Would Romney Be Worse For Medical Marijuana Than Obama?

[AKenewell]

President Obama has been taking a lot of well-deserved heat for his disjointed and disappointing approach to medical marijuana. Of course, with an election approaching, Obama supporters are struggling to explain why the many Americans who care deeply about this issue should support this president following his badly broken promises and recent false statements. An argument I've been hearing a lot is that Mitt Romney would be even more of a monster when it comes to medical marijuana policy.

 

But why would anyone assume that? Because he's a Republican? Obama's been worse on this issue than George W. Bush ever was, so what's to say he wouldn't be worse than Romney too? There's no logical basis at all for assuming that one party is just automatically going to be better when it comes to respecting state laws that protect medical marijuana patients. A strong majority of voters on the left and the right support medical marijuana, so it's not like Romney's supporters are asking him to go on the attack.

 

Sure, we've heard Romney say he's not in favor of medical cannabis, but only when he's been pressured for a comment on it. His statements have been brief and evasive, utterly lacking the vigorous drug warrior convictions often attributed to him. Romney certainly isn't running around on the campaign trail making threats or saying anything at all to justify the knee-jerk assumption that he'd be more of a horror show than the aggressively anti-pot president we already have.

 

Anyone who wants to argue that Romney would be worse when it comes to medical marijuana should begin by explaining how. Really, how would he be worse? The Obama Administration is already doing every single awful thing that can be done short of suspending all other federal law enforcement functions and spending the next 4 years demolishing dispensaries one at a time. They're raiding businesses, prosecuting providers, intimidating landlords, suing operators on bogus tax claims, threatening to arrest state regulators, blocking medical research, and even banning gun ownership by patients. I honestly doubt Romney could be any worse than this if he tried.

 

For some horrible reason, the Obama Administration is at war with medical marijuana on every imaginable front and it's ridiculous to rationalize any of this with fictitious partisan comparisons. That's pure political hackery that serves only to distract us from placing the blame where it belongs. Anyone who wants to help re-elect the president should stop making excuses for what he's done and instead insist that he clean up his act before November.

 

Looking at the polling on medical marijuana, you'd think the debate would be over which candidate supports it more, not who hates it less.

 

 

http://www.huffingto..._b_1501828.html

[Shredder]

There is absolutely zero reason to vote for Romney reguardless on if he is for medical marijuana or not. His positions change seemingly with the wind and who he is speaking with. He is on video dissing a wheelchair bound patient, do you need more, really? His economic plan is to give tax breaks to the wealthy and make the poor pay their "fair share" in other words trickle down also known as supply side. He thinks corporations are people. He was born into great wealth and has lived a sheltered life in what has been described as a cult, that along with other absurdities, he thinks he has magic underwear that protects him from evil. He said he is not worried about the poorest of the poor. He is a rich persons (wet) dream canidate and is disaster for the poor sick and disabled. He wants to change social security and Medicare, two programs that benefit the sick and poor. He chased down and cut the hair off a gay student while in school. He thinks women have no place in his church's leadership. This is all from recent memory, shall I go on? Shredder

Edited May 25, 2012 by Shredder

[CGorganic]

There is absolutely zero reason to vote for Obama regardless on if he is for medical marijuana or not. His positions change seemingly with the wind and who he is speaking with. Just like Romney. They both pander for votes.

 

Neither Obama, or Romney are worthy candidates in my opinion.

[restlesslegs]

[restlesslegs]

Romney on marijuana

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJzYYz2zbos

[cristinew]

he could be alot worse, we just do not know

[Beans]

After watching those two videos

 

The only way anyone can vote for Romney Is if their only goal is to remove Obama from office

 

No matter the consequences for all Americans

 

The republicans will be voting often

 

Make sure you do

[Reaper]

There is absolutely zero reason to vote for Romney reguardless on if he is for medical marijuana or not. His positions change seemingly with the wind and who he is speaking with. He is on video dissing a wheelchair bound patient, do you need more, really? His economic plan is to give tax breaks to the wealthy and make the poor pay their "fair share" in other words trickle down also known as supply side. He thinks corporations are people. He was born into great wealth and has lived a sheltered life in what has been described as a cult, that along with other absurdities, he thinks he has magic underwear that protects him from evil. He said he is not worried about the poorest of the poor. He is a rich persons (wet) dream canidate and is disaster for the poor sick and disabled. He wants to change social security and Medicare, two programs that benefit the sick and poor. He chased down and cut the hair off a gay student while in school. He thinks women have no place in his church's leadership. This is all from recent memory, shall I go on? Shredder

:thumbsu: :thumbsu:

[Celliach]

I can't believe this is even under question.

