President Obama Brushes Off Legalization With Laughter and a “No”
In a recent ‘Online Town Hall’ meeting, one of President Obama’s attempts to keep the internet community highly involved in his actions, he addressed the issue of marijuana legalization.
Many questions and talking points were up for grabs. The ones with the most web support making it to the airwaves.
Here is an excerpt of the broadcast. The full transcript can be viewed here:
THE PRESIDENT: Three point five million people voted. I have to say that there was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy — (laughter) — and job creation. And I don’t know what this says about the online audience — (laughter) — but I just want — I don’t want people to think that — this was a fairly popular question; we want to make sure that it was answered. The answer is, no, I don’t think that is a good strategy — (laughter) — to grow our economy. (Applause.)
So — all right.
DR. BERNSTEIN: Thank you for clearing that up. (Laughter.) This next question comes from Columbia, South Carolina”
It’s quite offensive, first off, that the legalization issue is met with laughter throughout, by both Obama and Bernstein.
Legalization may be a laughing matter to the President, but for those sick people who would benefit from the simplicity of easier access to their medicine, it is not. For those put in jail for years and years, caught growing 2 plants on their windowsill, it is not. Especially, for the thousands upon thousands of people who have lost and are going to lose their lives in the Drug War, it is most definitely not a laughing matter.
There’s not much laughing going on in border-towns all across Mexico.
Furthermore a man like President Obama, who has proven himself to be quite the eloquent and passionate public speaker, exerted none of this eloquence or passion in his address to this issue.
Perhaps he only chooses to pontificate on the points he actually believes wholeheartedly in. It’s easy to get behind a point you truly believe, and preach to your hearts content. Obama’s response to legalization was equivalent to a parent telling a child “No.” and when asked why? “Because I said so.”
I believe the president has every right to oppose legalization, as do any of us. All I ask is for a legitimate, honest and overall logical reason why.
Admittedly, the question was specifically about legalization pertaining to it’s stimulation of the economy.
But when Jeffrey Miron, a respected economist at President Obama’s alma mater, Harvard University, calculates 77 billion in annual revenue from legalization, we have to wonder just why the president thinks it to be such a bad course of action.
Joshua G.
I find it hilarious that you think there was even the slightest chance that would ever happen.
As a representative of this blog, I could only say our intention was not to have Mr. Obama magically legalize marijuana in an online town hall meeting. We realize the consequences of such possible action, but we also do not want it to be taken as a laughing matter. We would appreciate a logical and reasonable answer, not a tongue-and-cheek response.
If you’d take the time to read it, you’d realize, like my associate stated that we never implied at all that we thought Mr. Obama was going to legalize marijuana at a town hall meeting. That would be ridiculous, but you’ll also note that we’ve never implied ANY belief on our part that Mr. Obama was going to legalize marijuana any time soon, if at all. I think you’ll find us quite skeptical of that happening. We, once again as Eugene stated, merely do not believe that an issue that means the world, literally their lives, to millions of people, should be treated as a laughing matter.
Furthermore, if you read the article, you’ll notice that all I asked of Mr. Obama was a logical, rational explanation as to WHY he feels the way he does. That legalization is, as he stated, “not the right plan for America”.
He is entitled to his opinion, just as you are, but for future reference, if your shared thoughts include no actual intellectual input beyond non-constructive criticism or heckling, then please… keep your gems of wisdom to yourself.
-JG
Excellent site, It was pleasant to me.
What you guys do not understand is that if he were to get behind this issue, his political clout would be severely diminished. I’d look forward the next term if/when he gets reelected. Then he might start getting behind this.
I agree with you Michael, it’s just that politicians are generally good at bullshit and can make up excuses on-the-fly. Say, for example, Obama was asked a question regarding abortion or the Roe v. Wade case. It would be acceptable for him to answer quite vaguely or just brush off the issue and quickly skip over to the next topic. Let’s say he laughed at that question, would not the pro-life armies of this nation get up-in-arms? Would not FOX News be all over that with Bill O’Reilly probably damn near calling him an atheist or something along those lines? Now these people are fighting for other people’s rights, which they aren’t even able to scientifically prove. But here we are, the pro-medical marijuana majority (I can’t honestly say we are a minority anymore), backed by hard science with not ONE single documented death as a result of its use. The medications cancer patients are given after chemotherapy are no joke. They instill severe vomiting, headaches, stomach pain, etc., which are can be eased to the point of being able to live on and bear with it, simply by consuming cannabis in some fashion (smoke, edibles, vaporized). Yet, President Obama laughed because he is trying to relate to his constituents, which look upon marijuana use as a joke, because of all of the negative connotations to it (TV ads, movies, articles, etc.). I know he is a sensible, somewhat liberal, and very intelligent man. I know that he knows marijuana should not be in the same category as heroin and cocaine. But because he is the first black president, and a rather “untested” president we could say, he must be moderate. And we all know how politicians feel about their blessed War on Drugs.
The question he answered was not about medical marijuana.
“I don’t think that is a good strategy
— (laughter) — to grow our economy.”
All he said on the subject was that it is a question that needed to be answered. Medical marijuana legislation is sadly a state affair at this point. The DEA even said that they have stop raiding all medical clubs. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/26/holder-vows-to-end-raids_n_170119.html If you are talking about legalization for everyone than you will have to wait. We all know that it is way less damaging than alcohol. It will happen in our lifetime.
And yet, people will still smoke it.
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I smoke weed everyday. I have traveled to Amsterdam and Vancouver to observe their lifestyle and views of marijuana. As much as I’d love to say marijuana should be legalized, I can’t. I’m no quintessential stoner; I’m a Marketing Executive and Graphic Designer. I hold this full time job as well as running a successful, 10-year DJing operation. However, I believe that the majority of Americans are idiots and would not be able to handle a full-scale legalization. Yes, the business side of things would probably give our economy somewhat of a boost, but it would deliver a devastating blow to pot-smokers who can’t get their asses off of the couch and follow their ambition. The death of intellectuals in this country will lead to the demise of society. Legalizing… bad. Decriminalization… good. Instead of focusing all of your energy into being able to get high without getting busted by the cops, why not take a look at the rape of civil liberties and the corporate-to-government ass-fucking that’s going on in Washington. We need to get the bankers, the Bilderberg Group and the Tri-Lateral commission out of the White House and congress. Several states are already taking the right steps to decriminalization, but it will mean nothing in the grand scheme of things when global government and the new world order arrive.
Skeeter, I can’t believe what I’m hearing. How does a pot smoker say that giving the right of the herb to people would have a negative impact. Besides that, you’ve got to see that liberties are a lot more important than finances. I don’t care nearly as much about my money as I do about my rights.