Rand Paul Says "no" To Legalization

[Celliach]

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., entered politics with more than just his father’s name to his credit.

As an insurgent, Tea Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010, Paul also benefited considerably from the movement that former Rep. Ron Paul built during his run for the Republican presidential nomination two years before. The elder Paul’s campaign failed in 2008, as it did in 2012, but he succeeded in establishing himself as a kind of libertarian folk hero, especially for certain young voters who thrilled to his calls for ending government intrusion in all its forms, from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to the War on Drugs.

Rand Paul followed the libertarian path blazed by his father all the way to the corridors of power on Capitol Hill. But now that he’s made it to the Senate–and perhaps contemplating his own designs on the White House–Paul has to decide just how far his father’s brand of libertarianism can take him.

Sen. Paul demonstrated the sincerity of his libertarian convictions recently, when he made an observation about the absurdity of U.S. drug laws:

 

Look, the last two presidents could conceivably have been put in jail for their drug use, and I really think, you know, look what would have happened, it would have ruined their lives. They got lucky, but a lot of poor kids, particularly in the inner city, don’t get lucky. They don’t have good attorneys, and they go to jail for these things and I think it’s a big mistake.

Paul’s comments, which came during an interview on Fox News Sunday, caused something of a stir. A close reading of them, however, shows that he is not willing to go as far as his father did in advocating for the repeal of laws that make the use or possession of drugs, such as marijuana, illegal. As he explained in the same interview, “the main thing I’ve said is not to legalize them, but not to incarcerate people for extended periods of time.”  To that end, Paul has teamed up with Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., the liberal chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to introduce the Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013, which would give judges greater flexibility in sentencing federal crimes where a mandatory minimum punishment might be considered too harsh.

This is exactly the kind of “libertarian Republican approach” that Paul has said will bring more young people back into the GOP fold.

But for fans of the more free-wheeling libertarianism of his father, it might seem a little tepid. Paul senior attracted a large and devoted following of young people during his failed runs for the presidency, in part, because of his full-throated embrace of legalization for all narcotics, not just cannabis but hard drugs like heroin and cocaine.

Unlike the younger Paul, who opposes legalization and takes pains to point out that marijuana is “a bad thing to do,” the elder Paul actually introduced legislation with arch-liberal Barney Frank that would have repealed the federal ban on pot. After the last election, he even co-wrote a letterwith former Rep. Frank that called on the Obama administration to back off of enforcing the federal ban in Washington and Colorado, where voters have approved measures legalizing the recreational use of the drug.

 

More: http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/03/27/unlike-his-father-rand-paul-just-says-no-to-marijuana-legalization/

[cristinew]

He sure does not have the courage as his father did,,, but on the other hand It is nice to see him team up with  Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt.

 

I am sure Obama will not endorse or campaign for the Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013,

[cristinew]

MSNBC  tyring to slam Paul  while they back up Obama   the worst person on the war on cannabis  patients,,

 

A step forward from Paul and Leahy 

 

It's a rare day in Washington when Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) agree on anything. So when I heard earlier this week that Paul and Leahy introduced a bill together that gives judges more discretion on mandatory minimum sentences, I had to check my calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1.

Even in today's hyper-partisan era, it seems there's at least one thing people on both sides of the aisle can agree on: our country's one-size-fits-all sentencing practices just don't make sense.

The bipartisan Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013 applies to all federal offenders and allows judges to take individual circumstances into account when handing out sentences under certain circumstances. Overly long mandatory minimums sentences are one of the primary reasons the federal prison population hasgrown by nearly 800% in the last several decades. They create racial disparity and generate unnecessarily harsh sentences by preventing judges from considering individual circumstances.

To see the devastating impact mandatory minimums have on people, look no further than Hamedah Hasan. When she was 21 years old, she escaped an abusive relationship with her two daughters to live with her cousin, who was involved in dealing crack cocaine. Feeling indebted to this cousin, she agreed to run various errands and transfer money.

Though Hamedah never used drugs herself, she was indicted and convicted for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Despite having no prior criminal record, the judge had no choice but to issue a life sentence, due to mandatory minimum sentencing for crack cocaine and the mandatory sentencing guidelines on the books at the time. Her sentence was later reduced to 27 years. Thanks to the work of the ACLU and other criminal justice advocacy organizations, Hamedah was released last year after 19 years in prison.

For years, the harsher penalties for crack versus powder have disproportionately impacted African-Americans. Had Hamedah been convicted of an offense involving powder as opposed to crack cocaine, she would not have faced such a harsh penalty, since at the time of her sentencing, the disparity between sentences for crack and powder cocaine was 100-to-1. That disparity has since been reduced to an 18-to-1 ratio through the Fair Sentencing Act.