 

Bill Schuette is running Romney's campaign in Michigan. Enough said?

 

Schuette is banking on the being Attorney General of the US if Romney is elected. Bill Schuette as top prosecutor in the country!

 

Again, I can't believe this is even under question.

[greenbuddha]

I can't believe this is even under question.

 

Bill Schuette is running Romney's campaign in Michigan. Enough said?

 

Schuette is banking on the being Attorney General of the US if Romney is elected. Bill Schuette as top prosecutor in the country!

 

Again, I can't believe this is even under question.

 

 

I can't believe what happened in the LAST elections.

 

Why should the elections coming up in November be any different?

[beourbud]

I cant believe how much $$$$$ the fknrepublicans will throw down the toilet to lose.

 

Ferrino comes to mind.

 

No...this time the people are awake

 

20:1 40:1 100:1 But would they spend that to help This Country?

 

Insure a Better Tomorrow...Vote

Edited May 25, 2012 by beourbud

[GanjaWarrior]

I find it funny that the obammer drones can not seem to shake his addictive nature. Some people are drawn to abusive relationships.

 

I will say this about mit...hes a turd, every bit as bad as obammer... possibly worse, he is after all white.

 

But for you drones..... explain away this....obammer told us he would leave medical marijuana up to the states....his first term was a record term, for number of medical marijuana arrests. the dea is more gun ho to torture cancer patients under obammer than even under gw bush . To vote for either one you must be a fool.... to claim obammer is beter....you must be a mindless drone. the kind obammer uses to kill kids. see you can buy a nobel peace prize....

 

ron paul or revolution.

[Celliach]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-high-school-pot-smoking-detailed-maraniss-book-154948662.html

 

 

Obama’s high school pot-smoking detailed in Maraniss book

 

 

Bill Clinton he was not. When it came to smoking pot, the teenage Barack Obama had rules. You had to embrace "total absorption" or face a penalty. When you smoked in the car, "the windows had to be rolled up." And he could horn his way in, calling out "Intercepted!" and grab the joint out of turn.

Best-selling author David Maraniss' "Barack Obama: The Story" describes the future president's teenage antics, notably his copious marijuana smoking, details of which were published early Friday by Buzzfeed. While the book won't be released until June 19, vast sections of it were already available Friday on Google Books.

 

Starting on page 293, the reader begins to get the dope on high school-age Obama's group of basketball- and fun-loving buds, who dubbed themselves the "Choom Gang," from a verb meaning "to smoke marijuana."

"As a member of the Choom Gang, Barry Obama was known for starting a few pot-smoking trends. The first was called 'TA,' short for 'total absorption.' To place this in the physical and political context of another young man who would grow up to be president, TA was the antithesis of Bill Clinton's claim that as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford he smoked dope but never inhaled," writes Maraniss, author of a biography of the 42^nd president.

"When you were with Barry and his pals, if you exhaled precious pakalolo (Hawaiian slang from marijuana, meaning "numbing tobacco") instead of absorbing it fully into your lungs, you were assessed a penalty and your turn was skipped the next time the joint came around. "'Wasting good bud smoke was not tolerated,' explained one member of the Choom Gang, Tom Topolinski, the Chinese-looking kid with a Polish name who answered to Topo."

 

Obama also made popular a pot-smoking practice that the future president and his pals called "roof hits." When they smoked in the car, they rolled up the windows, and "when the pot was gone, they tilted their heads back and sucked in the last bit of smoke from the ceiling," Maraniss writes.

Obama "also had a knack for interceptions. When a joint was making the rounds, he often elbowed his way in, out of turn, shouted 'Intercepted' and took an extra hit. No one seemed to mind," according to the text.

Maraniss details how the Choom Gang relaxed at a spot they called "Pumping Stations" partway up Mount Tantalus on Oahu.

"They parked single file on the grassy edge, turned up their stereos playing Aerosmith, Blue Öyster Cult, and Stevie Wonder, lit up some 'sweet-sticky Hawaiian buds,' and washed it down with 'green bottled beer' (the Choom Gang preferred Heineken, Beck's, and St. Pauli Girl)," according to Maraniss.

"No shouting, no violence, no fights; they even cleaned up their beer bottles. This was their haven, in the darkness high above the city and the pressures of Punahou," he writes.

They also operated by consensus (NATO-style!), with any member able to "veto" a suggestion. "Whenever an idea was broached, someone could hold up his hand in the V sign (a backward peace sign of that era) and indicate that the motion was not approved. They later shortened the process so that you could just shout 'V' to get the point across," says Maraniss.

