Chill Out, Pothead Zealots
During his online “town hall” meeting last week, President Obama briefly touched on the always sensitive issue of marijuana legalization. Specifically, Obama responded to a suggestion that legalizing pot would stimulate the economy– the President felt that it would not.
With that, the blogosphere exploded in outrage. Cycho.com:
He is not only ungrateful to those individuals who donated money to him during these brutal economic times, but [it's evident] that he is in power to maintain the status quo. [...]
Of course Obama might be under the impression that he has special privileges that ordinary people do not, especially looking at the way he was shaking his head and waving his arms when he replied “NO”, as if he was talking to children who don’t know the facts. The audacity of this man to dismiss the number one request that the online community had from him is frightening; specially coming from a lying hypocrite that “inhaled frequently”.
Potheads, you may not be following politics too closely, so let us clue you in:
The President has A LOT on his plate right now.
He’s already facing criticism for doing “too much” and being “too radical.”
This is simply not the time for Obama to suggest any changes in the drug laws. It seems likely, from past statements, that Obama is at least open to the legalization of marijuana.
So give him some time. Chill out. Have a seat on the couch.
Isn’t that what you guys do best anyway?
Subscribe to the comments of this post
Loading ...
You have no idea what you’re talking about
Marijuana is a 66 Billion (with a B) dollar industry. Tax even 1/20th of that and it’s a 3 billion dollar increase to federal funding.
It emptys out our jails of victimless criminals who need medical help more than prision saving us Billions of dollars also.
It takes it off the black market, lowering crime just as the bootleggers lost their business after prohibition, saving us even more money.
IT also then leads to betetr medical products for people who desperately need them, and ends a rediculo9us war that has never worked.
It’s the ecconomy stupid, and it’s him being a hypocrite. He admits to use himself “I inhaled frequently, that was kinda the point”. Os it’s ok for the president, but not for us.
He indeed has a lot on his plate, and this is perfect to be one of his many “steps” to fixing the ecconomy.
The idea that we just want this to get high is insulting, and ignorant.
Jason, I don’t disagree with you. Marijuana should be legalized. The point we were trying to make is that people need to relax. It would be politically insane for Obama to push this issue right now. He’s stated in the past that he believes the drug war is misguided– there’s no reason, based on the events this week, to believe that Obama won’t try to legalize pot in the future. But there’s no way it’s going to happen right now. People need to understand that and stop freaking out. Give him some time.
All of the logic in this article is entirely flawed. Any less minor issued addressed in the way that Obama addressed this one would have caused a group of people to be angry. If he had said “No *laugh* I don’t think we should legalize gay marriage” then the gays would have been up in arms. The fact that this post is out there only furthers the concept that some people don’t take serious issues seriously. I think 1 in 30 Americans being controlled by the legal system for non-violent offenses should be a top priority. Students being unable to get federal student loans because of a drug charge while VIOLENT offenders are still able to is unjust. There are cancer patients STILL in jail over receiving what their state views as medicine. It’s not all about yours or my right to get high whenever we want, it is about large and numerous injustices being committed on Americans because of a law that needs to be changed.
In addition, please consider that not only was this issue popular it was the TOP SEVEN questions (rephrased in different ways) in the budget section of “Open for Questions” That’d be as if he ignored the mortgage crisis, not just a minor issue that happened to come up. 3.5 million Americans spoke on “Open for Questions” and the MAJORITY of them were ignored and laughed at. It doesn’t matter WHAT policy he was commenting on it is disrespectful to the people who are trying to get involved in our government and create positive change. Also, please research a topic before you post such a page, it makes you look a little ignorant when you don’t. Not just “potheads” as you so unprofessionally stated are for the legalization of Marijuana there is vast cross-section of police, doctors, state politicians, scholars, congressmen, and just generally informed citizens who have never even tried marijuana that believe it should be legal and were offended by the president’s blatant disrespect of the topic.
Tyler, I’m not claiming to be an expert on marijuana and the potential benefits of legalizing it.
The pro-pot people have taken great offense at Obama’s handling of the issue when none should have been taken. Sure, he laughed about it. Not because it’s a stupid idea, but because it’s a little bit funny that he was discussing it in that context. If you could relax and locate your sense of humor, I think you’d agree. It’s funny that the marijuana question dominated the voting. It’s funny that, in the middle of discussing financial institutions and pension plans, Obama touched on weed. I understand that it’s a serious issue, but it’s still funny. Honestly, can you imagine previous President’s even fielding such a question? It’s a positive sign that he even acknowledged it.
I think that in the coming years, Obama WILL take steps toward ending the prohibition. The point we were trying to make is simple: give him some time.
This truly is a historic Presidency! Obama has managed to rile up the most un-rile-upable segment of our population!
I respect Obama he is a talented politician, President Obama seems to posse’s insightful, reasonable judgment on many issues, although in the case of marijuana prohibition laws I find Obama’s choice to answer with mocking humor to be lacking. Smoking marijuana is an easy thing to laugh about, it seems there is something about being stoned that brings a smile to people’s faces, however marijuana prohibition is not a joke. We should not be making jokes as millions of Americans are arrested for being caught on the wrong side of moral politicking, we should not laugh as we spend over 30 billion dollars a year going after Americans for smoking weed, we should not giggle and poke fun as we watch billions of dollars in tax revenue slip through our fingers each year, and should we not be jolly as thousands of people are murdered by cartels profiting from America’s moral hypocrisy. I believe there are profound latent consequences in prohibition that are not even factored in to our assessments of the effects of illegality, such as how we view the rule of law and the role of law enforcement in the community, the divisiveness between users and non users, the stigma of mental shock of incarceration. I say pot prohibition is no joke it has real costs paid for in real lives. Freedom is achieved in a country by placing responsibility in the hands of the citizen and not by the state legally enforcing morality.
SunflowerPipes.com
No my friend. I chill out when family pushes my buttons, I chill out after a bird poops on my car, or some guy cuts me off. But I do not “chill” when it comes to legislation, because it is my freedom on the line. Of course Obama not tackling the issue will upset the uneducated, but, then again, it is not Obama’s place to legalize it… it’s all those potheads you’re telling to relax who must vote and campaign. All Obama gets to do is veto it if it gets on his desk… jesus. So, yes you were correct to call this bafoon out for being so idiotic to look down upon Obama for his remarks about legalization, but you in turn must realize you are now just as much in his boat because you are telling an entire subculture to not be upset about their president being not educated about a cash crop that they invest in and are constantly harassed about by a branch of our government this guy heads. We live in a democracy and last year you told everyone to take a chill pill instead of the truth, which is: don’t point the finger at our president and expect him to be our savior. He is just the CEO, we’re the board of directors with contoling shares. Of course his answer is more towards the side which is more active rather than the lazy smoker expecting him do all the work.
Dude obama hands out medals to other people for doing all the work for a living, starts and end wars, throws parties, and encourages a capitalistic egalitarian society… that’s the perfect stoner job, maybe that’s why the last three presidents smoked pot lol
So, in closing, thanks for nothing but a good laugh while chilling… lord knows I needed something to laugh at after colbert. I’m still high on life.