By putting some power back into the hands of judges, the Justice Safety Valve Act goes a long way toward restoring fairness in the criminal justice system. Since defendants have to meet very specific criteria to qualify for sentencing leniency, it isn't perfect, but it's a big step toward reforming one of our judicial system's most unfair practices. Together with the Fair Sentencing Act, this new bill represents a positive change in thinking about the way we sentence people to prison.

Beyond the bill itself, the fact that Paul and Leahy are uniting on this issue should send a clear message that it's possible to be tough and smart on crime. This isn't a Republican or Democratic issue – it's an issue of fairness for all Americans.

Learn more about mandatory minimum sentences and other civil liberty issues: Sign up for breaking news alerts, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

Edited June 18, 2013 by cristinew

[cristinew]

“The rest of the world can grow hemp and we’re not, so we’re losing out on that product,” Paul said. “You know our farmers are one of the greatest parts of our economy. We do things very well in agriculture. If we would legalize hemp I think we would be one of the leaders of the world. I think we have a chance of passing it."

[thanks2]

Rand plays a better political game than Ron.  Though I hate the political game, it is the only way the blind will vote for a candidate.  I believe Rand is for legalization, but that will not get him elected. 

[Celliach]

Rand is a lunatic corporate hack, unlike his father who was just a plain lunatic.

[cristinew]

But they are both better than the NUT  obama  another  lunatic corporate hack

[t-pain]

its dissapointing that rand isnt for legalization.

is he for rehabs?

 

ron paul got a lot of support when he said to legalize it.

 

anyways this anti-mandatory-minimums is still a step up.

a small step, but i'll take any step.

[cristinew]

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) said Monday he did not support the legalization of marijuana, though he did support some form of decriminalization.

 

Much better than obama or biden  they both do not support   decriminalization.

 

You get someone that supports  removing mandatory drug laws  and even people on this board do not support them,, they support obama . 

 

Remember biden was the spearhead for the mandatory drug laws and helped create the drug zar.

Edited June 18, 2013 by cristinew

[cristinew]

[cristinew]

This is what he said  

Edited June 18, 2013 by cristinew

[Hayduke]

Unfortunately Rand has many corrosive positions that utterly negate his tepid response to medical marijuana or legalization.

 

His type of tea bags should not be put in ones mouth...

 

the comparison to be made is more than just to Obama, who you clearly dislike, it is to Rubio, McConnell, Boehner, Inhofe, and the other creepy arse Rethuglicans and Dick Army invented teabaggers....

[Hayduke]

it is not "penis" army that I typed, it is Richard "Dick" Army....

[Hayduke]

pretty funny, dirty word editing...

[cristinew]

Wow  someone wants to lesson the time for drug crimes and they get called names  by obama supporters,, too funny,,, when all you have left is to call names  you have lost,,,

 

 

Pat Leahy, D-Vt  must be a dirty tea bag for working with Rand ,,Right?

Edited June 19, 2013 by cristinew

[cristinew]

Now i can be the little child on the playground  , obama biden  are low life  commies  lefties gun grabbing un American scum

[beourbud]

Now i can be the little child on the playground  , obama biden  are low life  commies  lefties gun grabbing un American scum

lol this is the attitude and position that insures the fknrepublicans lose the House in 2014 and a Clinton victory in 2016

 

It is fun watching the fknrepublicans eyes roll back in their head and smoke coming from their ears when they realize Bill will be back in the WH. lol

 

Free the Weed Legalization without Regulation

 

Ran paul aint his daddy ... for sure

[cristinew]

 liberal indoctrinated brainwashed lumps.

[cristinew]

The brainless name calling started from the obama supporters in this thread,,, not me  ,, now i am playing your little  games,,

[cristinew]

Free the Weed Legalization without Regulation   tell that to obama

[cristinew]

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky  Pat Leahy, D-Vt   Thank you for working together,,,

[+Malamute]

Let's remember some things here people,

 

 99% of republican Rep/Senators were Choir singing Anti Drug Zealots for decades.

 

During that same time period, 85% of Democrats were either Choir singing Anti Drug Zealots or capitulating spineless jellyfish.

 

 

Arguing about whether Rand is a Jellyfish or Biden is a choir singing anti drug zealot is kinda futile.

 

I think we can all agree neither should be winning anyones hearts in this forum whatsoever.

[cristinew]

That is why i praise  the two working together.  

[cristinew]

And i can call names  too  lol

[jointedone]

Yeah well I hate both of them. Anytime 2 hacks say they are working together always turns out to be bunny muffin for us. Want MY vote,Rand Paul? Then YOU and YOUR family  get obamacare,like the rest of us working slobs. What? You mean politicians don't HAVE to have it? Just us? Put your money where your mouth is. I don't trust ANY party.