Sure, they drove around in a VW bus nicknamed the "Choomwagon." And their dealer was a "freakin' scary" guy named Ray who met a grisly end. "Many years later they learned that he had been killed with a ball-peen hammer by a scorned gay lover." (On his yearbook page, Obama says "Thanks Tut, Gramps, Choom Gang, and Ray for all the good times.")

But Maraniss also suggests that Obama, like, oh, everyone in the world, embellished his mischief.

"Later in life, looking back on those days, Obama made it sound as though he were hanging out with a group of misbegotten ne'er-do-wells, what he called the 'club of disaffection.' In fact, most members of the Choom Gang were decent students and athletes who went on to successful and productive lives as lawyers, writers, and businessmen," the author says.

Obama was a solid student, and adept at what some readers might know as "osmotic learning."

"He seemed nonchalant, yet performed well. How did he do it? He told his Choom Gang mates that the trick was if you put the textbook under your pillow the night before you would perform better on an exam. 'It never worked for me,' said Topolinski."

[Celliach]

So one candidate is working with Bill Schuette.....

 

.....and the other was a high school stoner.

 

Hmmmmmm, I wonder which would be worse.

[Restorium2]

One past stoner that KNOWS the benefits, the other doesn't even BELIEVE in medical marijuana. Obviously, Romney hasn't even TRIED medical marijuana or he would believe in it. Probably because he is a repressed Mormon that can't even try caffeine, let alone marijuana. Is it just me or does it seems like the stoner types, like Clinton and Obama, are much smarter than George W and Romney? See, it works for more than just life threating illnesses Schuette. You guys need some so you can wake up also. Marijuana for awakening. Caffeine for awaking. Romney take a nap.

 

Now that the secret is out, don't tell the haters Obama is on our side. We need to keep it amoungst ourselves or the haters will not be fooled. We need hater votes, sad but true. That's why Obama rides the fence, because he has to.

[Beans]

Just watched the video of Mitt saying "all marijuana use should be illegal"

 

No fence sitting from him

 

but hey..

 

maybe he will change his mind in 4 years once a majority of the country is imprisoned

 

Republican jobs program = more cops, more prisons, stronger/unlawful enforcement

 

You go Bill Shuette

[Restorium2]

Romney doesn't think he has to ride the fence because he has Ron Paul for that. They think that cannabis activists are so stoned they will follow Ron Paul so far down the line that they will vote for Romney. That's the only reason Paul is still in this, as a fooler.

[Celliach]

Ron Paul is still in this because he wants the VP position and will use his delegates to get it.

[Restorium2]

Well, that is even more disgusting, and probably true, now that I think about it. I can image that a bunch of Paul Clingons will try to convince us that Paul will change Romney's mind about cannabis from the vice pres. position. Ron Paul, the gift that keeps crapping on you.

[Celliach]

Romney/Paul would unite the far right with Romney and be a tough ticket to beat, imo.

[Restorium2]

At least we are not kept like mushrooms here anymore. We can tell it like it is. Maybe deliver some votes FOR medical cannabis and AGAINST Romney/Paul. The vice president is a rag doll position that carries no weight at all.

[MightyMightyMezz]

If you hate Ron Paul you hate freedom and love war. Romney and Obama are much closer in policy than either one is to Paul. Ron Paul sponsors prohibition repeal and hemp bills all the time.

Edited May 26, 2012 by MightyMightyMezz

[cristinew]

Paul would never, be on the side with Mitt,

Edited May 26, 2012 by cristinew

[Beans]

If you hate Ron Paul you hate freedom and love war. Romney and Obama are much closer in policy than either one is to Paul. Ron Paul sponsors prohibition repeal and hemp bills all the time.

 

I doubt many here "hate" RP

 

Only military providers "love war"

 

I just feel like getting behind a grass roots movement whose time has not yet come is being manipulated by the far right to get the independent voters to waste a vote that could be going to the incumbent

[Shredder]

Clinton's first two years

 

 

 

Economic Leadership and a Stronger Economy

 

Under President Clinton's leadership, almost 6 million new jobs were created in the first two years of his Administration -- an average of 250,000 new jobs every month.

In 1994, the economy had the lowest combination of unemployment and inflation in 25 years.

As part of the 1993 Economic Plan, President Clinton cut taxes on 15 million low-income families and made tax cuts available to 90 percent of small businesses, while raising taxes on just 1.2 percent of the wealthiest taxpayers.

President Clinton signed into law the largest deficit reduction plan in history, resulting in over $600 billion in deficit reduction. The deficit is going down for 3 years in a row for the first time since Harry Truman was president.

