservatism, it is possible to make an argument for drug legalization as being compatible with Conservatism.
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In the 1970s, enlightened Americans, mostly ones that would identify with the Republican Party, having become disenfranchised with both parties, but in particular the lack of commitement of the Republican party to principles of small government and personal freedom and its tendency to be authoritarian started the US Libertarian Party in the Republican bastion of Orange County in Southern California. As the Republican Party became more theocratic and rediscovering the principles of the Founding Fathers which was based on a foreign policy of non-intervention (a "quaint" idea that lasted through the begining of WWII), more Americans began to identify with the Libertarian Party. In the 70s and 80s, the most vocal critics of the drug war were on the left of the political spectrum, the view being that drug abuse was a health and not criminal issue. But the growing Libertarian movement (and the Libertarian wing of the Republican party) became increasingly critical of the War on Drugs on the matter of principle- taking into account that all drugs have the potential for abuse, the Libertarian position is that the drug war is an afront to personal liberty and was a gross abuse of government power and a great afront to the concept of limited government.

Ron Paul represents the Libertarian wing of the Republican Party. In the recent debates in the District of Colombia, that nest of parasitic lobyists and self-interest groups, the questions he was fielded were ones that were calculated to make him seem like a kook. Whatever your opinion of the man, he has the courage to be critical of the war on drugs (and all other wars the US is involved in- all 5+ of them). He believes in closing bases world wide and bringing are troops home including the LEOs and military members participating in the drug war). This is not calculated to endear him to the military-industrial and narco-industrial complex self-intersts groups nor the powerful theocratic wing of the Republican party.

Now from the point of view of Orthodox Christianity drug abusers should be viewed with compasion not condemnation. Yet along the bible belt and the Mormon faith (which Mit Romney is a member of), this view is very unpopular- drug users are sinners damed to hell and the government is Almighty Gods hammer. Yet its good to see that some opposition to the drug war is growing in the GOP. If nothing else, a true fiscal conservative should see the drug war as an egregious waste of money and a luxury we can't afford.

Plus it goes against the principle of states rights- embodied by the Bill of Rights. It also is not consistent with the principles enumerated in the Decleration of Independence and the various writings of the founding fathers. In 1840 the Swiss Confederation used the Amnerican model of Democracy as a model for the establishment of their own Confederation. They stuck to alot of these principles while the USA got away from them (and look at how well they are making out).

On the other side of the isle- it was Carter that wanted to legalize cannabis and cocaine, yet his drug czar was embroiled in a scandal regarding drug use at a Norml party he attended. Yet Teddy Roosevelt started the drug war by conveining the Shanghai Opium conference. Then Wilson, a Democrat, signed the Harrison act of 1914 which really started the drug war. The MJ tax act of 1937 under FDR gave it more momentum- employing former alcohol prohibition agents of the Treasury Dept. Then Nixon escalated the drug war by signing the controlled subtance act of 1970 and established the DEA (which Elvis was a member of while being jacked up on all kinds of pharmaceuticals). Reagan launched the just say know campaign yet was willing to compromise the war on drugs in the interest of national security- which was a boon for the cocaine industry. Their is evidence that the CIA gave poppy seeds to the Mujahadein in Afganistan during the Soviet occupation. But the major voices during this time period, though some, like William Buckley were on the Right, were on the left of the Political spectrum including Baltimore mayor Schmoke, Police Chief of San Jose, Joseph D McNamara, and the mayor of that den of thieves and liars, mayor of DC, the Honorable Marion Barry.

I was impressed with Obama when he commited himself to allowing medical MJ in places were it was already legal per state law or referendum. Yet here in CA, they have been closing dispensaries as of late in a witch hunt. To paraphrase MLK, Obama wrote a check from the bank of Liberty to the American people and it came back marked insuffucient funds. In DC during Bush Jr's reign, Med MJ was passed in DC, but Congress, that considers the district its own private feifdom, overturned the will of the people in a move that would make Middle Eastern autocrats proud.

Our BL community is made up of people from many countries and many political persuations- yet the principles of HR and a general opposition to the Drug War unites the majority of us.

If the drug war is to end, it would have to be done in a bipartisan fashion. The right will probaly take the lead. Personally I think its third party time! This is a luxury the American people can't aford at a time our country is turning into a huge version Greece, in fiscal terms.

