Thank you Mr Fein.

We have an inalienable right to consume what we want.

That $trillion savings is a much better talking point than projecting tax revenues, especially with conservatives. We want to cut wasteful government spending on a program that doesn’t work.

Good point. I’ll keep it in mind. Good sales pitch and true.

and “to be let alone” – Justice Louis Brandeis

Shocking. It turns out that demand matters.

Excellent – the JSN Board is in roll-out mode.

Who’s next, Norm Stamper? He always speaks well too.

That $trillion savings is a much better talking point than projecting tax revenues, especially with conservatives.

Sorry. Conservatives don’t care about deficits. They only care about Democratic deficits.

Who’s next, Norm Stamper? He always speaks well too.

Kelly!
I vote for Glenzilla.

Peg!
Oh, yeah, he has that excellent Portuguese piece he can speak about.

Does Fein really believe this? Or is he just blowing smoke?

Conservatives do like to talk about cutting wasteful spending. That doesn’t just mean grandma needs to eat catfood or volcanos don’t need to be studied.

Fein’s a believer.

He’s in that Venn Diagram intersection with progressives on impeachment (particularly Cheney’s, torture memos, legalization.

Conservatives do like to talk about cutting wasteful spending

I agree, they love to TALK about it.

snark…

they also sometimes talk about State’s Rights (10th Amendment) without it being a dog whistle. States are the laboratories of democracy and California is doing valuable work by experimenting with cannabis policy.

I’m still in shock that this is getting any air time. Have I entered the twilight zone? Rational discourse on the television? Don’t wake me … this is a very sweet dream.

I read the news today oh boy…

I know the Democrats are going to screw this up somehow. If the pattern holds then the Republicans will take the mantle of legalizing pot thereby increasing their voter base with the younger generation while the Democrats watch another prime opportunity to champion Democratic principles slip by and further alienate their base and the youth vote at the same time. But … but the Republicans might be mean to us if we come out for legalizing pot.

There is no way our current Democrats have the spine to pull off a legalization campaign but the Republicans might be able to do it. Go Republicans! And thanks to Jane and the others for ignoring the DailyKos crowd and Obama apologists who run in fear of all Republicans instead of finding common ground. You continue to give them a well deserved black eye for their tribalism.

Rock on FDLers! Every time I’m ready to give up the fight you draw me back in with your sensible, courageous stands and remind me of why I’ve been fighting the progressive fight. Rage, rage into the dying of the light!

bmaz is upstairs!
Perry v. Schwarzenegger Prop 8 Decision Tomorrow

“The National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse was created by Public Law 91-513 to study marijuana abuse in the United States. While the Controlled Substances Act was being drafted in a House committee in 1970, Assistant Secretary of Health Roger O. Egeberg had recommended that marijuana temporarily be placed in Schedule I, the most restrictive category of drugs, pending the Commission’s report. On March 22, 1972, the Commission’s chairman, Raymond P. Shafer, presented a report to Congress and the public entitled Marijuana, A Signal of Misunderstanding which favored ending marijuana prohibition and adopting other methods to discourage use.”

http://www.whitehouse2.org/documents/286-the-1972-shafer-commision-report

Raymond P. Shafer, a Republican, was Governor of Pennsylvania, 1967-1971.

President Nixon told the Shafer Commission to go lb. NaCl.

Recommended reading: “Once-Secret ‘Nixon Tapes’ Show Why the U.S. Outlawed Pot” at

http://www.alternet.org/story/12666/

Try to keep in mind that every pundit who has ever lived has touted Nixon as being very very intelligent.

Thanks for the Nixon link. that’s pretty damning stuff, particular the anti-semitic comments…
He believed that “the Jews,” especially “Jewish psychiatrists” were behind advocacy for legalization, asking advisor Bob Haldeman, “What the Christ is the matter with the Jews, Bob?”

Overruling the judgment of his own commission of experts based, by the President’s own words, by invidious discrimination against a religious minority. Isn’t there a denial of due process when a government policy is predicated by overt religious discrimination? Especially since, as you probably know, the Administration can eliminate federal restrictions on marijuana at anytime under 21 USC 811b

the Attorney General may by rule—
(2) remove any drug or other substance from the schedules if he finds that the drug or other substance does not meet the requirements for inclusion in any schedule… Proceedings for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of such rules may be initiated by the Attorney General
(1) on his own motion,
(2) at the request of the Secretary [of HHS], or
(3) on the petition of any interested party…

The Attorney General shall, before initiating proceedings under subsection (a) of this section… request from the Secretary a scientific and medical evaluation, and his recommendations, as to whether such drug or other substance should be so controlled or removed as a controlled substance… and if the Secretary recommends that a drug or other substance not be controlled, the Attorney General shall not control the drug or other substance.

Of course, this isn’t the Federal Reserve we’re talking about, the President can always order the AG or the HHS Sec. to do whatever he likes (though he only needs to use his “decider” powers on the HHS Secretary who has the authority to both request a review and to make a binding recommendation to decontrol any drug). Regulation of marijuana would then fall to state law who’d be free to criminalize or legalize as each state wishes.

In retrospect I think, pushing this through would have been a better use of Bill Clinton’s last days in the White House than pardoning Marc Rich. :o)