Fighting Crime and Restoring Our Communities

 

The President signed into law the Brady Bill, which imposes a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases so that background checks can be done to help keep handguns away from criminals.

The President's Crime Bill will put 100,000 new police officers on the street. More than 1,200 communities have already received grants to hire 27,000 additional officers.

The Crime Bill also punishes criminals by expanding the number of offenses eligible for the death penalty and implementing the "three-strikes-and-you're-out" provision.

And, the Bill banned the manufacture of 19 specific types of deadly assault weapons, while simultaneously protecting hunters' rights by exempting over 650 hunting rifles.

Strengthening Our Families: Security and Opportunity

 

President Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act. The law, which covers over 42 million Americans, offers workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-guaranteed leave for child birth, adoption, or personal or family illness.

President Clinton expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit to cut the taxes of 15 million working families with incomes of $27,000 or less.

President Clinton granted waivers to 25 states -- half the nation -- providing for comprehensive welfare reform demonstrations.

President Clinton ordered the U.S. Justice Department to conduct the first-ever crackdown on deadbeat parents who refuse to accept financial responsibility for their own children.

Signed an Executive Order cracking down on federal employees who owe child support.

Cutting Bureaucracy

 

President Clinton has already cut the federal bureaucracy by more than 100,000 positions. Under the recommendations of the National Performance Review, the federal bureaucracy will be reduced by 272,000 -- its lowest level since the Kennedy Administration.

And, he reduced the White House staff by 25 percent.

Making Education A Priority

 

Under the President's Direct Student Loan program, students can borrow money directly from the government at a lower interest rate and with many flexible repayment options, including the option to repay with a percentage of their after-graduation salary. Taxpayers will save at least $4.3 billion over five years.

In 1994, over 20,000 AmeriCorps members tutored students, immunized children, reclaimed urban parks, and patrolled neighborhoods. In return, they earned $4,725 per year of service towards college tuition or job training.

President Clinton signed into law Goals 2000, a national standard of excellence for our public schools. Already, 41 states and territories have received federal grants to raise academic standards and improve schools.

President Clinton's Safe and Drug Free Schools and Community Act and the Safe Schools Act provide funding to schools to fight violence and drug abuse. Schools can use up to 25 percent of their funds to purchase metal detectors, develop safe zones, and hire school security personnel.

The President's School-to-Work program provides venture capital to spark a nationwide system for moving America's young people from high school to a job with a future. In 1994, all states received planning funds for their school-to-work program.

Charter School legislation signed by President Clinton encourages states and localities to set up public school choice.

Expanding Markets for American Products

 

The Clinton Administration forged a bipartisan coalition to pass NAFTA, after concluding tough negotiations on side agreements covering workers' rights, the environment, and import surges. Exports to Mexico rose 23 percent in the first 11 months of 1994.

President Clinton led the fight to pass GATT, which lowers tariffs worldwide by $744 billion over ten years -- the largest international tax cut in history. GATT cuts tariffs on manufactured goods by more than one-third overall and eliminates tariffs in major markets in a number of sectors in which the U.S. is particularly competitive.

Protecting Our Environment

 

Under President Clinton, the EPA launched its "Common Sense Initiative" to make health protection cheaper and smarter by focusing on results rather than one-size-fits-all regulations.

The President's Northwest Forest Plan is putting communities in the Northwest back to work, while conserving ancient forests.

After decades of conflict, the Clinton Administration negotiated a consensus plan to protect California's most valuable natural resource -- its water. The San Francisco and Delta estuary supplies drinking water to two-thirds of the state's people, provides irrigation for 45 percent of the nation's fruits and vegetables, and sustains 300 aquatic species.

Promoting Security and Freedom Abroad

 

President Clinton hosted the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles in September, 1993, and the signing of the Israeli-Jordan Washington Principles in July, 1994 -- historic agreements between the leaders of Israel and her Arab neighbors to settle differences by peaceful means.

To enhance European security and stability, the Clinton Administration proposed the Partnership for Peace program, offering former Soviet republics and Central/East European states closer ties with NATO. Already, 22 nations have signed on, since NATO's adoption of the program in January, 1994.

As of May, 1994, nuclear missiles in Russia and the United States are no longer targeted against any country. And, as a result of other Clinton Administration efforts, the Ukraine is ahead of schedule in reaching the goal of transferring 1,500 nuclear warheads to Russia for dismantlement.

President Clinton peacefully restored democracy to Haiti, curbing the violence that threatened tens of thousands of Haitians, securing our borders, and upholding our commitments and the commitments made to us in the process.