Other countries have the sovereign right to treating drug policy the way they wish. But the USA started the drug war, I am ashamed to say, so its the American Peoples' job to end it! Peoples' perceptions are changing slowly but hopefully will undergo a sea of change in the next couple years. Plus our Southern neighbors are getting sick of it. From a security standpoint, there are better ways to spend our money.

Simply put, the Drug War is downright UnAmerican.
 
Great post!

Simply put, the Drug War is downright UnAmerican.
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And on this side of the pond it just isn't cricket!

Looking at history from the opium wars until now I guess you could say that the UK started the drug war then switched sides....
 
Looking at history from the opium wars until now I guess you could say that the UK started the drug war then switched sides....
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Well put!=D Its ironic that the British Imperial Majesty fought a war against the Emperor of China to allow his subjects the freedom to smoke opium (even if the motive was less than philanthropic). In the early part of the century the British were more progressive, not bowing to US pressure to outlaw the medicalization of addiction and maintenance of addicts). Pitty that this policy has been under attack since the 60s but especially in recent years- you Brits have been subject to a which hunt especially as of late, sad as it is to say. At least your model influenced the Swiss to persue a more sensible drug policy which remains successfully in existance to this day.
 
If Gary Johnson or Ron Paul gets the nomination, I might actually register to vote. Really, Obama is going to win a second term anyway though. Onward, status quo!
 
I dont think Gary Johnson is running anymore but you MUST vote for Ron Paul in the republican primary in your respective state to allow him to even be able to run against Obama. You MUST do this or some douche bag like Mıt Romney will be the Republican candidate instead. The American public sadly does not take 3rd parties seriously so Ron Paul running as a Republican is our best bet. I also think you have to register with the republican party a month or so before the primary so hop to it!

Here is the schedule for primaries, you may have to go to your specific states secretary of state website or some shit for more detailed instructions on how to cast your vote for the primaries. Google is your friend so do it!!

http://www.2012presidentialelectionnews.com/2012-republican-primary-schedule/
 
Also in a straw poll Ron Paul was at 41% and Obama was at 42% so there is definitely some chance if Ron Paul makes it past the primaries, and a previous poll gave Ron Paul 37% and Obama 41% so support for Ron Paul is definitely GROWİNG but we all need to do our part to make this happen.
 
Herman Cain supports allowing states to determine the scheduling of Marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Newt Gingrich supported Medical Marijuana early in his life but now is in denial of it.
 
One last thing I wanna add is the Media loves to act like Ron Paul simply doesnt exist so there are MANY people completely unaware of this man, if he can make it past the primaries and become the actual candidate for President of the United States running against Obama the media will not be able to ignore him anymore and he can most likely get many more supporters many of them switching against voting for Obama.

Oh and Herman Cain supports racial profiling of Muslims at airports simply because they may be suspected of terrorism. I am against profiling of any kind and its a shame this sort of talk is coming from a black man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7jyYpYgOeE

Only thing I worry about with Ron Paul is the public may not like him simply because he is an old guy and America is obsessed with image sadly.
 
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ND Republican Speaker of the House says Legalize Hemp!

Intriguingly, the 2009 Republican Speaker of the North Dakota House of Representatives, David Monson, has waged a legal war with the DEA for years now trying to get hemp farming to be legal.

It's disgusting that the tiny-minded perverts at the DEA can singlehandedly subvert a multi-billion dollar industry of hemp farming. US companies must buy hemp from other nations, such as Canada, and then make products rather than buy American made hemp... a situation that costs us Billions of dollars yearly.

I think it's great that a Republican from a somewhat progressive state is leading the charge to legalize hemp, and its an inspiration to those of us in less hemp friendly areas.

Quote from Backgrounder Article:
http://anonym.to/?http://www.votehemp.com/legal_cases_ND.html#overview
On June 18, 2007 the two North Dakota farmers granted state hemp farming licenses, Rep. David Monson and Wayne Hauge, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota in an effort to end the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) obstruction of commercial hemp farming in the United States. If successful, the legal action would result in licensed hemp farmers receiving assurances that no federal agency could hold them criminally liable under the Controlled Substances Act.

On May 18, 2010, North Dakota's Speaker of the House, David Monson, and North Dakota farmer Wayne Hauge filed a legal action against the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The DEA has delayed the approval of the farmers' applications for federal licenses to grow industrial hemp for more than 3 years. Both farmers have recieved state liscenses to grow hemp for the past four growing seasons under North Dakota's industrial hemp program. Monson and Hauge are seeking federal registrations that would enable them to cultivate oilseed and fiber varieties as farmers in Canada and Europe already do.
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